When a child doesn't read, imagination disappears

A Youngster's Story

"I went outside and wrote this all by myself, Mom."

"I see little plants like I'm in a tiny jungl. I see houses like honted manchins.
I see clouds like pilows in the deep Blue seas. I see the sun like a huge Firework.
I see roks like little ants.
I see cats and dog like tigers. I see spoons like miny shovles. I see tails like lots of snaks. I see cars like Big Bugs on the road. I see Birds like huge dragons in the air. I see trees like gaint peaple. I see whales like Big plans in the water. I see spiks like on a Dinsor.
I see Balls like meters Falling From the sky.
the end

(Copied straight from the little, green paper handed to me Sunday afternoon).

School Reading Lists & Goosebumps

How many have children/teens who have come home with a school reading list? Or have had a child come home telling you s/he read a book you didn't want them to read yet?

My 1st grader came home and told me he tried to read a GooseBumps book and it scared him; I could have told him. My daughter told me she was reading 'Twilight' before I was ready for her to read it. Many of her friends wee reading the series so she wanted to try them. It gave us an opportunity to talk about abstinence and 'why would a LDS person put swear words and other bad stuff in her books?".

One of the parents on my email list wrote that his son brought home a high school reading list. He is a very involved dad and had read many of the books on the list and knew enough that 'Lolita' wasn't a book she wanted him to read until he was much older.
Another book on the list was 'Catcher in the Rye'. He remembered it being an important book, took it off his own shelf and gave it to his son to read. His son came back and reminded him of the 'f' words, sex and drugs in the book.
"I mentioned my son and his experience with Catcher in the Rye. He did finish the book - in fact, we read it together. He read it and we talked about the issues and loneliness that can pop up on a young man, even when that young man thinks everything is great. I think, wait, I know we are both stronger for it. As for reading Lolita - I'm not sure about that one yet. I think there is more uplifting lit out there that he could read first. Time will tell."

Should parents stop their children from reading certain books or genres? Should teachers or librarians?

And what do you want your child to learn from books? How much do they really learn or understand?

Here is what one mother said:
"Adults with (comparatively) safe backgrounds are unlikely to understand the intense and sometimes violent emotions teens feel. That isn't to say that only people who had traumatic childhoods can write for teens, but when an author is writing about horrible situations that teens can and will relate to, they must do it honestly. That often includes discussing and describing terrible things. "

What do you think?