You might try some of the older YA fantasies - like Patricia McKillip and Robin McKinley. It's been a long time since I read them but standards for YA were different back then. I do remember there was some controversy over McKinley's "Deerskin" but the fact that it was controversial tells you something about the YA of the time.

There's a pretty graphic rape scene in Deerskin.

Yes. That's why it was controversial but that was very controversial at the time. Not sure how controversial it would be these days.

I was also never very careful about what my kids were reading, but I do try to make sure they're informed before they read something graphically violent or sexual, or something I know hasn't aged well so they don't get jump-scared by 80s-era homophobia / gender roles.

I don't have kids, so I don't know for real how I'd be - probably much like my mother, which was basically chill to uobbservant (at least the appearance of) . Though I do remember her forbidding Harold Robbins in her house when she found one my sister was reading, ha! Seems fair.

But she didn't mind my reading Tuned Out. Pretty sure I kept Forever to myself, though. Not sure what she would've thought.

My mom was so strict about movies and tv, but when I started stealing her romance novels off the shelf she just sort of raised and eyebrow and moved on. ltc has very little interest in romantic content at this point. So I don’t want her to accidentally stumble onto something that will be way too much for her.

I don't know that Deerskin would be controversial, since the rape is a part of the story it's retelling. It is unusual for McKinley, though. (I skip it on reread.)

So I don’t want her to accidentally stumble onto something that will be way too much for her.

Totally get that. Honestly, I'm sort of back there for myself now. There's some content I just avoid because it's become too much anymore. Like, I get why it's there, but... nope. Totally different vibe than why you watch out on a kid's behalf, of course, but often the same end restult!

There's some content I just avoid because it's become too much anymore.

My list of topics to avoid keeps getting longer! There is enough awful in the world that I would prefer to not have it in my literature. For example, sick violence doesn't seem to bother me in Science Fiction, but in "real" world settings it is more difficult. It's a random line in my brain, but so much to read and so little time, so I try and stick with reading that brings joy, distraction, and even wonder from time to time.

I used to tease my mother that she created a monster by reading the Valachi Papers(Testimony about the Mafia) while she was pregnant with me. Sometimes we do what people expect, you know, "Not the holidays without "The Holiday", etc.but we've had a few girlie movie nights over, like, Serpico.(Time-machine oosting, seriously)