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

[Somanybabyseagulls]

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.

"Of course, children will find and pass round books like Lace, like lots of us did, but a book like this shouldn't be offered in the school library-it would mean someone considers it to be a good example of literature for children."

I think you have hit the nail on the head there anna

I don't care what children pass under the desk (for us it was those awful Jilly Coopers with names like "Anastasia" - which bizarrely were from the school library) - but let's at least provide them with decent works of literature when we are doing the choosing.

Philippa Pearce also wrote A Dog So Small and The Battle of Bubble and Squeak, both of which my DDs loved when they were little. A Dog so Small is one of those perfect books you don't want to finish.

Interested to hear about Philippa Pearce. What ages did you or your dc read these?

sorry for the links below , I think I found a better one. It shows banned books and reasons why they are banned. Also, I think these are mostly schools, and not sure if all schools may ban the same books... Also note it is an american website.

banned-books.com/bblist.html

Um, why not get it stamped 'officially withdrawn' and give it to a charity shop? The worst book in the world has value to someone.

the best phillipa pearce book imo is minnow on the say, though I also liked a dog so small

they're kind of like swallows and amazons only better written, imo. sometimes there is magic in them, sometimes not really. they are fab.

god am restraining myself from starting a "book burning-good or bad?" thread.

beegee, I think A Dog So Small and Bubble and Squeak are for around age 9 to read alone - Tom's Midnight Garden probably the same, although we didn't have it and I don't know if they ever read it (eg at school).

Filly, I was googling PP earlier and came across Minnow on the Say - had never heard of it before but it sounds wonderful. It was her first book apparently (Penguin website )

(The dog one makes me cry - would the minnow one too?)

Minnow on the Say was good -- I don't remember anything particularly tearjerking, although I haven't read it for a couple of decades.

I have read this infact I think I still have in in my bookshelf, love it but I don't think I would want an 11 yr old to bring it home from the school library. Perhaps the librarian just needs to restrict it to older pupils.

Our High school had a section for older pupils where more adult themed books along with a whole range of other books which weren't suitable for alsorts of reasons for youngers pupils. Roald Dahls grown up novels and short stories are great, but not to be confused with the likes of Danny the Chapion of the World .

Not worth panicing over, we al read Judy Blume didn't we, but I do see your point and would be a bit annoyed at the librarians ack of knowledge.