Next week we will be reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest stories in the world. I was going to have my ten year old son read this specific book independently but after reading the first part, I am not going to share it with him.
To lure Enkidu, a beast, Gilgamesh advises a hunter to bring a naked, beautiful woman to the woods where Enkidu lives. He brings Hatti, a harlot (although in this story she calls herself a "dancing girl") and when Enkidu sees and smells her, he is aroused (the author calls it "craving"). Hatti does tame him with her words and kisses. An illustration depicting a naked Hatti is included (the reader sees her bare back and her butt cheeks). Because of these inclusions, I do not feel comfortable having my fifth grader read this book.
Instead he will be reading three picture books about Gilgamesh, each one depicting a different tablet/part of the epic poem.
-Borrowed from the library.
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