Twilight, New Moon Trailer
The official trailer for New Moon is out.
It looks like they used the same make-up artist from the first movie. I was kind of hoping they’d make some changes there.
And I was hoping to see more of Jacob in the preview, this is sort of his book, after all. The only time he has Bella all to himself. But I understand that they are trying to give those who have not read the series the gist of what happens in this movie
I was disappointed enough in Twilight that I’m not super excited about New Moon’s release. I will still go see it, but it bothers me that this series was done as a “budget film” when it had so much potential. I dunno, maybe I’ll get more excited when the release is closer.
If you haven’t read the books then I would recommend you read them before seeing the movie(s). The books are soooo much better.
I know that is true much of the time, but I guess I got spoiled by LOTR and Harry Potter, where the movies lived up to the books, and then some.
Here’s a question for those who have read the books – at what age will you let your child read this series? Common Sense Media has it at 13 but I know of ten year old’s who have been allowed to read it.
The books are long – I think two of them are 800 pages and the other two are 600 pages. These four books probably have as many words as another series with nine or ten books would have. When you think about it, that makes it a bargain. But, the point is that if you let your daughter start them at 12, she may be 13 or 14 before she finishes them. That’s something to consider, when your child will reach the final book, because I really think the final book is more for the 14 or 15 year old and not the 12 or 13 year old.
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I really loved this series… I read all 4 books in one week, so needless to say I was a little obsessed. My kids are too young for this series, but the books seem pretty dark for much younger than 13 or 14, especially New Moon. I thought that one was very dark… when they were in Italy…
I guess it depends on how impressionable kids are, some kids can handle darker stuff like this and some can’t.
lotsofhope
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I got all of these from the library to see what all the hype was about. I really did enjoy them, but I don’t think that any teenage girls should be reading them. I just saw the movie on Monday night and I thought it was very tame and “teeny” so a lot of the subtext and darkness wasn’t really in it like the books. I also understand why the hardcore book fans were disapointed in the movie.
For an adult woman who can understand that the obsessive relationship stuff is unhealthy and that there aren’t men out there all mythical like Edward, that is one thing. But I feel that teens have enough other stuff going on with hormones and boy crazy stuff to add to it.
And the Italy stuff is REALLY dark as is a bunch of stuff in the 4th book. You of course have to judge your kid and how mature they are, but man I wouldn’t want my daughter reading this stuff in the early teen years.
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I have to agree with Pink. This is not a healthy relationship model for teen girls. I think it would be a really great discussion starter for mothers and daughters if they both read the books together, then they could discuss what a real relationship is like. Teen girls are looking for this type of information, and are too often finding it in the wrong places. Oh, and I think 13 is a good age to begin these types of discussions, but as always you have to know your child.
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I read the books first, and then with some reservations let my daughter, 11.5 at the time, read all but the last. She doesn’t have a lot of exposure to or interest in pop culture, but this was TERRIBLY important to her. All the girls on her skating team read the books, saw the movie repeatedly, and it was a topic of frequent discussion.
The fourth is quite a big leap in terms of the sexual content, and it just isn’t appropriate at that age. I told her she could probably read the fourth book at age thirteen, but in the meantime should thank her lucky stars that she was allowed to read the first three.
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Too dark. I don’t think I’m old enough for it.
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:16 pm
I read the books first and then let my 13 year old daughter read them. I was concerned that the last book was too much for her, but she never finished the third one, because it just became too much reading, so I didn’t have to worry about it. I know the books were a little much, but I think that there were lessons taught that were good and moral….. such as Edward wanting to save and protect Bella, etc. I also think that Edward respects Bella and you don’t see that type of story line in a lot of teenage material these days. My daughter and I were able to talk about the books while she was reading them and we saw the movie when it came out so it was a time of bonding for us. Of course, she knows that vampires and werewolves are not real and has always loved scary stuff.
chinapromise
LID 3/29/06
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:33 pm
I doubt my boys will want to read these. My daughter, I might let her start reading them when I would let her start reading fluffy romance novels like Harlequin. I put them about on the same level. It will definitely be something we talk about while we reads them though, much as we’ve talked with our boys about books they are reading.
Now, that said, I do have a child who started the Harry Potter books in 2nd or 3rd grade and read every single one of them in a year so it’s possible a 10 year old could start the series and finish it as a 10 year old. He has since read The Hobbit and the first two parts of Lord of the Rings as a 4th grader (as well as a few other books such as one by Tom Clancy prescreened by Daddy, science fiction prescreened by grandpa and Mommy, and biographies). He is not interested in reading Twilight, and I honestly do not know what I would do if he wanted to read them…the last is not content “good” for him in my opinion.
