A child protection expert is calling for a rating system for young adult books after research found many popular books read by children include explicit material.

Dr Emma Hussey, a digital criminologist and child safeguarding expert at Australian Catholic University’s Institute of Child Protection Studies, joined Ali Moore to explain the possible risks with novels made popular by BookTok, which can romanticise “toxic relationship dynamics” and feature “sexually explicit” scenes.

Press play to hear the full interview on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne Drive.  Â