We actually have both the teacher and the librarian towing the "age appropriate" line. DS7 has been incensed that they will only let him read "stupid baby books."
BUT - somehow DS cracked the code the other day. He tried for the hundredth time to check out a Percy Jackson book. Librarian said "no ... age appropriate ... reading level ... blah, blah, blah." DS - in an astonishing moment of self help said "can I read you some pages?" Apparently he read a few pages, and then the librarian talked to him about some of the content that could be troubling, and then somehow was satisfied! So the book came home.
Teacher, however, still will not let DS have the book in his book bag or read it in class. There he is still stuck with "stupid baby books." Ah well - at least he can go to the library at lunch.
And he is a great self-censor, knows when something is upsetting and just drops it. E.g. - he got up and demanded to leave the classroom when his K teacher started to read the third version of Hansel and Gretel. "DON'T YOU REALIZE THEY ARE BURNING THAT LADY ALIVE! WHY ARE YOU READING US THIS HORRIBLE STORY?"
Related note - DS has been asking me why I see violent movies if I don't like violence (e.g., DH and I saw Hunger Games over the holiday). I told him that there are stories that are valuable that have violence in them. I pointed out that you can't have a book about war without violence in it.
Then we talked about learning about ourselves and others through stories. Even learning about the hard stuff.
Then we discussed the expression "those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
Then we discussed the fact that I still cover my eyes in the violent parts (true).
I'm sure we aren't done with this conversation. But for DS - it helps to understand that violence in stories - and how people deal with it - are useful for illustrating part of the human condition.
Sue
P.S. And yes - chicken that I am - I'm glad the questions about love and sex haven't really come up yet.