June 4th, 2009 at 7:12 am
katrinalya – that’s kind of my thinking, that if handled correctly this could be a nice discussion on a healthy relationship vs an unhealthy one.
And ktsmom – based on what age the older kids are reading the series, that’s where I’m going to be also, I’m afraid. That most of GG’s friends will have read it and I really do not want to be one of those parents who censor or blacklist books that are supposedly age appropriate. I get that even books we don’t like or don’t agree with can give a positive message as long as there is communication about it.
But, personally, I’d prefer these books be read by a 15+ year old. I know that isn’t going to happen, but it’s a nice thought.
I think what I want to do is find another book that in some way shows or explains the difference in a healthy relationship and an unhealthy one. Preferably a fiction book and not a “preachy” one. I’ll probably tell her that once she’s read that book and we’ve talked about it that I’ll let her start Twilight. I just have to find that book.
June 4th, 2009 at 8:43 am
I actually bought “Twilight” for myself (I’m a man), but lost interest very quickly (I’m also a writer).
My wife read the series in one week – loved them until she considered that they were targeted to young teen girls. Unfortunately, it’s a lot harder to “screen” books than movies, so many parents may not be aware of the messages put forth in this series – especially if they only have the hype to go on.
We know a 12-year-old girl who so overidentified with Bella that she became a danger to herself and others. Long story, and this isn’t the time or place, but let me just say we now feel about “Twilight” the way the “Poltergeist” family felt about TV by the end of that movie.
June 4th, 2009 at 9:19 am
I agree with adamanderin.
I thought the book was really fun, but there is NO WAY I would let my child read this book. I know it’s targeted at teens, but IMO it’s not a good book for them to read.
The main male character (Edward) who is supposed to be a type-of dream guy is really an obsessive stalker. The main character Bella has no goals, no dreams, no ambition, and no personality aside from being miserable and obsessed with her boyfriend. She loves him because he is beautiful. He loves her because he wants to eat her and she smells good. (He tells her she is like his heroin). She is willing to die for someone she barely knows, someone who plays mind games with her, who dominates her completely. She finds out he is in her room every night watching her sleep (he doesn’t need sleep) and that’s not at all creepy but somehow romantic.
Seriously, almost every page describes how gorgeous Edward is and that pretty much sums up why he’s worth dying for.
June 4th, 2009 at 9:44 am
I completely agree Noendinsight, but if every girl in the class except two or three have read it, and you tell your child she can’t read it, aren’t you making it the forbidden fruit? Wouldn’t it be better to let her read it and talk to her about what she’s reading, say, every fifty to seventy five pages?
She’s going to hear about it, and if you’ve forbidden it then she’s not going to come to you to talk about what she’s heard. Also, what if she manages to get her hands on a book and read it at school so you don’t know she’s reading it? I think it is much worse to completely banish them and shut down conversations about them. These are very popular books and our kids are going to be exposed to them on some level whether we approve are not. I think it is important that GG understands that not being able to function because your boyfriend leaves town is the sign of mental instability in the real world. It makes for a good story, but it’s not something to try to create in your own life.
I will let GG read it. Hopefully closer to 13 or 14, but if most of the rest of the class is reading it at 12 then I will probably have to seriously consider letting her read it then so it doesn’t become some huge forbidden thing that gains power because it is forbidden.
My problem is that I realize some girls at her school are reading the series at 10 and 11. That’s the downside of having kids who can read well above their grade level… sometimes they want to read books that they aren’t really ready for yet. I do not feel comfortable with her reading the books at 10 or 11, but I also don’t want to give the books more power by saying no to them. We’re not there yet though, so I guess I’ll figure it out when the time comes.
June 4th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Yes, RQ – of course you’re right.
I’m hoping by when the time comes the books won’t be as popular ;-) Yeah, right.
I read Judy Blume. Do kids still read those books?
June 4th, 2009 at 10:08 am
BTW, if you have any kids who are into the Broadway show “Wicked” (which I loved), you should know that the novel it’s based on is in NO WAY appropriate for young teens. Not even close. I cringe whenever I see young girls carrying that book around.
I mention this because the musical seems to appeal to a similar demographic.
In the case of the girl I mentioned – she was not my daughter, but my son was very close to her. There was no dialogue at all between her and her parents – so that wasn’t an option. Things would surely have turned out differently if she’d had a better relationship with mom and dad.
June 4th, 2009 at 10:11 am
I realize since I wrote the above post in past tense you might get the impression the girl is no longer “with us.” She is. Things didn’t get as bad as that, but certainly might have.
June 4th, 2009 at 10:31 am
No way is Wicked a book young teens should be reading. It’s not even Young Adult! Ack. It’s a great book, but it is not for kids. I haven’t seen the play yet, so I can’t comment on that.
