Irish Parents Review English Curriculum

   Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd is an historical novel set in the 1980’s and is set against the backdrop of the troubles of Northern Ireland. The themes of this book are quite dark and heavy including the fact that the brother of the main character, Fergus McCann, is on hunger strike. Other themes include the discovery of a body in a bog, illegal couriering for the IRA and the story contains dark flashbacks and dreams throughout.  I personally found this book extremely difficult to read. I am an avid reader normally and I am usually happy to read a variety of book types. However, it's a long time since I struggled to finish a book like I did with this one. I found it disjointed, hard to follow, dark in parts, boring and I really think the average teenager would struggle to read this book. It contained some coarse language and one scene of intimacy with the opposite sex. Perhaps it would have a place on the history curriculum as the subject matter is, I’m sure, an insigh...

  Private Peaceful comes from the pen of accaimed children's author, Michael Morpurgo, who offers us this wonderful, heartfelt tale of two brothers growing up in a harsh, rural environment in southern England. They both enlist to fight in the Great War (WW1) and themes of family, loyalty, courage, sibling rivalry, friendship and humanity are explored. Verdict: Suitable for study at Junior Level but the book does contain a few curse words scattered throughout. Thoughtful and moving. Informative about the harsh treatment of soldiiers and their conditions in WW1 but I was disappointed to see (implied) promiscuity and some bad language in a Michael Morpurgo book aimed at pre-teen/young teen age group. Sheila F,.Co.Tipperary

  Author Sarah Perry has accurately describd this book as "An unflinching account of love and brutality, of the strength of blood ties and the power of imagination...." Westover's childhood spent 'on the mountain' in Idaho, was anything but normal. She grew up in a strict Mormon family, led by her extremely patriarchal, bi-polar Father and submissive Mother,with no proper access to education or medical care. Although her father cared deeply for his family, he did not possess the mental health or maturity to look after them well, and as a result, several of his children, his wife, and ultimately himself, all suffered devastating physical and emotional wounds , from which it would take the author many years to recover. The book highlights the serious physical parental neglect and sibling abuse which the author went through, and the struggle she had, in order to break free to pursue education and her own destiny. Verdict: Very interesting and well written account...

  The Woman in Black  is a 1983  horror novel  by  Susan Hill , written in the style of a traditional  Gothic novel . The plot concerns a mysterious  spectre  that haunts a small English town.  A lawyer is assigned to travel to the village to examine a house that belonged to a recently deceased woman. He discovers the spirit of the same woman and learns that she's killing the village children/causing them to commit suicide. There are disturbing parts- people lighting themselves on fire, someone coughs up lots of blood, and a lot of physiological threat. Three young girls also jump out a window. A woman is shown hanging from the roof. (Teen reviewer aged 17) Verdict: We at IrishParents do not feel that young people, aged 15 and under,  will benefit from "studying" disturbing material like this. We cannot recommend this for study in the classroom.  .

  Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe This book tells the story of a man “Okonkwo” and his Ibo tribe in Nigeria. He does not have a good relationship with his father “Unoka”, a lazy man who has incurred many debts and is considered weak and cowardly because of his love for music (the flute).  Okonkwo is a tough, strong tempered man who beats his wives and children.  In the latter part of the book, some missionaries come to evangelise these people but are opposed by the strong ones such Okonkwo, and are accepted by the weak who are the rejects of the tribe. At the end of the story, Okonkwo in a moment of rage, beheads one of the soldiers accompanying the white men who has come to evangelise and later on, he hangs himself from a tree. In this tribe, everyone has a personal god - “chi”- as well as many other gods and goddesses, which they worship constantly in order to receive favour from them. Animal sacrifices are presented to these gods before the harvest. Ceremonies to Mo...

