DJ and I went to one of our usual visits during the week. The Library.
As usual, I always try to give insight on my journey as a mom and the adventures we encounter along the way.
My advice when choosing books with your child, browse through the books BEFORE you actually take them home.
This way you're not completely shocked when you come across a book like the one I'm going to tell you about.
We picked up The Frog Princea very cute from the outside type of book. I remember the story of the Princess kissing the frog and thought this would be a cute book to read to my son.
I could NOT believe my eyes when I read this book to my son. Needless to say, I didn't finish the book after I read this part-
Frog: Let me be your friend. Play with me. Let me eat from your plate and drink from your cup. Let me sleep in your bed.
Now, if you haven't fallen off your chair from that last sentence, read it again. I'll wait.
Did you read it? Were your eyes playing tricks on you? NO. Mine weren't either. Now why oh why would the Frog ask to sleep in her bed? What is this foolery about?
Let's fast forward to the Princess agreeing to do all this (she's planning on reneging on her promises anyway) then she takes the frog home. He quickly reminds her of the promises she agreed to. Her father even made her keep her promises. Yes, her promise to let the frog sleep in her bed. Sigh.
Well.......fast forward to the part where the frog is in her room and the princess gets so upset over having to deal with this frog, she throws him against the wall as hard as she could. Did you read that part? Yes. She violently throws the frog against the wall. Is this the kind of book I really should be reading to my son?
Needless to say, this wasn't a good choice in books. Lesson learned: Flip through all books before bringing them home. You just might encounter some content that isn't really suitable for young children. Especially the ones who giggle and snort at the thought of throwing a frog against a wall.
12 comments:
Some books include an appropriate reading age on the front or back cover. I've been known to skip a page or two if I don't agree with the concept, or when it promotes questions that are not suitable for my three year old.
There's a week in October that's designated, "Banned Books Week" and several of the Grimms Fairy Tale books are on the list. I guess they were written back when life was much more innocent and less complicated. We don't have any but I can see where it would raise a concern.
I really think for the most part the "bed" isn't sacred.
Some people really wouldn't see anything wrong with this being in a fairy tale.
Ditto Shelliza. I saw on the news were they are releasing the first few seasons of Sesame Street with Parental Guidance warnings. Yes SESAME STREET. They were saying the grouch is too mean, I think someone was smoking, and Big Bird was depressed because he had an imagineray friend no one else could see. So yeah, times have changed and clean and pure from the past may not be so in the present.
thanx for the heads up~
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has had this problem. When taking kids to the library you just never know what you'll come home with! (Especially if you are in a hurry.)
I've had several times I quit reading mid-story or read it once, then put it up high so I wouldn't have to read it again.
Good thing you didn't buy it! The sleeping in the bed went over my head but the animal cruelty has got to stop! lol
Remember that old saying, You can't judge a book by it's cover. Well now days you really have to take that literally. It also goes for movies. I watch the movies first, before I let my 13 year old watch them (yes at 13 I still pre-screen and sensor some things), these kids now days are being given too much freedom and exposed or should I say over exposed to way too much, and if parents don't protect them then who will?
Happy New Year to you and yours and Blessings to you all!
Regina
I was just telling my hubby about this as I was reading your blog. He then told me that MOST of the Brothers Grimm "fairy tale" books were play on words type books. And then told me some things about Little Red and the Wolf that had my ears burn.
You know folks were sexually oppressed then, so who knows what they REALLY were talking about. *chuckle*
Oh my goodness! LOL..Sorry I was giggling at the first part of your post...it reminded me of "song of songs" in the Bible..a book I haven't assigned my 8 yr old to read yet ;-P
There are some very appropriate frog books tho..so don't ban all of them *visualizes the frog being thrown against the wall violently* The Frog and Toad Series of books by Arnold Lobel are great..I read these to my kiddos :-) I loved them as a kid....and there was no violence ;-)
Wow. I don't remember that version of the story AT all! That is horrible.
Trampy, Violent Princess and all.
I don't remember the story going like that! You really have to be careful. I try to read the books before I read them to Gav, or I skip pages.
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