I wish I hadn't got into this. The thread is about Harry Woodgate being employed as illustrator for the Summer Reading Challenge not a rehash of a discussion of a specific book. But OK I'll respond to your interrogation.
Do you know any father who, knowing the illustrations that the book contained, would want to read it to, and explain it to, his three or four year old child? Because children see things, then they ask questions about things they don't understand. And, from my experience, good men will see things for what they are, and would be horrified at having to explain something like that illustration to their child. I've seen it in a male cousin, just newly a father, wanting to protect his baby from everything. I thought he was clueless. Turns out he was not. I think most decent men know exactly what's right or wrong when it comes to children.
I think it is the responsibility of parents to read books for under 5s before sharing them. If they don't think the content is appropriate they shouldn't share it. I don't know any fathers of young children at the moment. Obviously some may be happy with book as a whole and deal with that picture if asked in any number of age appropriate ways.
Now, do you know any father who would see that illustration and think that was appropriate for children?
If so, do you think that's right?
As I've said before it was ill judged
If not, then why are you excusing the man who imagined the image in the first place, then drew it, then submitted it for publication? For a children's book.
I am not excusing. It was ill judged but in the context of Pride it's accurate.
If he could do it again, do you think this man would continue to "imagine" and "draw" illustrations just like that one, for children's books?
He's an illustrator who has worked on other books. He's also written a couple of others. I see no reason to 'imagine' his mission is to introduce under 5s to S&M porn.
Would you be uncomfortable if he were allowed to keep doing so, and then did so?
His work should be judged by the same standards as other children's authors and illustrators.
How many of these kinds of illustrations would he need to draw before you decided you weren't comfortable with them?
Let me know when he produces something else like this. Meanwhile perhaps you should look at some of his other work, do you object to his art work for the Reading Challenge?