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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is this an inappropriate book for a 4yo?

153 replies

GreenCereal · 23/03/2023 18:50

My mum has sent this for DS’s 4th birthday. It says on the front cover it is a road safety story, and is called the Rascally Hedgehog - a young hedgehog called Timmy keeps crossing the road to meet up with friends at nighttime. I’ve attached the last two pages where DH and I thought wtf?

I called mum to ask if she’d actually read it, and she said she thought it was a good book and I could just change the ending if I didn’t like it. Nevermind that DD7 usually reads to DS and I probably wouldn’t show it to her either?

AIBU or am I being too precious?

Is this an inappropriate book for a 4yo?
Is this an inappropriate book for a 4yo?
OP posts:
SNWannabe · 23/03/2023 21:01

cordelia16 · 23/03/2023 19:26

The author is also the publisher. Self-published children's books can sometimes be problemmatic.
https://www.copypress.co.nz/shop/the-rascally-hedgehog/

One of my local “friends” (school mum acquaintance) is a self- published author and this hedgehog book actually seems like a Pulitzer Prize nominee compared to her utter drivel… and she shared it on her Facebook page and has made “merch” to sell and it’s so cringey… how can people be so lacking in self-awareness that they actually think this is good? And worth money!?!

Sugarmicetails · 23/03/2023 21:03

Stressyfab · 23/03/2023 19:00

‘Timmy Hedgehog was DEAD! What a SHAME.’ Reads sarcastically to me and I can’t stop laughing

😂I’m also laughing

but on a serious note there is no way I’d read that to my 6 year old.

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 23/03/2023 21:03

Blossomtoes · 23/03/2023 21:01

It’s the kind of thing that would make a lot of kids giggle. I wouldn’t have thought twice about giving it to mine.

Both my dds would be upset by that. And also by the fact that I would find it funny!

Girasoli · 23/03/2023 21:04

My 6 (nearly 7) year old would find it hilarious...but maybe not at bed time!

I wouldn't read it to my 3 year old though.

OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit · 23/03/2023 21:04

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 23/03/2023 21:03

Both my dds would be upset by that. And also by the fact that I would find it funny!

Show quote history

SirSam surely your children are too busy reading about poo and lost cows to read this?

jannier · 23/03/2023 21:05

How do you explain why he shouldn't run in the road etc?

AuntieMarys · 23/03/2023 21:05

You need to read StruwwellPeter.
Little Suck a thumb was my favourite when I was about 5.

SquidwardBound · 23/03/2023 21:06

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 23/03/2023 21:03

Both my dds would be upset by that. And also by the fact that I would find it funny!

Show quote history

Not all kids would though. My older boys would probably have found it hilarious even when they were younger. Not least because I’d have presented it to them as a ridiculous story.

It’s certainly not a great work of literature though!

AnneWhittle · 23/03/2023 21:14

cordelia16 · 23/03/2023 19:26

The author is also the publisher. Self-published children's books can sometimes be problemmatic.
https://www.copypress.co.nz/shop/the-rascally-hedgehog/

I notice there are no reviews
perhaps OP can oblige

Ireallydohope · 23/03/2023 21:20

Omg Shock i definitely would be throwing it straight into the bin. It's quite comical though Grin

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 23/03/2023 21:21

Ha! That’s brilliant. 🫢 I mean, it would probably stay with them.

Thatsshallot1967 · 23/03/2023 21:24

Didn't the gingerbread man get eaten?
Gingy suffered unbelievably, having both legs ripped off and crumbled in front of him whilst stuck to a hot baking tray and was then threatened with the systematic and brutal removal, one by one, of his gumdrop buttons.

I wouldn't read a story like that, op, to young kids but it did make laugh, sorry!

WetBandits · 23/03/2023 21:25

This has made me properly cry laughing 😂😂😂

”What a SHAME” hahahahhaa

Please don’t read it to your 4yo but by all means keep it to show them when they’re older what their grandma tried to give them as a bedtime story 😂

Tandora · 23/03/2023 21:26

Haha that’s hilarious.

I don’t see the problem with reading it with a four year old really. Death is just a normal part of life . Someone posted a thread the other day about how problematic it is that we are such a death denying society. Lots of the stories/ fairy tails I loved as a child involved death.

Stickmansmum · 23/03/2023 21:26

I think it’s hilarious! I’d deadpan that last page and deliver it with great drama.

Tandora · 23/03/2023 21:27

Tandora · 23/03/2023 21:26

Haha that’s hilarious.

I don’t see the problem with reading it with a four year old really. Death is just a normal part of life . Someone posted a thread the other day about how problematic it is that we are such a death denying society. Lots of the stories/ fairy tails I loved as a child involved death.

Tbh id be more worried about it turning road safety into a joke/ game, which would be problematic.

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 23/03/2023 21:28

OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit · 23/03/2023 21:04

SirSam surely your children are too busy reading about poo and lost cows to read this?

Show quote history

We have read the World of Poo! Not got Where's my Cow? though.

OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit · 23/03/2023 21:30

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 23/03/2023 21:28

We have read the World of Poo! Not got Where's my Cow? though.

Show quote history

I must confess we had 'Where's my Cow' before we had kids 🫢

Pinkflipflop85 · 23/03/2023 21:30

Tandora · 23/03/2023 21:26

Haha that’s hilarious.

I don’t see the problem with reading it with a four year old really. Death is just a normal part of life . Someone posted a thread the other day about how problematic it is that we are such a death denying society. Lots of the stories/ fairy tails I loved as a child involved death.

There are lots of wonderful children's books around the subject of death (I wrote a uni essay on some of them) - this book is clearly not one of them 🤣

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 23/03/2023 21:31

THAT IS NOT MY COW!! IT IS A DEAD HEDGEHOG!

Nalupa · 23/03/2023 21:32

It doesn't seem that bad? I don't think it would exactly traumatise a child, but then at the age of 4 I would think children know what death is. Mine is 7 and I've been telling her the possible consequences of something dangerous could be serious injury or death for years now - "You have to look both ways before crossing the road or a car could hit you", "What happens if a car hits me?", "You could break your bones, have to go to hospital, it would hurt a lot, you could DIE..."

waterlego · 23/03/2023 21:32

There are some lovely children’s books about bereavement and probably also some good books about road safety. This appears to be neither. It’s the capital letters that did it for me 😂

Crimsonripple · 23/03/2023 21:34

Lol that made me chuckle but no, I wouldn't read it to my 4 year old. It's a bit much!

ThomasinaLivesHere · 23/03/2023 21:34

I don’t think it’s dreadful. It’s not like he’s actually in the state he would be had he been run over.

SquidwardBound · 23/03/2023 21:37

waterlego · 23/03/2023 21:32

There are some lovely children’s books about bereavement and probably also some good books about road safety. This appears to be neither. It’s the capital letters that did it for me 😂

I’m pretty certain that sensitive and well judged book about bereavement was not what he was aiming for. 🤣