Directed by Milos Forman, it tells the story of Wolgang Amadeus Mozart, the famous composer, and is, to quote the Rotten Tomatoes movies review site " a lavish, entertaining, powerful film about the life and influence, both positve and negative, of one of Western culture's great artists". Jealousy, betrayal and bitterness are all themes which are explored in this tragic story. Common Sense movie review site notes that this movie "includes a suicide attempt, disturbing images of mentally ill men kept chained and naked in a sanatorium, and some sexual hanky-panky. a naked backside and partial breasts are shown". Verdict: Some parents will feel this is okay to show to young teens. We feel that certain scenes are not suitable to be shown in the classroom. It is also a very long movie and might not hold the attention of junior students.  There are two versions of this movie: the PG-13 has a little nudity but the extended edition rated R version has an extra-marital s...

 This vital courtroom drama (which features the jury deliberations in a murder case) highlights the necessity of examining  facts from more than one perspective and shows how, when exposed to another, more persuasive opinion, we can be swayed in what we think/believe to be true. The 12 jurors in the play have to examine and discuss the facts of the case and come to a unanimous decision because a young man's life is at stake.  Verdict; thoughtful, insightful and important piece of work. Suitable for study in the classroom at Junior Level although bad language and blasphemy are present in the text.

  The Dark is Rising is the second book of a five part, award-winning fantasy series by Susan Cooper. The Dark is Rising , which was first published in 1965, influenced a whole new wave of fantasy writers. According to the SuperSummary web-site, " the story focuses on eleven-yr-old Will Stanton, who learns on his birthday that he is what is known as an "Old One" -he is destined to wield the powers of The Light in an ancient struggle with the evil force, The Dark.  The book explores "...themes of good vs. evil, the passage of time, fate vs. free will, and what it means to be powerful."  Cooper is a great writer and the story is intriguing and contains great  themes (such as perseverance and sacrifice to achieve a greater goal) which could be discussed and explored further in the classroom. Verdict: good choice for Junior level. Does not contain any obvious objectionable material but magic and fantasy are central to the story. LOVE this writer and series. Thril...

Trading Places (movie) directed by John Landis   REVIEWED BY Alex Orner COMMON SENSE MEDIA   Parents need to know that this film is too bawdy for children under 17 as it has explicit female nudity, coarse language, and visualizations/discussions of hard-core drugs (including PCP, cocaine, Quaaludes). Besides profanity, there are racist remarks. The mature content depicts stereotypes of social classes and different races. Avarice drives many of the characters, yet the film does a good job showing the ill effects of greed. Verdict by Irish Parents Review English Curriculum: Not appropriate for the classroom due to extreme use of profanity, nudity & drug use. Verdict:This movie is one I remember from growing up in the 80's. This is TOTALLY unsuitable for study in the English classroom! It is brimming with sexual references and innuendo, profane and offensive language, nudity, prostitution.....just generally objectionable stuff! (Terry N. Co.Carlow) Verdict: The storylin...

Unforgiven (movie) by Clint Eastwood) REVIEWED BY COMMON SENSE MEDIA: Parents need to know that this movie contains multiple scenes of point-blank gunfire, vicious close-up beatings (including bull-whipping a man’s bare back and repeatedly kicking a fallen man in the face), slashing of a woman’s face, and a man shot dead while sitting in an outhouse. The language is coarse throughout. The women at the centre of this film are prostitutes who are depicted as “property” rather than human beings. One scene shows a sexual act, although the participants are mostly clothed. Other suggestive scenes show the men negotiating for sexual favors. Alcohol is consumed in several sequences. Verdict: I do not want my son encouraged to be violent. I do not think sex is suitable for watching in class. (Vlora L, Co.Cork) Verdict: This is considered to be a great classic Western by some, complete with stellar cast etc. but it is still not suitable for watching at school as part of the curriculum studies...

Beloved diary memoirs of Anne Frank, a young dutch Jewish teenager who, along with her family and a few neighbours, remained hidden for two years in cramped living conditions above her father's office, during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in WW11. The family was eventually betrayed and sadly, Anne, her sister and her mother, all perished in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. Her father survived the war and returned to the Netherlands where he was given the diary by a friend (Miep Gies, who had kept it hidden all through the war years) and published Anne's diary. Anne's writing is mature for such a young teen and is humorous, poignant, descriptive and insightful. She is observant of her neighbours and also spends much time in introspective inspection. Her diary is considered to be an important document as it stands as an authentic record of life in hiding during this horrific time in history. Verdict: Great choice for study in the classroom. 