And yes, kids still read Judy Blume. How many of us read Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret in Junior High? I learned a lot of stuff from that book that my mother had not yet explained to me.
June 4th, 2009 at 10:38 am
“Wicked” the play was very much cleaned up for a family audience. It’s a great show. I just wish Gregory Maguire would publish an expurgated version for the YA market. My son (14) wants to read it, and I’ve been discouraging (but not forbidding) it. That’s usually enough for him.
We actually heard Maguire speak at a local college last year. Very funny and nice guy. Reminds me of 70′s-80′s era Richard Dreyfuss. WIsh I’d suggested the YA edition of “Wicked” when I had the chance!
June 4th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I’ve read the first 3 in the series in the last 2 weeks and am in the process of reading Midnight Sun from the author’s website. I don’t generally read much in the fantasy genre, but I watched the movie one night while I was on the treadmill, and it piqued my interest. I didn’t think the movie was that great, so I assumed the books must be better to have such a following. They have been pretty much what I expected, an easy read and very appealing to what I had envisioned to be a late middle school/early high school crowd. Since I haven’t read the 4th one yet, I can’t comment on when I’d let my children read it. But I wholeheartedly agree that forbidding it makes it that much more appealing. I hope that someday if my daughter wants to read them, it will be an opportunity to talk to about healthy relationships in high school. I love using books to start a conversation. It takes the pressure off both parent and child and allows a neutral way to broach sensitive subjects and to open the door to questions.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
“Wicked” is a pretty hard book to get through. I agree it’s not appropriate for teens or young adults, but I can’t imagine they would start it and even want to finish it when they realize what a hard read it is.
I would have had NO IDEA what it was like to get my period where it not for Judy Blume!!!! When the time came my mother just acted like of course i knew everything. I remember telling her on the phone when i did (she was at work) and she was like “okay” and I was so disappointed that she wasn’t like “yay!!!”
I also remember reading “Forever” and none of us told our parents. It was like contraband.
June 4th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Which book was the male version of “Are you there God, It’s me Margaret”? I’m drawing a blank.
My mom pulled a complete freak-out on the male version, she even made a trip to the school about it. Didn’t do any good, thank goodness, as the book stayed on the shelves. I’m having a hard time figuring out which book it was, though. The boy gets, errr, excited, in class and he gets called to the chalk board to do something and he’s horrified that someone will notice. I had no idea what “hard” meant, and when I asked my mom I got the word wrong and asked her what it meant for a boy to get “tough”. She didn’t know, so I got the book and found the part and said, “Oh, “hard”, what does it mean when….” and her face didn’t turn red, it turned purple.
Gee, no wonder I look through GG’s library books from school to see what she’s reading so we can talk about it.
The “contraband” books when I was in high school were the VC Andrews books of the kids who live in the attic. Those were most definitely not young adult. We passed them around until everyone in our little clique had read them. My mom would have been horrified to see what I was reading. Doesn’t seem to have warped me too bad though. I should probably keep that in mind as GG and TT find stuff to read that I probably won’t approve of.
June 4th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
RQ–I think it was “Then Again, Maybe I Won’t.” Ahhh… the VC Andrews books. Yes, those were creepy and too “mature” at the time I read them, but sometimes reading about something is a better way to deal with curiosity than to experiment. Either way, if you know what your kid is reading, you have some insight into what they are curious about.
June 4th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I agree that for many kids just saying no makes it the forbidden fruit. For kids whose parents are paying attention, reading them with discussion could be a great thing. But for the kids I deal with each week in a mentorship program I run – it just adds to the things that are sending them down the wrong road because they aren’t being guided by their parents.
As I said, I checked out the books because of the hype and didn’t find out until I was on the 3rd one that they were targeted to teens.
RQ- You cracked me up mentioning “Are you there God…” I think I read that book about a million times. And the VC Andrews books. I was way above reading level and read those books waaayyyyy too young. I had totally forgotten about that. LOL.
June 6th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Books 2 and 4 of the Twilight series were banned in my son’s class (5th grade). He has no desire to read them but the banning made me want to see what the hype was. I’ve read 1 and 2 and am waiting for 3 at the library. So far, I don’t think they’re much more violent than Harry Potter. As a preteen and young teen I was reading the Flowers in the Attic series. I loved the books as a kid but when I look back- child abuse, murder, incest. I also read Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. I was prohibited from reading Sybil. Of course, I read it anyway and was unable to talk about the things that bothered me in it because I would have gotten into serious trouble. This is why I don’t ban books from Jason (at 3 Jess is still pretty easy to direct to appropriate reading material*S*). I want to know what he’s reading and ensure that he knows he can talk about it. Some thought I let him read Harry Potter too young (started in 2nd grade) but we both read them and discussed the books.