Check out what you are checking out!

More than likely, you all do this... But with three little ones running rampant through the children's section of our local public library, I don't always look through the books they have chosen to check out. I'm usually just anxious to get us checked out and back out to the car. Most of the books they select come from the picture book section and are very safe, albeit sometimes, a bit gross or stupid (we tend to only read these once). But this past trip to the library we brought home a book that literally shocked me.

Nathan has been into Superman lately, or at least the idea of Superman. He doesn't know anymore about him than that he is a superhero who wears an "S" symbol on his chest and a red cape. But while they were (supposed to be) sitting and looking at books as I attempted to locate a few educational books for Alex, Alex came across this book for Nathan about Superman... This, of course, was right at the end of our library visit and Amy and Nathan were getting a bit loud and restless, so I simply said "great" and we checked out. Several days went by before Bill and I really took a look at what was in this book. Oh. My. Goodness. Okay, growing up, my brother collected comic books and I would frequently read his X-Men, Spiderman, etc. comics. And of course, the drawings and subject matter were... well... not what I would consider appropriate for young children. I was not little when I read them. I wouldn't expect to find these comics in the children's section of our library.

But here it was. Yes, the Superman drawn on the front seems harmless enough, but look a little further and you find half-dressed, extremely built women, risque illustrations, and very graphically violent pictures. Does this sound like something you'd want your young child to read - or more importantly, look at? Of course, I know that I should always check the content of the book my child is checking out, but I was still shocked by this one. Really. Check your kids' library books.

Nathan asked about his Superman book last night... I felt bad as I ignored his requests and simply turned his attention to a different book. I didn't tell him that Daddy has it and will, first chance he gets, take it back to the library, perhaps even stopping to offer a comment or two on where this book really belongs.