Drugs! And sex! Awesome!

So the whole world knows that HOLES was a huge mega-hit kids' book followed by a medium mega-hit kids' movie, all intended for kids around the age of 10, we would assume. In fact, my school teaches the book in 4th grade. But HOLES is a bit scary and mature in parts, and 4th grade seems a bit early to have it as approved curriculum, at least to me. Its sequel, Small Steps, came out several years ago and I didn't bother to read it. "Here kid, you like HOLES? Read the next one. Now let me get back to Go Fug Yourself."

Which is why I found it troubling when the 4th grade teacher came to me last week and said, all sotto voce, "I think Small Steps belongs in the Middle School section."

ME: (non-committal, faking like I've read it, totally cool): Mmmm?

HER: You know, because of the drugs. And the sex.

ME: !!!   ???

ME: Well, urm, it's, you know, the kids already, and well, FIRST AMENDMENT and CENSORSHIP and ... I have to go over here now.

So I took it home and read it a few nights ago. Hello? No sex. Barely sexual reference. One of the main characters is an exploited-type rock star teen who is described as having a "sexy body" and later says, "Gee all these songs eem to be about sex." And that's it. A little edgy, but no worse than Holes, which again, they teach in 4th grade.

And the drugs? Well, in Holes, all the characters meet at a juvenile-detention center, and one of the characters is there for having sold little baggies full of parsley for $50 a pop. In Small Steps, they reference that. BECAUSE IT WAS A PLOT POINT IN THE FIRST BOOK. YOU KNOW, THE ONE YOU TEACH.

So again, it stays in the general collection. Don't get me all worked up expecting drugs and sex and then get nothing. Damn!