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Original poster

+++++ WARNING - ROALD DAHL, MY UNCLE OSWALD ++++++

161 replies

Somanybabyseagulls · 19/10/2006 09:53

11 year old dd came home from school yesterday with this book. She didn't read the back or flick through inside but hadn't seen this in our local library before.

This book was apparently his foray into adult writing. References to 'huge and long-lasting erections' are made in the first few pages, you can guess the rest. Anyway, I have obviously complained to the school and I am destroying the book. The school obviously apologied and like many of us assumed that any Roald Dahl book would be suitable for any school library.

Please be aware that this book was supplied by a reputable school book supplier (the school would not give me their name) so I urge you all to contact your school library to ensure no one elses child has access to this book.

OP posts:
MerlinsBeard · 19/10/2006 10:53

read this and thought it was in a primary school, can't see the problem tbh. sorry i know thats not the reaction you wanted.

harpsichordcarrion · 19/10/2006 10:55

there was a book by Nina Bawden in the children's section of the library when I was a child called Devil by the Sea. it was very disturbing. I took it out a LOT
I seee it has been reclassified now as adult.

fuzzywuzzy · 19/10/2006 10:55

Our Secondary school was physically split into two. The upper school library had the more 'interesting' books, ie forever, and some of the adult Roald Dahl books.

Socci · 19/10/2006 10:57

Message withdrawn

harpsichordcarrion · 19/10/2006 11:01

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Philomena · 19/10/2006 11:01

Childish, I know, but as I am still friends with my primary school best friend we still, after 21 years, collapse into giggles over ralph.

witchscatsmother · 19/10/2006 11:03

Roald Dahl wrote lots of adult stuff. Very cleverly IMO, but much of his adult writing had very dark themes (not all sex) which might disturb younger children.

It does seem very odd that a librarian and a supplier for schools would not know this, nor even bother, it would seem to read the synopsis. However, if this was a secondary school library I wouldn't necessarily feel his adult books were beyond the comprehension of older pupils. Being a fan of Dahl and a prolific reader, I had read most of his stuff by around 15.

Think it does boil down to more awareness of stock and greater controls for younger pupils taking out particular titles. Though to be realistic, there's always someone at school who gets hold of something "naughty" and it's passed around. Compared to, for example, girlie mags doing the rounds, I'd prefer my kids to at least be reading something well-written about s-e-x.

For anyone especially bothered, Dahl's adult books:

Tales of the Unexpected
More Tales of the Unexpected
Switch Bitch
Kiss Kiss
My Uncle Oswald
Book of Ghost Stories
Collected Stories
Skin
Over To You
Someone Like You

portonovo · 19/10/2006 13:22

I love that book and most of his more adult stuff!

I agree it's a school control thing - I would expect any decent librarian or English teacher to be aware that Roald Dahl wrote lots of books unsuitable for younger children, and therefore either not to stock those or to ensure only older children had access to them. That's the issue I would pursue with the school.

Destroying the book solves nothing!

UnquietDad · 19/10/2006 13:58

I read "Switch Bitch" when I was about 14 and found it very, um, educational! Agree 11 is a bit young though!

The first Uncle Oswald story in SB has a great twist, and the same dark humour as a lot of his "Tales of the Unexpected" and children's stuff, only on a more sexual level.

Don't burn the book! This isn't Fahrenheit 451!! Give it back, with a letter stating why it's not suitable for Y7s.

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 19/10/2006 18:19

If they have watched footballers wives this book will be tame > LOL

Marina · 19/10/2006 18:39

Before you all line up to give the school librarian a kicking, can we be sure that somanybabyseagulls' dd's school has a professional librarian in post? With LEA cutbacks etc posts are often being frozen, or covered by people who are doing their best but not qualified.
ANY school librarian worth their salt, and I know a few, would have made sure this did not happen. Roald Dahl is known by most of us to be a "tricky" author whose adult fiction and short stories are disturbing (and ageist and sexist but that's a whole new thread). A large number of his children's books are iffy IMO.
It's very regrettable for your dd SMBS
In an ideal world, the 6th form has a separate library/reading room where age-appropriate stuff not suitable for the lower years can be kept securely.

lulumama · 19/10/2006 18:55

agree with marina

personally, i would never ever destroy a book....it feels almost sacreligious ( SP?) ...i agree it needs to be kept away from the younger readers....but perosnal choice if older ones want to read it

also, this thread has me harking back to those hormonal adolescent years!

Judy Blume- had all her books!

Ralph!

ROFL ! thanks guys!

NotQuiteCockney · 19/10/2006 19:05

Ack, why would anyone destroy a book? DH had some books I disapproved of, when I moved in (L Ron Hubbard SF), and I just asked him to get rid of them - not destroy them!

Oh, Marina, our local libraries don't seem to have any librarians in them now - they've renamed them Idea Stores, so I guess that makes it ok? Gah.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/10/2006 19:05

Are there any Roald Dahl books that are not iffy? I remember I did a paper on him at uni, comparing him to Tanizaki (go figure) ...

bundle · 19/10/2006 19:08

gosh I can't agree with burning books (ever) after seeing Complicite do The Street of Crocodiles

sorrell · 19/10/2006 19:11

Erm, she's already agreed not to destroy the book! She's sending it back to the school.
I have fond memories of watching Tales of the Unexpected on TV with that very dodgy title sequence with naked writhing woman. I am far more shocked that the librarian apparently didn't know Roald Dahl wrote for adults than by the books contents.

harpsichordcarrion · 19/10/2006 19:14

oh Marina I'm sure you're right - one of the schools near here just advertised for school librarian, no requirement for any qualification, just "good general level of education" for £11k - term time working but all the same, this is the south east we're talking about
I quite fancied applying till I worked out the numbers...

southeastastra · 19/10/2006 19:17

so school librarians don't need to be qualified at all?

lulumama · 19/10/2006 19:17

yes sorrell..me too...with the odd music....there was a very strange tale about a baby and bees?? IIIRC

sorrell · 19/10/2006 19:18

De-de-de-diddle-e-de-de-de...

princessmel · 19/10/2006 19:24

I remember 'Forever'.
When I read it there was an article about it in the Daily Mail saying how awful etc it was. Anyway Mum and Dad were reading this and saying to my sis and me, "I hope you've never seen this book" and we went "no", when we really had it in our school bag, borrowed from someone at school. It was always out at the library and was so requested that you couldn't renew it!

lulumama · 19/10/2006 19:27
GhoulsToo · 19/10/2006 19:27

test

TheBlairAitchProject · 19/10/2006 19:36

oh my god, lulumama, that beebaby story still haunts me to this day..... it was all about giving a sickly baby royal jelly, remember? susan george and timothy west, with him going bzzzzzzzzzzzz all the time and the baby turned into a bee in the end... bbrrrrrrrrr

i was officially not allowed to read Judy Blume books (because they were American and therefore not good English so instead in secret i read a lot of Flowers In the Attic, with all the incest, erections, hidden children etc i could manage.

this was at primary school and i don't think it harmed me, didn't know what half of it was about, tbh, just knew it was 'off-colour'.

i think that banning your children from reading books is pointless (although i do understand this specific example came from a school library ) as they'll find the material somehow and i would be v hesitant to burn any book for farenheit 451-ish reasons.

sorrell · 19/10/2006 19:38

Everyone wore nylon polo-necks, if I remember rightly.

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