i have to say, although I do agree with this thread because I can see your point (and ooh, some of the books I agree with!!) I think once they're old enough to realize what's fiction, then anything should go.

I wouldn't give anything classed as an adults' book to a child under 14, but after that then they should be allowed to read anything at all.

I speak from the experience of being the precocious teenager who read the most godawful rubbish (Jilly Cooper etc) but had no interest in sex until much later than her peers. Sometimes I think that a little bit of TMI fiction puts the youngsters off sex

oh, but no person in the world, at all, should read the Da Vinci Code. that's really pushing it.

Anything by Brett Easton Ellis.
It is so hopeless and self nullifying.

Oh and "It" by Stephen King. Because It comes back...never got over the man who committed suicide rather than face It again. And I have read most Stephen King. "Rose Madder" was a real indictment of domestic abuse and quite horrible being in the mind of an abuser...yuk yuk.

"I Claudius" is something that needs context and a degree of maturity as well.

DD is currently on the Famous 5, they are of their time, and not great literature, but she is lapping up the idea of secret passages and saving the day. She is 6!
She is also reading "Indian in the Cupboard", I have had to get a book from the library about Native Americans so she can understand some of the references!

I was rather surprised to see Dahl's "Switch Bitch" in the new Book People catalogue advertised as a book for "young people". It's definitely more one of his "dirty old bugger" books... It isn't exactly The BFG!

Snickernack - I was going to say American Psycho. It is the only book I have ever read that I found truely sickening and which I thought should not have been allowed to be published. I threw it out and would not allow another copy in the house - ever!

Unless somethings really scary I cant see myself 'banning' anything, I loved naria, enid blyton and judy blume before becoming a big fan of Anne Rice in my teens but hey at least I was reading.

My brother never read anything at home ever, then when he was about 9 I brought him the first two harry potter books which he loved. Once he had read all the harry potter books he then started on the hobbit and other fantasy books. So I cant slag off those books.

I'm not sure that newspapers are that suitable. I used to read my parents papers (The Times) from about 12 and lots of stuff give me lots of things to think about. Images of dead people, starving children and miscarried babies...not good for a twelve year old.

And I still think about some of my godmother's Amnesty International material now.

i certainly was never stopped reading anything when i was growing up. my mum was a massive bookworm, i was also taught to read fluently before i went to school.

i would not want my dc to read 'when the wind blows' or twilight as its blooming awful. i have to narnia scared me as a child but i also threw up with fear watching bambi when i was 4- oh dear!

Remember getting hold of 'lace' as a young teenager (Judith Krantz? sirley conran? can't remember) wouldn't want mine reading that mainly because it was crap. Also very frightened by pet Cemetary at that age. Our babysitter left something called 'Effigies' around too, which I picked up aged 10- it was very torrid horror. Have never seen it since. I think it took Salems lot to actually give me nightmares at that age.

Pretty ponies, I must agree with you. When the wind blows completely freaked me out, and led to me joining CND at the age of twelve. Yes, I was a rather po-faced,pompous tweenanger...

My mom, bless her, somehow (she was 18 when she had me) taught me to read fluently before I went to school, by the time I was 8 or so it was pretty difficult to stop me reading anything, however, she still blames a particularly virulent ongoing-into-mid-twenties teenage angst on my obsession with Sylvia Plath 'The Bell Jar' at around 10-11. To be fair, I just thought it was an interesting story at that age. Was more interested in the graphic food poisoning account than the suicidal tendencies. Was quite shocked when I reread it as an adult!

The only thing she used to disapprove of, though never actually banned, was Enid Blyton, who of course I loved. However, my child will not be reading them!

I had wide-ranging and totally uncensored reading tastes as a child/teenager. I bitterly regret reading Salem's Lot aged 12 because it terrified me for weeks. And I still regret the day I picked up American Psycho which actually did make me vomit.

I wouldn't stop them reading anything. I'd strongly suggest they didn't read certain things unless I felt they were able to deal with it.

