Credit: @shrimpyvampy/TikTok
School Forced to Pull Children’s Book After Mom Finds ‘Disturbing’ Detail
A school has been forced to pull a children’s book after a mom discovered a ‘disturbing’ detail.
A mom has gone viral after claiming her daughter’s school pulled a children’s reading book from circulation after she raised concerns over what she believes is a disturbing message hidden within its pages.
The TikTok has amassed hundreds of thousands of views and ignited a heated debate online, with parents divided over whether the story promotes unhealthy attitudes toward food or whether it’s simply an innocent children’s tale being overanalyzed.
It’s also far from the first time a school has found itself at the center of controversy over materials sent home with young children.
An Australian school was forced to apologize after six-year-old student brought home a Father’s Day gift that left her family horrified.
The classroom activity included a printed dice featuring different suggestions for cheering someone up, but one side allegedly read: “A bullet to take when all else fails.”
Father Trent Howard described the gift as ‘disgusting,’ while his wife said it was ‘really not appropriate for kids to be given that kind of topic in a joking manner.’
Following complaints, Western Australia’s Department of Education admitted the activity had been ‘clearly not thought through’ and showed ‘a serious lack of judgment,’ apologizing to the family and confirming it would never be used again.
Now, another classroom resource has found itself under scrutiny after one mother spotted something she says no five-year-old should be reading.
A routine bedtime story quickly took an unexpected turn
TikTok creator @shrimpyvampy explained that her five-year-old daughter had brought home a reading book from school as part of her phonics practice.
“So my five-year-old daughter came home from school with this book to read,” she begins in the now-viral clip, covering up the name of the school before showing viewers the front cover.
The book in question was Queen Aneena’s Feast, a phonics reader written by bestselling children’s author Julia Donaldson, whose books include The Gruffalo, Stick Man and Room on the Broom.
Initially, the mom thought it would be another simple reading exercise.
Her daughter began reading the story aloud while she listened, but by the fifth page, she says she immediately became concerned.
The story introduces a feast attended by 15 queens, each enjoying different foods.
As her daughter continued reading, one line stopped her in her tracks.
“Queen Jean had heaps of meat, Queen Nelly had heaps of jelly, but Queen Teeny Weeny did not eat.”
“So she reads that page and I’m like… sorry, what now?” the mom recalled.
Rather than allowing her daughter to finish the story herself, she decided to read the remaining pages.
The ending only made her more uncomfortable
According to the TikToker, the rest of the book did little to ease her concerns.
Queen Teeny Weeny is offered vegetables. She refuses. She’s offered jelly. Again, she says no.
Eventually, the other queens ask what she would actually like to eat.
Her answer? “One leaf. One green leaf.”
Another character heads off to fetch the leaf, which Queen Teeny Weeny eagerly eats before declining tea and sweets, brushing her teeth and heading home.
For the mom, the message behind the story was deeply troubling.
“In what world is that a good book?” she asked viewers. “I don’t know who… it’s Julia Donaldson. Julia Donaldson wrote this?”
She continued: “In what world are we perpetuating these harmful ideas that Queen Teeny Weeny only wanted one leaf to eat?”
Describing the book as an infant reader aimed at very young children, she questioned why a story appeared to celebrate a character refusing virtually every type of food except a single leaf.
She says the school removed the book after her complaint
The mom explained that she ultimately decided not to let her daughter finish reading the story.
Instead, she wrote a note inside the reading diary before sending the book back to school. “I’ve written in her book about it and I said she will not be finishing this book.”
She added: “I think it’s a really harmful idea for a five-year-old girl to read about.”
Despite feeling strongly about the issue, she admitted she wondered whether others would think she was overreacting.
“Am I going crazy or is this literally insane?” she asked. “I hope it’s not.”
According to follow-up comments left by the creator beneath the video, the school later informed her that the book had been removed from circulation following her complaint.
Neither Oxford University Press nor Julia Donaldson has publicly commented on the situation at this time.
In a follow-up TikTok, the creator revealed that she had spoken directly with her daughter’s school after her original video went viral.
She said the deputy headteacher thanked her for raising the issue and confirmed that Queen Aneena’s Feast would no longer be given to pupils.
The mom also said she discovered through comments on her first video that the book had reportedly been republished in recent years without the Queen Teeny Weeny character, which she argued showed the storyline was ‘entirely unnecessary.’
Reflecting on the response, she said she was pleased the school had taken her concerns seriously, but admitted she remained surprised by the number of parents and educators who insisted the book was harmless, adding that attitudes contributing to eating disorders often build up over time rather than stemming from a single incident.
The book has been used in classrooms for years
Although the TikTok is only now going viral, Queen Aneena’s Feast has actually been used in schools for nearly two decades, per Julia Donaldson’s official site.
The book forms part of the Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds collection, a phonics series written by Julia Donaldson to help young children practise specific sounds through repetitive, simple stories.
According to Donaldson’s official website, the book follows Queen Aneena as she hosts a feast attended by 15 queens before asking one simple question: “What will Queen Teeny Weeny eat?”
The publisher presents the story as a phonics reader rather than a book intended to teach lessons about food or nutrition.
Over the years, the title has generally received positive reviews from parents and teachers, with many describing Queen Teeny Weeny as a comically fussy eater rather than interpreting the story more literally.
Some young readers reviewing the book have even described the ending as ‘funny,’ while others simply noted that the tiny queen only liked eating leaves.
Still, the viral TikTok has prompted fresh discussion about whether stories written years ago should be viewed differently in light of modern conversations around children’s mental health, body image and eating disorders.
Viewers have been split over the mom’s concerns
The comments section quickly became a battleground.
Many parents agreed with the creator, arguing that messages surrounding food deserve careful consideration, particularly in books aimed at children as young as five.
Several said they immediately understood why the story made her uncomfortable, with some pointing out that eating disorders often begin with unhealthy attitudes toward food formed during childhood.
Others argued schools should be more mindful of the books they choose for classroom reading.
However, plenty of viewers felt the criticism was misplaced.
Some believed Queen Teeny Weeny was simply intended to represent an extremely picky eater, something many young children can relate to.
Others said the exaggerated nature of the story was typical of Julia Donaldson’s playful writing style and wasn’t meant to encourage restrictive eating.
Several also pointed out that children’s books frequently feature unusual characters and exaggerated behaviors to make stories memorable or humorous.
The debate reflects a broader conversation about how modern parents interpret classic children’s stories and whether fictional characters should always be viewed as role models.
While experts generally agree that early childhood plays an important role in shaping attitudes toward food and body image, many also caution against assuming every fictional story carries an intentional health message.
@shrimpyvampy Am I nuts or is this totally inappropriate? 🤯 #juliadonaldson #childrensbooks ♬ original sound – Fig🩸
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder or unhealthy thoughts around food and body image, support is available.
In the UK, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, by visiting www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk for information, support and helpline details.
In the US, you can find support through the National Alliance for Eating Disorders by visiting www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com, or speak to a healthcare professional if you are concerned about yourself or someone you know.
If someone is in immediate danger or experiencing a medical emergency, call your local emergency services immediately.
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