I often get asked my opinion as a psychologist on suitable literature for children. Most things are okay. There are very few topics that are taboo. You can be sure that if it's in the children's or YA section, there will have been a lot of thought put in as to why, by the publisher.
It's no coincidence that one of the most popular European Fairy tales introduces us to a wolf that eats grandmothers and little girls. Kids love to be frightened in their imagination. They understand the difference between a story and real life.
I would be avidly glued to Dr. Who as a child, and only rarely have to hide behind the sofa. However, I had a recurring nightmare about a minotaur that I'd seen in a cartoon, that was pitched at an audience much younger than Dr. Who. I had to sleep with the light on for weeks because of that dratted minotaur. It's impossible to predict just what your child might find scary. Obviously, I've chosen never read anything about minotaurs to mine but one of them was terrified by a Dr. Who episode that was the least scary one I'd ever seen! It's no good censoring literature for frighteners, because you'd end up binning the lot. One child's Pennywise, is another child's favourite cuddly toy.
So, allow them to read to their hearts content, but be sensible. Age ratings and warnings are there for a reason. Take note of them, and if your kids tell you they've found something scary, talk to them about it. It's often through facing their fears that they are able to understand them.
Thinking about it, maybe I should be reading about Minotaurs myself.
One of my friends told me that she would never let her children read about anything with sexual abuse in. I believe this is totally wrong. If topics are off limits, you end up with a culture of secrecy. Of course, some literature aimed at grown-ups will be inappropriate but there are some lovely books aimed at very young children that deal with this topic.
A particular favourite is 'Mousie' a picture book written by a clinical psychologist who experienced abuse herself. I've read it to my children without any hesitation. It was originally written as a support to help those children who practitioners suspect may have been abused, but personally, I feel it should have a wider audience. Children should be always be encouraged to talk about anything that is bothering them.
If you are interested in reading this story you can follow this link: Visit Amazon's Khadj Rouf Page
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