Awful Library Books

Bang Bang You’re Dead
Fitzhugh and Scoppettone
1969.

Submitter: Target audience on cover flap: K-3.  In today’s climate, kids shooting guns, kids aiming guns at one another – heck, guns in general! – in a children’s book are tough to explain. Some of the text, such as “‘I got you dead,’ said Bert. “Bang!’ ‘I got you dead back,’ yelled James. They all lay dead.” and “’Yeah, we’ll fix those skunks. Let’s chop off their heads!’”will touch a nerve it probably wouldn’t have touched in 1969. The kids fight and treat each other terribly, calling nasty names and actually bloodying each other’s faces. While in the end, they all agree to share, they walk away dripping blood from their faces.  I found this on the shelf today, and given Newtown (we’re in Connecticut!) and Orlando, and all of the other gun violence… this is a truly AWFUL library book. I can’t weed it fast enough!

Holly: Not to mention it’s 47 years old…