Intense subject matter

What age is this for? Are we talking picture book? Then this might be a little intense.

Sounds like a tough sell. That kind of subject matter - i.e. about social problems that not every child has to face - isn't found very often in picture books. I'm aware of picture books about death and Alzheimers, for example, but you have to remember that parents will be buying them for their children to help them come to terms with things that may recently have happened to them. I think there won't be too many alcoholic parents buying a book to help their children understand their drinking problems. I also think the combination of anthropomorphic animals and alcohol-induced ambulance trips might be somewhat jarring.

eaglelady11 said:

I have a children's story about a turtle who want to break out of his shell. get it? The thing is, his mother hits the sauce too much and there is a scene where she is being carried away.

do you think this is too intense for little kids? I kind of want to keep his mother an alcohlic, but I think the ambulance coming to get her might be too intense. what can I change?

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For mainstream picture books, I think it probably is too much. But if you were going for a niche market (to help children deal with an alcoholic parent), then maybe. A lot depends on how you handle it.

And I have to admit that when I read about a turtle hitting the sauce too much -- what went through my mind, literally, was what kind - Tabasco, plum, soy sauce... I know what it's a euphemism for, but that's what it made me think of.

I would change it from the mother being an alcoholic to being addicted to something turtles like - I don't actually know what they eat! But that way people can read into it what they like and as Torgo says, you don't combine animals with human problems so obviously (e.g. where would a turtle get alcohol?!)

But I think you also have to pick one theme and stick to it - at the moment your story has two (one about breaking out of your shell, the other about the impact of alcoholism). Remember you've only got under 800 words to write it in. Keep it tightly focused.

I think you have too much going on for a children's pic book. I think if you change the turtles mom to be addicted to apples or something it has potential. You know for kids who parents are trying to get help for thier addictions.