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?

I just don’t think they’re very good books. The language thing wouldn’t bother me if not for the fact they’re so reliant on stereotypes.

nosquirrels Riddle’s mum is definitely described as a “slut” by her father- I remember having to explain it to my daughter who was intrigued.

I like colour and realism and kids’ stories. I remember reading an interview with Roald Dahl who said that parents were deluded if they thought their children weren’t aware of the horrors of the wider world and that they appreciated having those fears acknowledged in a safe environment.

Speaking of traditional stories, the original Little Mermaid is a horror. Her tongue is cut out by the sea witch; every step she takes is agonising and her legs bleed by the end of the day and she STILL doesn’t marry the prince, so dissipates into foam the morning after he marries someone else.