I read The Other Victorians aged 12 (old porn) and my dad misguidedly bought me the Amityville Horror at about the same time. I was so terrified I had to keep it under my bed...

Tbh, dd1 barely reads for pleasure, so I wouldn't mind her reading anything. I found a free-with-a-mag copy of a Shopaholic book which I passed her this morning, because she has seen the movie. Garbage, in all likelihood, but I was pleased she was enthusiastic. She lost interest after two chapters because it had the temerity to divert from the film

Reading has been such a constant in my life, to an obsessive level, that I am lucky I'm her mum rather than dad, otherwise I'd be doubting her genetics...

And those dozy Goosebump books.

I bet the roman toga porn mentioned in OP was Maia by whatshisname who wrote Watership Down.

It was full of orgies and floggings. Read it myself when I was about 10.

I would rather my daughter didn't read Twilight. Apart from being crap the main character is an absolute passive agressive twat as well as a vampire. God only knows how he is an attractive character.

Will get off my soap box now.

Also, Tracy Beaker books.

I remember asking our rather po faced elderly librarian for a Marquis de sade book when i was young! Strangely enough he refused

I rather wish my dd aged 8 hadn't read the twilight books already, but she has unfortunately.

Me and my sister loved reading my mum's georgette heyer books when we were children.

what is the problem with harry potter?

i know it is not the most brilliantly written series ever, but after seeing how children loved it (am a teacher who read it aloud to her class before the hype started) i am really looking forward to sharing it with my dc.

excuse lack of capitals, am typing one handed.

i read anything while growing up, there was no ban in my house

I read 1984 at the age of about 9 and remember distinctly spending several hours trying not to throw up after reading about the Ministry of Love. I was profoundly disturbed by the torture scenes for years afterwards.I also skipped all the 'freedom is slavery' stuff in the middle and as such totally missed the point of the entire novel.

I also recall my mother firmly removing 'A Cock and Bull Story' from my hands at the age of around 10 much to my fury but definately to her credit.

I was given Oscar Wilde's "fairytales for childern" when I was 6 or so (I learnt to read at 5). Why on earth anyone thought that stories such as The Nightingale and the Rose were appropriate for children is beyond me - there's no reason to introduce small children to heartlessness.

I remember "Jaws" being banned at my school when I was about 12. We then all rushed out and bought it - I recall it being quite rude.

I think kids are quite discerning about what they read - either that or a lot of it just goes over their heads. I've re-read books as an adult and only then understood them properly.

I do wish DD2 would stop re-reading Jacqueline Wilson though and expand her horizons a bit.

When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs.

It's a cartoon book about an elderly couple in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. I read it aged nine, and I haven't got words for the extent to which it fucked me up. I never expected to reach adulthood.

I can't even watch The Snowman, because Brigg's illustration style reminds me of this book, and makes me feel sick.

Pushchair your DC are hard. I still sob my heart out every time Laura's dog dies

Bigdeluded I had a similar experience to you - not enough books in the house so I read my dad's Confessions of a Window Cleaner I also read that book - Carrie? - where the girls throw sanitary towels at the menstruating girl so she butchers them all with her freaky mind. At 8. Under the blankets in bed by the light of a 'Maths Marvel' (electronic maths toy thingy brought back from Hong Kong by indulgent uncle). So I blame my parents for making me a nervous sleeper and for my bad eyesight too.

A few years ago I told my son not to read "We Need To Talk About Kevin" -- so he read it. Last year I said 'Don't read "High Rise"' -- so he read it.

Now I've cottoned on, and when there is a book I want him to read I say to him (where that would be plausible) that it is "inappropriate." That is how I got him to read "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha"

Ha Ha Ha.

Strewel Peter! Nightmarish Victorian fairy tale that still haunts me!

If I could keep my future daughters away from Twilight until they're of an age where they are realistic enough to read into the subtext I'd be happy! Then again given that the running theme through the books is Abstinance maybe I should read it to them from an early age!

