AIBU to find David Walliams inappropriate for kids?

[chen05]

AIBU to find David Walliams books a bit inappropriate? I'm not sure what age they are aimed at but we bought a few for my 8 year old son to try and re-engage him in books/ reading. We bought the CD's for the car too, so his younger sibling also listens. The main issue I have is the language. In the few books that we have read or listened to, he has used 'shut your face', 'woofter' and 'slag' to name a few. (I may have totally mis- head the last one but I wasnt going to rewind the CD to double check!). There are also numerous mentions of people smoking fags, there is always a mum that has died or abandoned the kids, and one of them goes on about a page 3 model. My son seems to enjoy them, so I guess he's doing a good job at engaging kids, but as a mum I find the language he uses really inappropriate. Is it just me?

[ComingUpTrumps]

YANBU. I see where you're coming from. I think Jacqueline Wilson's books are similar though, and her books are still quite popular.

[Allthewaves]

I thought they were aimed at last yr primary going into secondary so 10/11

[CountFosco]

As far as the dead mother goes that is a trope of children's fiction, get rid of the (caring) adult who would stop the child having an adventure. I've not read all of them myself but DD1 adores them and read his entire back catalogue in two weeks. I think the trendy language is something that will probably date them but it doesn't seem to have done DD1 any harm TBH. She's 9 and has been reading them since she was 7.

[TwattyCatty]

YABVU. I find them absolutely appropriate for kids. They live in the same world we do, pretending they don't understand this stuff is just daft.

[Lethaldrizzle]

dead parent/parents is at the heart of alot of children's literature so I wouldn't worry about that - the other stuff, I can see where you are coming from but it wouldn't bother me - if they don't know what these things are, half the time it doesn't register, if they ask what those words and phrases mean - it's a really good opportunity to have a discussion about the ethics of page 3 etc!

[NannyOggsKnickers]

As with everything, it is all about context. How are these words being used?

Even then I’d find it hard to get worked up about it. Xx

[NannyOggsKnickers]

Sorry about the random kisses! Distracted and thought I was texting

[AlexanderHamilton]

I wouldn't have let my 8 year old read them but they are great for 10 year olds.

[MrsJayy]

Well they got my dd interested in reading she has a LD and struggled with books she was 11/12 though and not 8 I think you need to read the words in context .

[NoKidsTwoCats]

Isn't a level of 'inappropriateness' the norm in kids' books? I'm thinking about Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson books I read at that age and loved the 'naughtiness' of reading about what felt like 'adult' topics, risqué language, dark humour etc. It made reading feel quite cool and encouraged me to read lots.

'Slag' does sound extreme if it's used in a sexual/derogatory way but as others have said, it'd be good to know the context in which it was used.

[SecretNutellaFix]

Have you read the original Fairy Tales? Most certainly not suitable for children!

Cinderella's stepsisters cut off their toes and heels to try and fit in to the slipper, Snow White is supposed to be taken in tot he wood and her heart and liver returned to the queen, who eats the substituted ones. Sleeping Beauty is raped while unconscious.

[Olddear]

Sleeping beauty was raped??? I thought she was awakened with a kiss???

[lljkk]

About age 8, Middle DS learnt the N-word from a Michael Morpugo book. He didn't know what it meant but threw it at some boys who pissed him off (reported back to me by his Asian teacher, sigh). I think I'm more nervous of Morpugo now than any of the others mentioned here.

9yo youngest-DS is a very reluctant reader, I'm grateful he's decided to read Walliams books.

DD got exposed to Darren Shan in yr4 or yr5 by her teacher... now there are some inappropriate texts for primary.

Jac. Wilson books almost all feature a dead, feckless or simply absent mother. Those were great books for DD. They helped her learn how people could deal with scary issues in an otherwise safe environment.

I find the frequent adult abuse of children or grinding poverty in Roald Dahl books to be quite stressful... yet the kids aren't frightened (not even the horrors in Fantastic Mr. Fox). They like to read stories about people dealing with adversity.

[SecretNutellaFix]

In the original tales, SB was raped and gave birth to two children and she only wakes up when one of the children removes the splinter in her finger which is keeping her asleep.

[dangermouseisace]

I'm sure they hear worse in the playground...

[dangermouseisace]

...and slag comes from 'slag heap' which is a pile of waste material...

[RefuseTheLies]

My two year old enjoys the one about the hippo going to the moon. She thinks making farting noises is hysterical.

[MinnieMinchkin]

I was a little taken aback at hearing the word "git" earlier when my 8 yo was reading Billionaire Boy, but as others have said, kids live in the same world and will hear worse. And many of the concepts that are age inappropriate go straight over their heads. My DD has no idea what a "Page 3 Stunna" refers to and didn't ask...

[Pinkponiesrock]

Harry Potter has slag in it too, we have the audio books and in the 'half blood prince' the word slag is used, in relation to a woman too.
Children are going to hear these words, reading them in a book will hopefully mean that they can encounter them in a setting where someone is able to explain to them what they mean and if they are appropriate rather than overhearing them in the playground then banding them about.

[soupmaker]

Roaring with laughter at being taken aback by the word ‘git’. My 9 yo DD1 has read David Williams or had them read to her since she was 7. She’s loved them all. As OPs have said kids will be hearing a lot worse in the playground.

[ArcheryAnnie]

Harry Potter has numerous descriptions of adults torturing children - adults in positions of responsibility, no less! I think the occasional "git" is fine.

(And yes, agree with everyone else that Kill The Parents is practically the first rule of children's adventure stories.)

[Stargirl82]

Im reading ratburger to my year 2 class. I just edit it as I read...

[mistymumma]

I think its inappropriate that people get so offended over things these days. Whether it is through a audio book, actual book or through the tv, your children will eventually hear words that you would rather them not hear. Any amount of input from mumsnet users shouldn't be your priority, you are the parent. The decision is with you and you only. You should know what is best for your own children.

[KrytensNanobots]

YABVU!! Both mine love David Walliams, his books are great for kids.
If we're going on absent parents, that takes out tons of old favourite kids books that I used to love!
Famous Five, Aunt Fanny and Uncle Quentin would be classed as neglectful now.
Half of Roald Dahl's books were gruesome (eating children and leaving their bones under the windows, little girls getting trapped in paintings, a boy poisoning his Grandma....)
Not to mention all the original fairy tales, they're extremely gruesome!