Book stages and appropriateness of subject

[AlwaysSickAndTired]

Hello everyone. My DS turned 6 just a few days ago and he's in Year 1. Within the ORT scheme he brings home stages 11 and 12 books which are appropriate for his level in terms of reading, but the book he's been given today strikes me as inappropriate in terms of subject-matter. I am genuinely interested in everyone's opinion as I'm not sure I should let my DS read it at all and also, should I tell the teacher? The book is War Children by Fiona Macdonald and it is a TreeTops non-fiction Stage 11 book. I just feel that it will be upsetting for such a young person, it uses words such as fighting, horror, death, Nazi, terrible, destructive horrible, bomb, unkind foster parents, anxiety, fear of death... to name but a few. I mean, it's a pretty harrowing read.

I was reading with 9 year-olds at school yesterday, and one child chose "The Tower of London" containing details of torture. The rack, the tiny cell that you can't stand up in, beheadings, etc. There was actually a drawing of someone being ripped apart by 4 horses. Truth to tell I was more bothered than she was, but I suggested we choose something else.
Our school starts at Year 3, but this book was a level that some children were on in year 1. I don't think 5 and 6 year olds should be reading about torture.

On a lighter note, I asked the girl why she thought Henry VIII had been married so many times. "Maybe he wanted to hold the record for the most number of wives"

We've had the Tower of London one too - interestingly my ds really enjoyed it and requested that we visit the Tower. He was introduced to the concept of torture in Reception by his teacher's very graphic discription of events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus....at the time I was horrified....maybe Christians see things differently but for me the nuts & bolts of that story are not suitable for a 4 year olds ears.