Would you be surprised to find the word "pervert" in a book for children?

[TooTicky]

Okay, it's probably intended for age 8 and upwards, but even so - I was shocked.

8 sounds a bit young. What's the context?

What was the book TooTicky?

It is a bit shocking, I agree. I wouldn't like to have to explain it to my 7 y.o. Ages are only guidelines aren't they. DS1 is a good reader, just finished Yr 2 but capable of reading books aimed at the 8 or 9 y.o.s Occasionally he came home with books which I thought were too old for him. Not quite as bad I know but I had to explain about gambling and odds after reading one Dick King Smith book and I really didn't want to do that.

Even so I wouldn't want to explain it too him at 8 or 9. I bet you wouldn't find the word in a chilren's dictionary for them to look it up themselves!

Was it really a necessary part of the story?

It's a daftish book about a knight and his horse with comic-style bits in. One bit involved the knight possibly watching the horse on the toilet. It did appear more than once though. It's not a word I'm comfortable with.

Here
It says 9-12, but even so...

i woudnt like it, reminds me too of the bbc programme king stupid that I complained about a few months ago, cos they used the term 'pervy web sites'

My ds is 9 and would not understand the word 'pervert., I wouldn't be comfortable explaining it to him either.

Oh, I'm not keen on that Stupid programme. Didn't know they'd used pervy though.
How the hell do you define it though? I don't normally avoid definitions but if it's a word I consider unsuitable - well, luckily he didn't ask.

My son would love that book - anything to do with knights gets the thumbs up. I shall make sure we avoid it.

Can't imagine it was necessary for the plot though.

Maybe for a 11/12 y.o. it would be OK but not any younger. As I say, guidelines are just that, a guide so I could imagine I might have seen this in a shop and got it for DS. I wouldn't have been pleased.

Did you have to explain it TooTicky?

Luckily, no. It's an odd book. Some good humour, but I'm not happy with it overall.