Please Help - Dealing with Sexuality and Pregnancy in Children's book

[mikosanaya]

Hi everyone, I have reached an impasse in my children's book that I'm working on and need help with dealing with a sensitive topic.  My book is about slug people and one of the male characters basically gets another girl pregnant and is forced to marry her.  This actually kicks off the book and makes the main protagonist leave on her adventure because she is in love with this boy and is heartbroken. I've tried to write it in a way that isn't too obvious.  Below is an expert. Please let me know if this is too much for children:

Delphy moved even closer to Sludrick and put her arms around him to give him a hug.  But this wasn’t any ordinary hug, it was a special kind of hug.  It felt wonderful and amazing, something Sludrick never felt before. When Delphy let go of Sludrick, he was smiling. But then he thought of Petunia and his smile faded into a look of worry.  “Oh no,” he thought.  Petunia would not be happy to hear about this.  Sludrick decided not to tell her and hoped that she wouldn’t find out.

Later on in the book (the next chapter), Sludrick finds out that Petunia is with child and according to Slug People law, he is forced to marry her.

Would a parent who read this get upset?  I want Sludrick to have to get married but I don't want it to be some cop out like arranged marriage or something.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks

[Tytanica]

I'm a parent, and, honestly, no, I wouldn't read it to my kid. The whole issue is not a children's issue. It's an adult issue. I'm not going to be reading a book about "accidental" pregnancy to a child. And, seriously? "Special kind of hug"? It's like you're trying to sneak sex into a kids' book. Why? I don't see any good coming from that. 

[Mark T]

How about if there is some sort of tragedy and there is a slug orphan they are asked to adopt and they then have to get married to be proper foster parents? As far as dealing with pregnancies go, just gloss over the details and announce a little slug is on the way. If kids want to know where offspring come from they should ask their parents.

[geethr75]

Just don't describe it in the book. I'm assuming you'll be writing the book from the main protagonist's point of view, the one that was heart broken and left. If so, you wouldn't need to mention the accidental pregnancy at all. Leave her reasons mysterious. And if she ever has to reveal it, just say it like the jerk she liked married someone else. That should be enough. Show her reactions, her pain, and don't reveal the reasons.

[J TETSTONE]

To be honest it doesn't read like a children's book. May I ask, why you aren't writing the book as an adult book? Then you could continue writing along the same line, without worrying about whether or not what you are writing/or have written is appropriate for children. Either way good luck with your book.   Jan

[hillwalker3000]

My advice, don't deal with sexuality and pregnancy in a children's book. It's a dreadful idea.

H3k

[mikosanaya]

It took me forever, but I finally figured out what I'm going to do, lol.  Thanks everyone for your responses.  I'm going to take out the hugging part entirely and just have them spend some time alone together and let the reader interpret what is going on.  Later on, she shows up with a baby and claims it's theirs.  I wanted to keep it as a children's book because it's not going to be very long and this is my first book.

[mikosanaya]

After doing some research I've decided to make it a chapter book with a target age of 6-9 years old. I was going to do a picture book, but it's getting to long for that by now, lol. But I'll still have an illustration for each chapter.

[heartsongjt]

Below is an expert. Please let me know if this is too much for children:

Delphy moved even closer to Sludrick and put her arms around him to give him a hug.  But this wasn’t any ordinary hug, it was a special kind of hug.  It felt wonderful and amazing, something Sludrick never felt before. When Delphy let go of Sludrick, he was smiling. But then he thought of Petunia and his smile faded into a look of worry.  “Oh no,” he thought.  Petunia would not be happy to hear about this.  Sludrick decided not to tell her and hoped that she wouldn’t find out.

Later on in the book (the next chapter), Sludrick finds out that Petunia is with child and according to Slug People law, he is forced to marry her.

Would a parent who read this get upset?  I want Sludrick to have to get married but I don't want it to be some cop out like arranged marriage or something.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks

You lost me, with your last post.  Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

After doing some research I've decided to make it a chapter book with a target age of 6-9 years old. I was going to do a picture book, but it's getting to long for that by now, lol. But I'll still have an illustration for each chapter.

Ages 6-9 ? Isn't that a wee young, for your book?

Just asking.                    jt

[hillwalker3000]

I'm going to take out the hugging part entirely and just have them spend some time alone together and let the reader interpret what is going on. How is a young reader (6-9) supposed to interpret what's going on? Later on, she shows up with a baby and claims it's theirs. Seriously? What's the point of this plot development? I wanted to keep it as a children's book because it's not going to be very long and this is my first book.

It seems you're missing the point completely. Either make it an educational book appropriate for the age range explaining where babies come from or leave out the consummation and pregnancy. I'm surprised you haven't included a stork and a rhubarb patch.

H3K

[WoodridgeNZ]

I wanted to keep it as a children's book because it's not going to be very long and this is my first book.

Sorry, but this is a terrible reason to write a children's book. Writing for children is not a default you go to based on how long your story is.

My suggestion: write your story as if the audience is someone your own age. That way you'll understand how to speak to them. Once you've got your first complete draft and got your story out, you can decide who your audience is, and adjust the story and language for your second draft. And adjust again for your third draft.

Good luck.

[Gyppo]

Sorry to be negative, but I don't see it working at all.  At any age.

And why slug people?  No matter how you draw them slugs aren't cute.

I wouldn't want my Grandaughter to read it.  She already knows that some women have babies without having a husband around, and that babies grow in their mummy's tummy, and how they get out, but she's yet to show any interest in how they get started.

The poor little buggers have to grow up soon enough anyway.  Let them be children while they can.

Gyppo

PS:  Slugs are hermaphrodite.

[landmersm]

If you write a book or story like that and publish it - either on a blog or you somehow manage to find a publisher brave enough - you're gonna need to take a seat over there.

You will be put on the list.

And not a good list.