Year 2 Reading Book - Is this inappropriate?

[BlondeWidow]

Is it me? Am I being too sensitive??

It is. It's also ridiculously old. Is there anyone else you can talk at the school? A TA maybe? At some of our schools the head/deputy are at the gates in the morning or afternoon.

Did your DD even register it? Did she ask what it means? It depends how much fuss you want to make and the school could definitely do with some newer books.

I think this range of books aren't aimed at year 2 children.

It's a scheme aimed at older readers with a lower reading age.

That would probably be your best way to mention it with school, if the teacher isn't approachable.

If you gave it to me I would apologise and remove it from the shelf, it's not appropriate for year 2. Just show her the page , she can't argue. It doesn't need to be a big thing, I haven't necessarily read every book on the shelf and some accidentally get put back in the wrong place ( although some I think I have read/heard read about 1000 times!)

I'd be happy to explain the term 'sexy' but would be hopping mad at the implication that 'nan' should be wearing grey bombazine and a lace cap.

I'm getting slightly irritated by the assumption that harm is immediate and it will have a perceptible representation. Or can only be considered harm if the victim is bleeding.

It is possible to be harmed by long term low exposure to sexually inappropriate material for the person's age.

I've lived in 4 countries. Some of which have mixed private facilities and snob the British prude. None would put up with this exposure for a 6 year old.

@bigTillyMint

It’s from a series designed for older children who haven’t learned to read fluently yet. It should never have been put in a Y2 clasroom. The Wolf Hill logo in the corner is the mark of the series.

It says 2.8 on it which is my daughter's level. She reads it confidently

@BlondeWidow Unfortunately there are 11yos and older who can’t read as well as your DD. They need texts at that level, but with more grown up content. This series of books is for them. Not for 6yo’s reading at this level

As @Abraxan also said!

Not right for a year two, definitely flag to the teacher and make clear your expectation that this book is removed from circulation!

yes meant for older children at a low reading age - so despite the fact that someone had graded it at 2.8 and your daughter can read it fluently, the content isn't meant for her age. It's meant for an older child, and they try to make the books more interesting and less babyish for that age, even with low reading age/decodable words.

They’re not decodable. That was part of the reason we binned them and bought the quest series from Phonic Books.

They are so old now. I found one at work, down the back of a bookcase, something about computers and work being saved on a floppy disk!

My DC’s primary school was still using ORT books from the 80s / 90s ten years ago. One of the characters was called Fat Pig (he was always eating) and a teacher had painstakingly gone through and changed the F to a P so they read ‘Pat Pig’. Unfortunately they missed a few corrections.

It's not at all inappropriate for the young people that the series is intended for. It's for older kids who have reading difficulties or mild learning difficulties. So it has simple vocabulary to decode, but older themes.

The question is why it was given to a Yr2 child.

If you're uncomfortable with it, have a word with the teacher. I wouldn't personally react much to this one, as there aren't any words or concepts there that an average Y2 hasn't come across, imo.

I did complain when my Y1 ds brought home an illustrated guide to the Holocaust complete with pictures of piles of bodies. He's autistic, hyperlexic and was genuinely disturbed by it. What the hell it was doing in the school library I have no idea. Naturally MN told me I was being pathetic and should be glad my privileged child only had to read about the Holocaust, not live through it. Ho hum.

I'm a former English teacher now working in primary and like to think I'm really broadminded about children being able to access a wide range of texts. I think by Y5 and Y6 the odd word shouldn't prevent them reading great books.
I'd be mortified that this one had gone home in Y2 and would apologise and put in at the back of the cupboard/in the bin! It's not just the word itself it's the whole context.

@saraclara

It's not at all inappropriate for the young people that the series is intended for. It's for older kids who have reading difficulties or mild learning difficulties. So it has simple vocabulary to decode, but older themes.

The question is why it was given to a Yr2 child.

It might not have been given by a teacher. Sometimes kids put books back in the wrong box. Sometimes kids pick up books from the wrong box.

You could send it into the school office in an envelope labelled for English lead. Leave a note inside saying that your child was sent it home and you don't feel it is appropriate and ask for it to be taken off the shelf. Sticky note the page. You could even give it to head/ deputy with a note saying you struggle to approach the class teacher.

It says 2.8 on it which is my daughter's level. She reads it confidently

Although she can read a book, it doesn't mean they are all aimed at that age range, though.

This is a series aimed at older children who read at this level. This may be that they find learning to read more difficult, or it's taking longer, they are new to English and a whole raft of other reasons.

There are a number of series of books with the same age.
Books at that reading level previously didn't have any appeal to older children. The idea of these types of schemes is to have story lines that might be more appealing for them.

I've seen similar threads with these schemes before, where they've ended up in lower primary classes instead of being in y5/6/7 classes. Some may be too scary, too dark, have more about relationships, etc in them so aren't always suitable for the younger children, even though they can read the words.

@MrsDeaconClaybourne

I'm a former English teacher now working in primary and like to think I'm really broadminded about children being able to access a wide range of texts. I think by Y5 and Y6 the odd word shouldn't prevent them reading great books. I'd be mortified that this one had gone home in Y2 and would apologise and put in at the back of the cupboard/in the bin! It's not just the word itself it's the whole context.

Tbf i’m not sure if this qualifies as a great book though.

It’s the sort of book that would benefit from getting accidentally lost.

Blonde Widow, Sorry for your loss.

I'm feeling angry on your behalf, the teacher's attitude is a disgrace.

What??!!

Year 2? Just, no.

@DickMabutt73962 Howling? Well it would appear by all the other responses that you're the only one 'howling' love

@Nospringchix

Blonde Widow, Sorry for your loss.

I'm feeling angry on your behalf, the teacher's attitude is a disgrace.

Thank you