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Watership Down

(1972, Fiction - Animals, Written by Richard Adams)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 11; suggested age 11.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    Thinking person's bunny story will appeal to kids.

updated 07.04.08

Why We Rated This on for Ages 11 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    One otherwise heroic main character is something of a bully; some supporting characters are timid or cowardly. Female rabbits are generally submissive and considered merely for their suitability for bearing young.
  • Violence :

    Several fights and one intense siege occur; a major character is shot, a supporting character has been tortured, and others are injured by hostile rabbits. The rabbits are attacked and menaced by other animals and by hostile rabbits.
  • Sex :

    Mild references to courtship and bearing young.
  • Language:

    Rabbit-language oaths are translated to mild English swearing; another animal also cusses mildly in English.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Watership Down

Parents need to know that Richard Adams's larger-than-life story is compelling and full of high adventure, and his characters are vividly drawn and winning. Experienced fantasy fans cheer the heroes on. This rousing story of a band of rabbits who escape persecution to create a just society is full of clever strategies, a self-contained rabbit mythology, and much detail about nature.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about why this novel, which was intended for adults, was peopled with the unlikiest of main characters -- rabbits. When humans do pop up in the story, what is their role? In what ways can this seemingly straightforward "bunny story" be seen as an allegory for the perils of human civilization?
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Our Members Say

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  • What did you think about Watership Down?
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See all 18 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer
    Age 10
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0

      • My highlights are:
      • Educational
      • Positive messages
      • Good role models

      "WATERSHIP DOWN" IS THE BEST!!!

      I LOVED THIS BOOK! I really enjoyed reading this book after I got passed part I 'The Journey'. I think it might be hard for people who are not good readers to read. I like how the author added a language the rabbits used, but some people won't like having to remember what the rabbit words mean. It is not very violent but there are some places where it gets rough, you will mostly here of this through stories. It may be upsetting to more sensitive readers how some rabbits are killed by humans and other rabbits. This book it good for both girls and boys as it has both boys and girls. The names may be strange because some of the boys have names that seem like girls names and vise-versa and others are just plain strange here is an example: some of the Bucks (males): Hazel, Holly, Bluebell, Laurel, & Bigwig. Some of the Does (females): Clover, Haystack, and Hyzenthlay.

    • Teen Reviewer
      Age 14
      Lives in Virginia
      I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

      Best book ever, my fav =)

      Watership Down is my favorite book, you get SO attached to the characters, they are all rabbits and I cried at the end for a while because I would love to continue following them on their adventures. One part was a little scary but it wasn't THAT violent. A lot of other members of my family read it and they loved it too!

    • Teen Reviewer
      Age 13
      Lives in Pennsylvania
      I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

      A must read book for everyone!

      This book is what I think my favorite book. I know there is a movie out and my grade watched it. It got bloody sometimes and they edited out somethings but I like the book better. PS: I liked the very end of the movie with Hazel too.

    • Teen Reviewer
      Age 14
      Lives in
      I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 0.0

      dunno about the book, but the movie...

      i've never read the book. people seem to like it, so i guess it must be good. but i saw the movie they made of it, and there are parts that were so freaky... i was about ten, and i still remember nightmares that i had.

    • Adult Reviewer
      Anonymous
      Lives in Connecticut
      I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0

      AMAZING adventure story

      This is an all-around great adventure story for tweens and up. Parents will love it too.

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