Should I be concerned about the types of reading books DS brings home from pre-school?

[Twiglett]

He's 3.9 and at the end of each session each child chooses their own book from the box, of course they tend to choose from the pictures

I have just read him the book he brought home on Friday its called Two of Everything and is basically about 2 perfect parents who's parents cannot agree about anything so the kids arrange a divorce (un-wedding), build them 2 houses and then get 2 of everything

.. I can understand why its a useful child's book, honestly I can but its not the kind of thing I'd want to read to him ... I would have thought it would be better for either
a) older children who get the humour or
b) those who have parents going through a divorce

Am I over-reacting or should their be some editing of the books on offer

its about 2 perfect children

I wouldn't worry about it twiglett, I doubt your ds will give it another thought and neither should you. IMHO anyway. Has it worried him or upset him? If not, I wouldn't do anything.

I don't think you are over-reacting , I don't believe a book like this should be offered to them. If you want this type of book, then you would go to the library, nothing wrong with the book, but just in the wrong place.

no .. he's fine about it .. but you know when you're reading something out loud and thinking 'do I really want DS to be aware of divorce at this stage?'

its not just this book .. there's been others I've disliked, just wish I could remember why now

If you're bothered could you get there early and help him choose?

no its really not an option .. parents stay in the playground and the children are sent out to us .. the book choosing is done in the last few minutes before the gates are opened

don't want to be seen as a fussy parent

trying desperately to think why I hated other books he's been sent home with

think maybe I'm being over-protective .... just don't see why I have to burst his protective cocoon when he has 2 contented parents why let him think that if we argue we could then un-marry (sic)

Hi Twiglett, I work in a nursery and allow my pupil (yes, just the one) to choose a book to take home, from a range that I have pre-selected. I know his mother would rather he chose more complex stories but atm he is obsessed with lift-the-flap books so that's what he takes home! However I do make sure that the books he is offered are not too "old" for him and I would have thought that even in a larger nursery this is possible to do.

Also, although the story you described was about divorce, it was hardly a realistic "lets help children see this as normal" type book was it? Sounds like a strange book to me, I wouldn't give it shelf room, FWIW!

I accept that my gut reaction was an over-reaction, it isn't worth mentioning anything to school

but does it have to be realistic to be giving the 'wrong message' to a small child though?

Hello,

I LOVE this book and read it regularly to my 2 year-old. It is called \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0099220628/Two of Everything} and it it by Babette Cole. It's a very HUMOUROUS book. I don't understand why it is giving the wrong message - IMO it is healthy that children are aware that couples don't always stay together. Even if it's just so that they have some understanding of their friend's family situation.

DOH link should be this

Two of Everything

well we'll have to agree to differ on that one morningpaper

Your Two of Everything link

Message withdrawn

I might buy it: would be useful so that DS (3.5) understands that some of his freinds simply come from different families - one Mum spoke to me about him asking where *'s Daddy is...would it be suitable for that?

I don't know the book so can't comment directly, but I would say go with your mother's gut feeling Twiglett. Could you talk to them about your concerns and give suggestions about books that you would feel more comfortable with? It probably would help to be able to give them examples of which ones you didn't like and why. I'm not into censorship, but there are certainly one can say that there books that are age appropriate and some that are not IFYKWIM.

OK that last sentence got a little garbled but I guess you can get the meaning