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Original poster

Is this an inappropriate book for a 4yo?

153 replies

GreenCereal · 23/03/2023 18:50

My mum has sent this for DS’s 4th birthday. It says on the front cover it is a road safety story, and is called the Rascally Hedgehog - a young hedgehog called Timmy keeps crossing the road to meet up with friends at nighttime. I’ve attached the last two pages where DH and I thought wtf?

I called mum to ask if she’d actually read it, and she said she thought it was a good book and I could just change the ending if I didn’t like it. Nevermind that DD7 usually reads to DS and I probably wouldn’t show it to her either?

AIBU or am I being too precious?

Is this an inappropriate book for a 4yo?
Is this an inappropriate book for a 4yo?
OP posts:
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LBFseBrom · 21/08/2023 13:22

She meant well but......

okaybut · 27/03/2023 03:07

BertieBotts · 24/03/2023 08:06

I haven't seen that but it seems that they do still go for the scare tactics combined with giving young children unreasonable amounts of freedom in some Asian countries. DSes are very fond currently of an Asian Youtube channel called BabyBus which has various tales of safety. There are alarmingly many where the children characters get abducted or chased by a predator that wants to take pictures of their private parts Shock The DC do not seem too traumatised by this. (Though we did have to reassure DS2 that we don't live in an earthquake country).

Show quote history

The thing is, it's incredibly safe and easy to navigate in many Asian cities (Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, etc) compared to British cities like London. Children can roam freely and commute at a young age with an incredibly tiny chance of anything bad ever happening to them. There is also a communal culture of adults helping unaccompanied children.

The children still have to be taught to recognise actual danger though, but given how peaceful and safe everything usually is, the scare tactics and literal examples (e.g. of what a paedo might want) are to make them take it seriously. No comment on whether that's actually traumatising for them though – I don't think so at all, but of course it's hard to say.

MRex · 26/03/2023 11:34

I'd save it until he's 8, when he'll find it hilarious.

Pinkflipflop85 · 26/03/2023 11:32

I wouldn't inflict this book on my child. Not because of the storyline, but because the writing is dire!

Motherofacertainage · 26/03/2023 10:28

Is rascally even a word?!! Tbf I think it's funny and both of my kids had a dark sense of humour at that age (and still do) so I would probably have read it to them but you know your kid best. Maybe put it away til older and then have a good laugh about it. Imho the best book about death for kids that age is Goodbye Mog.

Mumma · 26/03/2023 09:42

My daughter would have loved this 🤣

Choconut · 26/03/2023 09:30

Oh god this reminds me of ds when he was little and he thought a badger was just sleeping in the road 😕

EmmaDilemma5 · 26/03/2023 08:29

I told my kids from a young age (2) that running in the road may mean a car hits them and they need to go to hospital, maybe not being allowed to come home. They have always been very sensible around roads since.

But that book seems OTT, and definitely not a birthday present from a grandparent. Presents are supposed to be fun!

notacooldad · 26/03/2023 08:25

How much cotton wool do you need for your kid?
Clearly you never lived through the public safety announcements from the 70s. They were brutal.
Honestly hard hitting messages can be appropriate.
Would I have read that to my then 4 year old? Yes I would and explain the how important the message is as I want them not to be like Timmy, I want them to be safe.

sst1234 · 26/03/2023 08:20

What is this thread about? Still can’t figure it out.

EddieSteady · 26/03/2023 07:12

I think it's more of a Mum and Dad reading that with DC as a teaching point and you can discuss it sort of book.

MisogynyNonConforming · 26/03/2023 05:29

It look like the dad is telling Timmy not to cross roads, as opposed to only cross roads safely with an adult.

Death can be fine in children's books but it depends how it's handled. In this case the morals of the story appear to be:

  • if you cross a road, you die
  • if you don't listen to your dad, you die.

Not great that.

Phoebo · 26/03/2023 05:26

LuvSmallDogs · 26/03/2023 03:03

TBF, I have been known to say "yes, that's why roads are dangerous and we behave near them" when DC have spotted actual roadkill before. Also told DS3 (4 y/o) how horrible it feels when your skin goes "all red and sore and bubbly" so he'd give me and the hob some bloody space, which has worked well.

I do love the "what a SHAME" reaction to death though. It makes me think of Timmy's mum and dad standing over his corpse with their hands on their hips and shaking their heads, as though it's a broken washing machine or something.

I'm getting that visual now 🤣🤣🤣

Phoebo · 26/03/2023 04:39

Well it's a bit much, but it's right and gets the message across! 🙃

Ihavehadenoughalready · 26/03/2023 04:27

What a dumb birthday book for a four year old!

There's other ways to stress road safety. Plus the hedgehog looks asleep, not dead.

My son loved all the Pete the Cat books at that age. Maybe your mother could have asked you for help picking out some books.

LuvSmallDogs · 26/03/2023 03:03

TBF, I have been known to say "yes, that's why roads are dangerous and we behave near them" when DC have spotted actual roadkill before. Also told DS3 (4 y/o) how horrible it feels when your skin goes "all red and sore and bubbly" so he'd give me and the hob some bloody space, which has worked well.

I do love the "what a SHAME" reaction to death though. It makes me think of Timmy's mum and dad standing over his corpse with their hands on their hips and shaking their heads, as though it's a broken washing machine or something.

LadyJ2023 · 26/03/2023 00:11

Dont find anything wrong with it tbh. Not a bedtime one but great teaching tool as the amount of young kids where we live that just run out never thinking of consequences

motherofqilins · 26/03/2023 00:02

having grown up reading struwwelpeter with my parents I really don't think there is much wrong with the book unless but most parents know best what their child can and can't cope with. it is teaching a useful lesson to be honest.

excelledyourself · 25/03/2023 23:41

Wow Grin

I wouldn't read this to my 4yo, no.

But I'd read it myself, OFTEN.

Although, Mr Prick denying Timmy breakfast as a punishment is too much.

I do hope Timmy didn't peg it on an empty stomach.

RIP Timmy.

surreygirl1987 · 25/03/2023 23:24

I wouldn't show this to my son. I do read books that touch on death with him, but he's currently trying to grasp the concent. The hedgehog dying sounds dismissive and like a joke, and I don't want that to be the way I approach the topic of death.

strawberry2017 · 25/03/2023 22:16

Precious.
Not worse then the 3 little pigs.
This one at least is trying to teach a lesson.

BertieBotts · 25/03/2023 21:57

At least they are prepared SmallThings

NooNakedJacuzziness · 24/03/2023 08:48

tyre

NooNakedJacuzziness · 24/03/2023 08:47

So funny OP. They've flattened his middle in the first pic but thankfully left out any tire marks

Mountainpika · 24/03/2023 08:44

Hilarious start to my day!

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