What's OK for Your Middle Schooler to Read?

I just watched a scene between a teen and a child that knocked me out. I've come to admire much of the writing on Fear the Walking Dead (who'd a thunk it)? --as well as the first series The Walking Dead until they got tiresome with endless fighting. Hopefully Fear won't go down that road, and keep characters in its sights in every episode.

This scene happened between Alicia, who I believe is in her late teens, and an 11-year-old girl named Charlie, after some very violent scenes that resulted in tragedy. 

The scene and entire episode involves a storm in which both Alicia and Charlie take shelter in the same house. Alicia first tries to get Charlie to leave, and then leaves herself, but has to return when the storm becomes a hurricane. Charlie is obviously frightened and will not speak to Alicia, who says she will never forgive Charlie for destroying her family. Alicia also says she wants Charlie to live a long time so she will live with what she did. 

What struck me about this episode was the youth of both protagonists, and how they may have navigated playing their respective roles. In writing my own middle grade and Y/A fiction, I hear adults say that some of the choices my 12-year-old character Ruby makes seem risky at times. I think my character does take risks, though I believe young readers are seeing far riskier things in the news every day.

For example, Ruby leaves home and lies about it to her parents., Accompanied by her brother's 16 year old girlfriend,  Ruby goes halfway across the country to help a friend. As the author, it was important to me to make sure an older teenager was there with Ruby, and that she wasn't running off by herself. 

I do believe it's up to each and every parent to judge what he or she is going to allow their child to read or see. I would not recommend children watching any of the Walking Dead shows. But some of the actors are children, and they go through some pretty hair-raising things. If I were a parent, I think I would allow my child to act in the series. I say that because I cannot help but think our kids see and understand a lot of serious and scary stuff these days, and they need a way to deal with it.

On the other hand, timing is everything, and it's up to each parent to decide what books or movies or games they want to share with their children. All I can say is I think young people are brave, layered and resilient, and it's a very great privilege to write for them.

Illustration: Scott Rolfs