Books with cuddly pink covers may not be as innocent as they seem. When my 11 year-old came home from the bookstore with a book titled “Thirteen” by Lauren Myracle, I immediately checked on Amazon and found a few less than favorable reviews including one that claimed the book contained a scene where the main character contemplates intimate acts between her parents. (Yes, THAT intimate act.)

I read further reviews on the author and found multiple comments by both parents and teens that claim her books introduce readers to sexual language and behavior, as well as drugs and unhealthy relationships with adults and teens. These reviews are most specific to the novels written in “text language” but also apply to most of the author’s very popular books.

I find it frustrating that I cannot set my children loose in their section of the library and trust that the books they find there are written with their well-being, rather than profit, in mind. The idea to write a series that follows characters through their formative years, as well as novels written in coded text language, are genius and I wish that Myracle was concerned enough about her readers to encourage positive thinking and include character enriching content in her novels, rather than selling the creepy detritus found within her paperback covers.

I can only stress how important it is for caregivers to read and discuss the literature their children read and weigh the consequences of exposure to the content.