So this is a topic to discuss one of the most shocking books I've heard about (didn't read it myself, but my English teacher did).

Story
Imagine a building. Now, there's a married (with 2 childs) man how works in the basement, which depresses him as he has never seen light at work. However, as the bosses see he's doing a great job, he gets "promoted" multiple times, and each time he does he goes one floor up. So he gets to the first floor, the second one, and so on. However, once he reaches the fifth floor, his wife breaks up with him, because he spends A LOT of time at work, and even his life is all about it. So as he keeps going higher in that building, both his kids end up leaving him, and never call him again (nor talk and other sad things), and he goes on loosing friends.
Story concludes once the man reaches the final floor (tenth), and says "I can finally see the sky, birds, sun and hapiness from here", so he opens the window. And then he jumps.

Now, this book is surely not a complex one, and that is the reason I didn't read it, so why am I even writing a topic for this book? It's a children book, aimed at kindergarden children.

Now, the discussion is this: Is it an appropiate book for children? Is it a bad one? Why? Is there any general (in culture) limit between what's wrong and what's right in a children book?

Feel free to debate that here. Also, idk if this is the right section.

Pies,
L

People are complaining about violent video games and this is what our children's books are like? Anyways, I think you can make a children's book about anything you want, but if it's something like this one you probably can't expect too many parents to buy it. We should not restrict what can and cannot be written, but parents can restrict what their children read.

EDIT: Do you have a link or something about the book? I can't seem to find anything about it on google.

I highly doubt this is a childrens book,
most likely a fable rewritten in childrens form but i doubt he jumps from the window at the end.
Do you remember what the books called?

People are complaining about violent video games and this is what our children's books are like? Anyways, I think you can make a children's book about anything you want, but if it's something like this one you probably can't expect too many parents to buy it. We should not restrict what can and cannot be written, but parents can restrict what their children read.

EDIT: Do you have a link or something about the book? I can't seem to find anything about it on google.

Indeed Rudo, video games are basically nothing compared to what a book can do to a kid's mind.
And on your second point: I agree at some points, but I don't really think you cna make a child's book about anything you want, because no-one will know what it is about really. What do I mean? Take this book as an example. My English teacher worked as a principal long time ago (good woman), and she asked the teachers to buy some books for their classes. So, when shopping was done, she said "ok, now let's see what you bought". Can you believe that the only book she chose from a pile was that one? Destiny plays in misterious ways. Anyway, so she read it and obviously said it was wrong. What do I mean by this? A teacher (or be it a parent, uncle, ant) doesn't have any way to know the book's content without reading it, so if you buy it and then when you read it with your child you get to the suicide part, what are you suppossed to do? You're entering codes in the child's mind after all.
So basically authors aren't "guilty-free" for writing a text like this. Words do have power, and they should be aware of this.
And yes, parents should restrict what they children read (up to a certain age ofc).

Unfortunately, I do not have a link to such book, but I can tell you for real it is real (that sounded weird).

I highly doubt this is a childrens book,
most likely a fable rewritten in childrens form but i doubt he jumps from the window at the end.
Do you remember what the books called?

It is a children book, and the man does commit suicide in the end.
The book is called "Sky is the Limit" if my teacher's memory doesn't fail.

I can't find it anywhere and tbh a publisher will turn there head away from something like that after 3 seconds so i can't understand why it would exist

(...)
Indeed Rudo, video games are basically nothing compared to what a book can do to a kid's mind.
And on your second point: I agree at some points, but I don't really think you cna make a child's book about anything you want, because no-one will know what it is about really. What do I mean? Take this book as an example. My English teacher worked as a principal long time ago (good woman), and she asked the teachers to buy some books for their classes. So, when shopping was done, she said "ok, now let's see what you bought". Can you believe that the only book she chose from a pile was that one? Destiny plays in misterious ways. Anyway, so she read it and obviously said it was wrong. What do I mean by this? A teacher (or be it a parent, uncle, ant) doesn't have any way to know the book's content without reading it, so if you buy it and then when you read it with your child you get to the suicide part, what are you suppossed to do? You're entering codes in the child's mind after all.
So basically authors aren't "guilty-free" for writing a text like this. Words do have power, and they should be aware of this.
And yes, parents should restrict what they children read (up to a certain age ofc).

Unfortunately, I do not have a link to such book, but I can tell you for real it is real (that sounded weird).


(...)
It is a children book, and the man does commit suicide in the end.
The book is called "Sky is the Limit" if my teacher's memory doesn't fail.

If you're going to read a book to your small child, it would probably be best to preview it first in order to avoid a situation like the one you mentioned. I would preview it before I even bought it, just to be safe. If we get the word out to parents that books like that exist it will help them to be more cautious about what books they buy for their children.

I can't find it anywhere and tbh a publisher will turn there head away from something like that after 3 seconds so i can't understand why it would exist

1. Internet doesn't have all the answers. Yet.
2. Makes one wonder

(...)

If you're going to read a book to your small child, it would probably be best to preview it first in order to avoid a situation like the one you mentioned. I would preview it before I even bought it, just to be safe. If we get the word out to parents that books like that exist it will help them to be more cautious about what books they buy for their children.

Yes, I would do the same tbh. I myself am quite a book lover, and I'm sure I'll read to my children when the time comes, but I honestly keep wondering what would of had happened if my teacher had picked up another book, read it, said it was fine, aprove the purchease, and then one day children would be reading "Sky is the Limit".
It just creeps me out.

(...)

If you're going to read a book to your small child, it would probably be best to preview it first in order to avoid a situation like the one you mentioned. I would preview it before I even bought it, just to be safe. If we get the word out to parents that books like that exist it will help them to be more cautious about what books they buy for their children.

something called the blurb or the front cover of a man falling out a window

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something called the blurb or the front cover of a man falling out a window

Who's to say the blurb says that the man falls out a window at the end or that the cover has a picture of him doing it? I would, of course, read the blurb first, but I would also preview the book just to be sure there are no untoward surprises in the book. It's a children's book, it would take me five minutes tops to read the whole thing.

(...)

Who's to say the blurb says that the man falls out a window at the end or that the cover has a picture of him doing it? I would, of course, read the blurb first, but I would also preview the book just to be sure there are no untoward surprises in the book. It's a children's book, it would take me five minutes tops to read the whole thing.

lol the front cover one was a joke

I have always disagreed with denying death and depression to children

Euphamising them is obviously necissary, but denying their existance does more harm than good. Peoplle learn from pain and mistakes, if you don't allow people to see other peoples mistakes, and the pain which folows, they're going to make those mistakes themselves

I have always disagreed with denying death and depression to children

Euphamising them is obviously necissary, but denying their existance does more harm than good. Peoplle learn from pain and mistakes, if you don't allow people to see other peoples mistakes, and the pain which folows, they're going to make those mistakes themselves

Good point, Karab. I never really thought about it that way.