 Spirited Away comes from the wild imagination of Japanese animator, Hayao Miyazaki and  has been described as an "elaborate, complicated and sometimes intense animated fantasy" by Film Forum. It  charts the progress of a young girl, Chihiro, and her foolish parents who stumble into a spiritual realm filled with mythical creatures and ghosts. They fall under a curse and Chihiro must find a way to set them free. Her journey changes her as she develops patience, compassion and bravery throughout the course of the movie and is tested in love and friendship and we, the audience, are told parables about greed and sacrificial love along the way. Fairy tales, fables and shintoism abound in Spirited Away and the animation is breath-taking at times. There is much for the discerning teacher to explore and tease out in the classroom here...... Verdict: suitable for study at junior level . It is possible that some students may find this genre a bit creepy or boring but more artistic...

  Set in Limerick, Ireland in 1978,   John Breen’s   2004 heartfelt rugby comedy   Alone It Stands Alone   is perhaps most distinctive for its bold choice of having six actors play 26 different roles. The sextet (five men and one woman) tackle, run, and leap on stage as both the Munster Rugby team and as the All Blacks, but they also play all the secondary characters– including but not limited to one player’s pregnant wife, a chorus of singers, group of teenage boys planning a bonfire, a teenage girl, the match spectators, two newborn babies, and even a dog named Sinbad. The actors make their swift transitions without the benefit of costume changes, often with several scenes happening on the stage at the same time.  Indeed, one of the play’s funniest segments is an intense, noisy childbirth (“I have the head.  All you have to do is push it down!”) alongside an intense, noisy scrum (“I have the ball. All I have to do i...

  This book has won several awards including both the Newbery AND the Carnegie medal. It is a roller coaster of a fantasy book based in a graveyard, the underworld and the real world and follows the non-stop adventures of Bod (a human boy) and his ghostly companions/guardians. Some of the main themes covered are: death and tragedy; good vs. evil; compassion and forgiveness; fate vs. free will. Verdict: Suitable for study at Junior Level although some parents might object to the setting and backdrop of the story.

  This play is a tragicomedy about a small rural town in Ireland where many of the townspeople are extras in a Hollywood film.   Wikipedia The Broadway sensation tells the tragicomedy story of a movie location shoot in Ireland, and the delightful, touching characters caught up in it. “An inventive and riotously funny comedy.” – Mike Kuchwara, Associated Press SYNOPSIS written by alexandra Applleton Stones In His Pockets  takes place in a scenic spot near small town in County Kerry which has been taken over by a Hollywood film crew. Charlie Conlan and Jake Quinn have been employed as extras on the film and tell the story of the impact this movie set has upon the local community. Charlie claims to be escaping the aftermath of a failed business venture and has great aspirations to get his own script made into a film. Jake has recently returned from America and is enthralled by the beauty of the movie’s leading lady until it becomes clear that she only wants to use him to app...

  Waiting for Godot    is a tragicomedic play by Samuel Beckett in which two characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), engage in a variety of discussions and encounters while awaiting   Godot , who never arrives.Themes of Religion/God, death,suicide and sexuality are discussed. The play is a symbol for the purposeless nature of man's existence.  This is an existentialist play which emphasises the utter meaninglessness of life.The two main characters in the play plan to commit suicide and urge each other to do it first.  Themes: Waiting. For Someone, Death, Salvation. Godot=God Tree= Tree of knowledge/life/cruxcifixion The play is a typical example of the Theatre of the Absurd, and people use the phrase ' waiting for Godot ' to describe a situation where they are  waiting  for something to happen, but it probably never will. ..   Verdict:This play is not going to inspire young people to embrace life. More suited to third level than seco...

