My 9 yr old brought this book home last year to read. She is in 3rd grade, and is reading at a 9th grade level. So basically has free reign over the library at school. So this means we have to monitor her reading for content appropriatness. Just because she can read it, doesn't mean she should.

My objection to this one (we didn't let her read it) was the blurb on the back, the girl and her daemon familiars...so on. Usually, if a book is questionable, I read it first. I could have the Golden Compass done in under three hours. She's read the Harry Potters (I've read them all), the Lemony Snicketts (again, I read them), The Narnia books, which dh read growing up. She's also read the Dragon Rider books, and Eragon and Eldest...

Anyway, my point. I don't care if the book has a religious message. It's on my list to read, I've got about 4 in front of it, so probably over Xmas, and then we will determine if my 9 yr old will read it. If anything, the controversy has made me more interested in reading it.