Around the World in Eighty Days
Recommended. Age: 11+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
Phileas Fogg bets that he can go all the way around the world in eighty days. He and his helper Passepartout ride on ships, trains and even an elephant. Along the way they stop to save a woman's life, even though it might make them lose the bet. It is an exciting story that is good for kids about eleven and up. The Cardinal Newman Society list carries this classic for grades 5 to 8. It is a fast and cheerful adventure, and its best moments are moral ones. Fogg twice puts a human life ahead of his fortune. Common Sense Media and Plugged In do not review the book, so the content cells are blank. A few scenes, such as a widow about to be burned and an opium den, need a word from a parent.
For parents
Read aloud from about nine. Independent reading from eleven or twelve, in line with the Cardinal Newman Society's grades 5 to 8. It suits a seventh grader well. Ask: why does Fogg stop to rescue Aouda when every hour counts? Why does he go back for Passepartout? What does that tell us about what a person is worth next to money? The whole plot hangs on a very large bet, so say a word about gambling and about not risking what your family needs. Explain the scene in India before you reach it. Wikipedia describes a widow who was to be burned alive on her husband's funeral pyre. Tell your child that every human life is sacred and that the heroes were right to save her. Explain what an opium den was and why drugs harm people. Squeaky Clean Reviews adds that the characters drink wine, ale or gin, that Passepartout gets drunk once, and that the train attack leaves a bloody scene. It also notes Hindu temple scenes and Buddhist references. Tell your child these are other religions the travelers pass through, and that we respect the people while holding that Christ is the one Savior. The book was written in the 1870s, so preview how it speaks of the peoples of India and of the Sioux.