to expect a picture book about a boy on a train not to scare my 4yo half to death!

[Disneyonice]

Got this book www.amazon.co.uk/Angus-Rides-Goods-Train-Durant/dp/0552548898/ref=sr_1_1/202-2863389-3026224?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180446397&sr=1-1 from the library last week. DS likes train. The book appeared to be about a boy going on an adventure on a train.

So on page 2 we realise the illustrations are bit creepy. On page 3 we realise this is a book with a message - withered trees begging the boy for water and the nasty train driver saying he won't stop. On page 4 I'm actually getting a bit worried - bears locked up in cages saying they are starving and going mad. By page 5 I'm just about in tears - gaunt starving looking mum saying she has no milk for her baby. So rather than just carry on reading i decide to have a week peek to see what's ahead and I tell you the pictures were scary enough to give me nightmares for a week,nevermind my 4 and 6 year old!

I tried to write a review of the book on Amazon but I don't know if they will post it or not adn I plan to let the library know when I return the book tomorrow. Frankly I was horrified. It's all well and good to write a book with a message, but surely the language and the message and pictures should be at a level appropriate for the audience of the book? AIBU?????

I think it's good to try to add a review to Amazon as parents will appreciate different angles and opinions. But I don't think you should complain to the library. Scariness is very subjective. I was terrified by the illustrations of the wolf in the Ladybird Three Little Pigs when I was tiny. I'd just chalk it up to experience.

The review on amazon thinks its fab for a 2 year old.

Sounds awful.

My mum got ds a book from WI book sale and that was terrible too. About a dog who gets thrown out into the streets when he's not a puppy anymore
Everytime he goes to a new house you think 'aah there'll be a nice family in here to take him in ' but they are meaner each time. Scary cats attacking him etc.

When I said I was going to tell the library I just meant I thought they should be aware of what kind of book it is. I wouldn't suggest they should actually remove it.

...after the mother and baby came an even more emmaciated little girl who had no mother and father and was also starving.

but what happened at the very end .. did Angus save the day

I think so but we never actually got that far - we had to stop on page 4!