I read loads of books when I was little that upset me or frightened me and they never left me with any lasting damage. I had such nightmares after reading The Witches by Roald Dahl, but I'll definately hope my kids want to read Dahls books because they're awesome.

Hmm... books like 'The Railway Children' or 'A Little Princess' that went on (and on, and on) about how innately superior the middle class, refined children were to the plebs their "ruined" mama and papa had condemned them to live with - until a middle class, refined adult turns up and returns them to their rightful place on earth.
Maybe I'm just bitter and they were lovely fantasies .
I loved 'A Little Princess'. She was a dreadful snob, though.

Harry Potter
tacky celeb biogs
TV tie ins

I shall go to bed now inspired to think of more.....

I let my children read anything (within reason!), in these modern times it is good that they have the patience to read a book.

I was very interested in a copy of Fear of Flying I found on my mum's shelves when I was about 12 or so.

I can't think of anything people shouldn't read, really, with the possible exception of grief-porn.

My mother was a doctor of STD's. In our teens, I and my friends used to cluster over her textbooks. Was a highly erm.."educational" experience...Don't think it did me any harm, and certainly put me off early exploratory shenanigans. There are some things you never need to see in colour...

I've only ever really regretted reading two books (so far), both for really graphic torture type scenes, that years later still come to mind. So no Bret Easton Ellis or Iain Banks in my house.

For the children I would worry more about authors who write for both children an adults (or younger and older children). For example I love Anne Fine, and have all her books including her adult novels. They would NOT be suitable for my 8 and 9 year old. I remember my mother being very annoyed that When the Wind Blows was next to the Snowman and Father Christmas (Raymond Briggs) in most bookshops.

Can't believe anyone would ban a child from reading any age appropriate book! If my dc's want to read rubbish it's up to them.

My mother's tropical diseases and parasitology nursing text books which I sneaked and read in horror behind the sofa. Aged 6ish... Still dream of the picture of the old man with green moss growing over his eyes.

Jilly Cooper's WICKED!
Too many bright ideas.

I absolutely banned the Jordan/Katie Price pony books. I don't want my DDs to see her in any way as someone to look up to. I've also limited the Jacqueline Wilson books my 8 year old can read. I think some of them are not suitable for her, yet.

I picked up one of my old Ladybird books last night and read it to DS2 and 3 (5yrs and 22 months). It was Hansel and Gretel - which DS2 had chosen as he had it read at school and enjoyed it...........

Except they had the watered down version read to them at school - so last night (just before bed) we had the full and gory version of it (DS2 slept fine so I don't think I scarred him for life )

Thomas the Tank Engine. And friends.

Charlie and Lola

Cant You Sleep, Little Bear?
("Big Bear is the Big Bear and Little Bear is the Little Bear." WTF??)

can' think of any books we wouldn't want our children to read...

only that some might not be appropriate for their age.

read James Herbert 'the Magic Cottage' when I was 13/14 and thought it was amazing. still reading HP and Tolkein now. don't understand Iain Banks. but, would encourage all sci-fi like I, Robot and The Day of the Triffids...

all great stories.

think the thing is we don't have many romances/raunchy stuff to read, to leave lying around.

shame really!

Any sleb "autobiography". Jordan, Rooney, you name it.

I read Animal Farm when I was 6 and had nightmares for years over Boxer's death and the whole not being able to trust authority thing.
You'd think I'd have learnt to check the author after that, but no, at 8 I read 1984.
Ditto effect. And had the word 'cynical' on every English report ever after...

So I'd keep those away until A is beyond primary school age. And the Nancy Friday collections of sexual fantasies...

Go Ask Alice made drug taking sound quite appealing when I was 13, so I wouldn't want DD to read it (have found out she has though).

Also, Pet Semetary disturbed me terribly.

Anything by Harold Robins

Twopence to cross the Mersey - hideous description of first period which I read aged about 10 and terrified me for years!

Sleepers

I haven't finished Atonement yet but I could add it my list of 'books not to bother with' along with The Lord of the Rings the third book and no doubt a few others.