Frankenstein was written in 1817 by young Mary Shelley and this tragic story ( often regarded as a gothic horror) recounts the tale of a young ambitious science student, Victor Frankenstein, who has always dreamed of discovering the elixer of life, which he eventually does, and uses, to create an inanimate monstrous being whom he brings to life. The monster disgusts Victor and so he callously abandons it. The creature goes out into the world looking for love, empathy and understanding. Unfortunately, because his appearance is so ugly and horrific, the monster experiences only rejection, attacks and fear from everyone he encounters. As a result, his yearning to love (both his fellow "human" beings, and his creator) turns to hate and a desire for revenge. He seeks out members of Frankenstein's family and circle of close friends, and chokes them to death.  Long narratives occur in this book which give us an insight into the minds of both Victor and his creature. The theme of...

  BBC website summary: A Christmas Carol  is a novella by Charles Dickens about Ebenezer Scrooge, an old man, who is well-known for his  miserly  ways. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by a series of ghosts, starting with his old business partner, Jacob Marley. The three spirits which follow, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come, show Scrooge how his mean behaviour has affected those around him. At the end of the story he is relieved to discover that there is still time for him to change and we see him transformed into a generous and kind-hearted human being. The major themes of the story are: Compassion and Forgiveness ;  Isolation ;  Transformation ;  Philosophical Viewpoints: Rationality ;  Choices ;  Time ;  Family ;  The Home ;  Memory and the Past ;  Guilt and Blame Verdict: Classic tale: suitable for study at Junior Level. The radio play version is adapted by Orson Welles an...

  The Importance of Being Earnest is a comic play by Oscar Wilde that engages themes such as  marriage , class, social expectations, and the lifestyles of the English upper class. The play focuses on two men, Algernon and Jack, who both impersonate other men, in order to either impress or escape criticism. The play is witty, satirical and humorous and is aimed at mocking the snobbery.of high society and emphasizing the importance of being......earnest! (sincere). Verdict: Suitable for study at Junior Level. Does not contain any objectionable material. I saw this play performed as a student at third level and loved it. Fast-paced, funny, silly and clever all at once. Good to see this included on the prescribed list.  Hilary D.parent, Co.Wexford

  The story recounts the experiences of Joey, a  horse  purchased by the Army for service in World  War  I in France and the attempts of young Albert, his previous owner, to bring him safely home. (Wikipedia) MAJOR  THEMES :  War Horse  touches on many  themes  including love, loyalty, the human-animal bond, loss, grief, anger, pain, bravery, desire for revenge, the uselessness of  war , separation, excitement, survival and identity, leaving a small town to fight in another country, and universal suffering. The stage version merges mesmerizing puppetry, music and dialogue to make a fantasic show! Verdict: suitable for study at Junior Level Delighted to see the inclusion of this stellar production! Can't wait for my lad to see it on stage...James T. Co.Offaly Wonderful play. Great writing and beautiful on the stage. Greta G., Co.kilkenny

Movie: Wadjda directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour This movie tells the story of a young girl growing up in Saudi Arabia and how she defies her society’s expectations and rules for females, when she decides to raise the money she needs, to buy the bike she desires to own and ride. The movie provides interesting insight into the daily life of a typical Saudi girl, her mother and her mother’s friends, although I suspect that it is only telling the story from one angle and thus portrays all the negatives and restrictions of daily life in Saudi for  females, without giving us any of the positives. Well worth watching for those of us who did not know a lot about how life could be for girls growing up in a patriarchal Islamic culture like Saudi. (There are no objectionable sexual or violent scenes and the movie contains no bad language) (Reviewed by Trisha N. Co.Roscommon)

  Published in 1969 to great acclaim, The Cay was inspired by a true life story of an 11-yr-old boy who had been aboard the Dutch ship, Hato, when it was torpedoed in 1942. He drifted away on a liferaft and was never heard of again. The Cay, which is beautifully written, is set in the Caribbean during WW11 and charts the story of Phillip, an American boy, who becomes stranded and blinded on a desert island and must learn to overcome his fears and prejudices in order to learn to trust and survive. In today's classroom, some students of African parentage are quick to take offense at any novel which has throwbacks to historical racism (To kill a Mockingbird being a good example) but The Cay shows Phillip overcoming his racist attitude and becoming a better person because of his island friend,Timothy. These classics, which deal with the issue of racism are excellent tools for today's classroom, and teachers should not be put off by students' complaints when the book in question...