to think that Beatrix Potter books need a reboot?

[ScaryBeardyDeadyman]

I've been reading some of the books with dd and I'm surprised by the large scale child abuse that occurs in them. Children are routinely smacked, whipped and even locked in cupboards!

How are these books still on release? Surely they need a Star Wars style reboot (so Han shoots in retaliation) with all the abuse removed?

My kids loved BP stories and the videos and often acted out various parts, their favourite being when Tom is rolled in pastry by Samuel Whiskers.

Yes, he lived he was saved by John Joiner who cuts up the floorboards and chases Samuel and Anna Maria away.

Social Services should have been called.

Thanks Goblin. My 4 year old self was getting worried.

Scary, yes I would. I would read them books where a teacher put children in a cupboard with spikes in it; or beat them on the hand with a cane or ruler for bringing limes to class; and a stepmother told her husband to take his kids out into the forest and lose them, and he did it. I read all those books and it didn't scar me for life. In your world, what about sad things? Does Beth not die, or Bambi's mother and does Mary not go blind? Sad things do happen and children need some context if something tragic happens in their lives.

Bambi's mum got turned into venison actually. We're very upfront about food.

Just wrap them all in a good thick layer of cotton wool and they will be fine.

Gets Tarka the Otter DVD out for some light relief.....

sparkling I'm with you on the pastry. I hated that story too, really scared me. Made me really worried about rats as well [hconfused]

[hgrin] at Bambi's mother turning into venison.

I haven't read Tarka the Otter, Sparkling, is it v sad?

Black Beauty, now there's a traumatic book. Btw, I was reading The Pursuit Of Love yesterday and Fanny says that she and the Radletts couldn't have cared less about human suffering as children, but animals made them howl. She mentions Black Beauty and the Story of a Red Deer. I can't remember what happens in the Red Deer but I remember that it was sad!

Oh, and so is Charlotte's Web!

no grimm fairy stories in your house then, OP, Im guessing????

Thank you Lyft, I hoped it wasn't just me.

Um TooImmature- Tarka the Otter. It is awful. But won't spoil it for you.

I will seriously rue any day that some force tries to tinker with the words and pictures of B P. Leave her alone, children (including me) have loved her for years and years.

I don't generally have issues with upsetting or dark stories, just the prevalence of child abuse within Potter's work. At least in Dahl the bad guys who messed with kids got their comeuppance. But Tabitha Twitchet is a serial offender!

Ooooh, I love the poems, *Kethryveris'. Especially the one with James the very small snail. 'James made the huffle of a snail in danger/And nobody heard him at all'!

I tried reading Beatrix Potter to ds when he was little, the illustrations are lovely but bloody hell they were dull, dull dull.
The prose was so turgid that I don't even think we got to the violent bits.

Op - your dd is 3 - if she chooses a book you would rather not read just say NO!
(and explain why if you wish)

Choose books you and she both like!
If Potters books offend you, don't read them, it's not that difficult.

Thousands of other books to chose from.
I have deliberately saved the Potter books for when my dd is older so we can discuss them a bit more. (my dd is 8 -and still finds some of hem a bit difficult to follow)

Try brambley hedge and foxwood tales - similarish to potter.

OMG I just do not get the Beatrix Potter thing at all. I read voraciously as a child and they just left me cold. Also Winnie the Poo - WTAF?

I agree with Winnie the Pooh Lets. When I had DS1 it was the fashion to have a Winnie the Pooh decorated Nursery, The poorchild had just been born and got subjected to it.

Well, if you're anti-violence and neglect, broken bones, inconsistent and harsh punishments, random and unfair death for kids in a kids' book, I assume your children will also not be given Harry Potter.

Or just about anything at all. Even the Gruffalo is all about crunchy delicious death.

My dd loved the samuel whiskers one where tom gets wrapped in dough and also the pie and the patty pan one - now that's just brilliant.

But there are some harsh bits - I found pigling bland quite sad - they're sent away from home to fend for themselves. I guess you just have to pick and choose a bit.