Kids' Books

I find so many of the books for kids, especially teens, to be very disturbing. It reminds me of the school of painting -- I think in the early 20th century -- which consisted of painting real life pictures of the worst aspects of life: streets full of trash and the wrecks of human lives. I think it was called naturalism.

Perhaps the authors of these books have no hope, and so they're describing a world with no hope, but it sure is depressing. I just read a news article saying that unprecedented numbers of freshmen come into college already on anti-depressants and other psychotropic drugs. Connection, anyone?