Yes, Harry Potter.
I'd rather dd read 'The 120 days of Sodom' than fucking Harry Potter.

LOL pushchair, my friend went to see Atonement with her Granddad. He loved it, talked about how he was nearly at Balham tube station etc, she was mortified.

'What's the worst word you can think of?'

The End Of Alice by AM Homes.

Sorry, can we have clarification?

Are we doing 'books you don't want your DCs ever to read in their entire lives' or 'books you don't want them to read while too young because it'll upset them'?

Well maybe graphic sex but there isn't much of that in the house.
I got a shock when 'cunt' suddenly popped up in Atonement though.

would hate DDs to cry their eyes out over The Little Mermaid like I did. However since Charlottes Web and the death of Laura's dog in Little House on the Prairie left them cold I don't think I have much to worry about.
Other than that vague apprehension there isn't much I would prefer them not to read.

The cherub books are a bit too gritty for my liking, but it's too late now, I only realized once I was well into reading them out loud. I gave up on censoring as I went, every time I hesitated the child would grab it from me and demand to see exactly what horror I had sanitised!!

There's nothing wrong with reading trash as long as it's not the only thing you read. It's not as if reading Jilly Cooper or similar is really taking time away that would be spent reading War and Peace. If I'm in a serious book mood (rarely) then easy books don't do it for me, and vice versa.

-J Archer

- Jordan, Kerry Katona et al type celeb crap by ghost-writers

- 101 ways with offal

Stephen King, DH Lawrence - I have no problem at all with.

I read all my Dad's Harold Robbins books. And the Dice Man. Also a sex manual my mum thought was hidden under her underwear.
I can't say I regret any of it

I read and re read Up The Junction by Nell Dunn which I loved - it had an abortion and a miscarriage,or at least the birth of a dead baby in it,which I didn't understand...however, it didn't seem to cause me any damage - I really wanted to write gritty things myself as a result

Harry Potter.

Rubbish.

Thinking of the books that gave me nightmares as a child, I'm going to have to make sure we don't have any copies of James Herbert books (read The Rats when I was 8, big mistake.

Oh, and the Struelpeter stories. Not the best bedtime reading for children

those hideous flowers in teh attic books.

Lady Chatterley
Anything Gilly Cooper or Jackie Collins!

ok what aboout The Da Vinci Code - I haven't read it and I will prefer dc's don't and also anything by Barbara Cartland.

I don't think I will be down the school library demanding a book burning of anything I deem unsuitable - although in these times of fuel poverty maybe alternative heat sources would be useful... I am just thinking about when my dc can read and are selecting adult as well as childrens books which choices would make me shudder.

I loved books as a child (and still do). My parents kept all theirs under the stairs in a cupboard. When i got to a certain age, and had read all my Famous Fives a hundred times i was drawn to investigate!

God I read some hideously unsuitable stuff. Mills and Boon, Stephen King, Harold Whatsisname....

It never seemed to do me any harm. i think if you don't understand something it kind of passes over you.

I'm trying hard to think of books I wouldn't want the dc to read in the future and can't come up with any .

It hasn't done me any lasting damage though - I don't demand my dh dress up as a roman and ravage me for eg.!

So was I looking back on it, but my Dad clearly had eclectic literary tastes I don't think he thought about any of his children reading it - my Mum clearly did not look too closely at what he left in the loo [ahem] 'library' - I would have expected her to remove it otherwise.

at the toga ripper book!

go on humour me...

Let me start you off with two I should not have read as a fairly young child.

My Dad used to leave his books in downstairs loo so I read Cujo - which gave me horrendous nightmares for months and a Roman era sex and slaves romp (no idea what it was called - a toga ripper!) which was very graphic and rather inappropriate to be left in the reach of children! There were also countless cold war era spy novels but they were quite exciting and educational (rubbish covers though guns and blood stains and shapely legs + high heels!).

So no Stephen King till they are over at least 12. No literary porn. And I will add no Jordan Bios!

what else?