Cannibals?

I'm writing a fantasy MG in which there is a race of non-humans who eat the bones of their dead. And also the bones of little animals, but mostly their dead. These people are regarded as monsters and pretty thoroughly Othered by the rest of the continent's cultures, but the MC encounters them and learns about their culture. It's not too dreadfully teach-y, I swear.

It occurred to me while I was outlining the scenes that it may not be wise to write about people eating other people in a book aimed at ten-year-olds. Their parents might not buy it. The agents might not buy it. I'd buy it, but that doesn't mean much, probably.

Help, please, from the more experienced and level headed? I'm a total newbie to MG, so if the best answer to this question is a firm application of the Clue Stick, whack away.

Well, they are technically non-human. They are quite human in most respects. The point of the interaction really is for the MC to begin thinking of them as non-monsters. But it's complicated, and the monster-that-isn't-a-monster trope is hardly revelatory, so there's that.

I knew cannibals had been used in some kitschy cartoons and adventure books way-back-when, but I wasn't aware that they were a fixture in modern MG. Thank you for enlightening me .

Thanks very much for both of your responses!

Thanks for your responses, everyone. I'll add that series to my ever-expanding To Read list, Bagels. I feel pretty good about moving forward with the story, thanks in large part to this thread .

The people I'm writing about are a race who live in a wasteland. They're inspired by bearded vultures. They eat very little, and what they do eat they eat all of. Most of their meals are found rather than hunted, however, so their diet consists mostly of bones. When one of the members of their clan dies, there are rituals performed on the body to strip it of flesh, etc., treat the bones, and eat the marrow. It's believed that eating the bones of an elder will give you their wisdom and memories. Memories and stories are a very important part of their culture, and when you eat an elder's bones, you're essentially taking on the responsibility of telling their stories and remembering their life. To eat a person without knowing their stories is considered disrespectful and is only done to enemies and animals (and the animals are blessed and thanked). To these people, not eating a person, or eating a person without knowing their stories, erases them--like they never were. Anyway, I hope that answers your question, Waldo. And thanks, Debbie, I try .