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Should kids read the Hunger Games? From the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, I’m John Stonestreet with the Point.

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I get questions like this all the time, only the object changes. Should my kids read Harry Potter? Or Watch Twilight? Or play Halo 3? It’s the perennial challenge of parenting in the 21^st century in a culture shaped by media. Its easy to be offended and try to hide from it, and its easy to be sucked in without critically examining what we watch or listen to. Neither of those options work.

The current phenomenon is The Hunger Games series. The books have been huge sellers, and the movie based on the first book was released over the weekend. So, what should we do?

First, no book, movie or tv show is harmless. All contain messages that need to be discerned and examined. Second, no teenager should be released into the entertainment world alone. The stakes are too high -- so join them. Talk about it. Critically question and teach them how to do the same.  As for the Hunger Games, come to thePointRadio.org, for a parent’s guide by my good friend Dan Panetti. It will help you talk with your kids about the themes in these books. For thePointRadio, I’m John Stonestreet.

CLICK HERE for a special parent's guide from Dan Panetti of Prestonwood Christian Academy.