That's Disgusting

Rating:
Summary: Cavaet Emptor
Review: My library recently got in three picture books by Francesco Pittau. I cannot, for the life of me, remember where I read about these books, where I saw the reviews. I must have seen it somewhere.

I have a pretty high tolerance for yucky stuff. I have never ever, in my whole life, come across a book I have honestly thought should be kept out of the library. Never. I have read books that have deeply disturbed me. I have read books that have seemed to have absolutely no merit whatsoever, literary or otherwise. Still, I didn't think any of them should be kept off the shelves.

And now I am torn.

Most of That's Disgusting, I can get behind. Washing your feet in the toilet? That is disgusting. Making sculptures out of poo? That's disgusting, too. Ditto to eating soap and playing in the litter box. Eww! Disgusting!

But. "Sticking your finger in the cat's behind?" (Yes, IN.)

That's not disgusting. That's disturbed.

I never knew where the mythical line was, but I think it is clearly crossed here. The charming art that reminded me of Lane Smith and made me laugh? Somehow, amazingly, it wasn't funny anymore when the cartoon child's little finger was aiming at the clearly delineated place he could stick it in the cat's behind!

I do NOT want to be a censor. On the other hand (the one far, far from the cat's bottom, thank you very much!), there is no way I find this appropriate even for our Young Adult collection. Sexual violation of household pets? Not funny.

The saddest thing is, if this page ... were not here, I would have loved this book and used it for programming...

SO. This book will *not* be put on the shelf with our picture books. It will probably be a part of our Office collection where patrons can ask for it, but no little kid will find it by accident. This book is ABSOLUTELY not appropriate for the 4-8 year old set!

Rating:
Summary: Amusing and child-oriented
Review: What can one say about a book that clearly goes through the possible ideas a young child might entertain? This book has some very funny pictures to match some very clear notions of what is not worth doing, including playing with poo and bothering the household's pet. Like all books for young children, it should be read out loud and with room for discussion. But don't worry about leaving it around for your youngster to check out; keep in mind that this book is based on a child's repetoire of ideas, not an adult's. And take it as lightly as it is offered, to be enjoyed with a child.