I took all my girls' books and put them in a cupboard out of their reach because I got sick of pages being ripped out, books all over the floor being walked on etc. Its bad enough with toys, but I'm a but OCD when it comes to book (heaven help anyone who dog ears a corner!) so their lack of care was doing my head in.

I would never keep books from them (toys yes), but for them it was punishment enough that they had to come to me and ask for what book they wanted, and that they only got one at a time. FWIW, the books are now back in their toy room and are treated with a lot more respect, but to be perfectly honest I think that is more a case of them being older than of them "learning a lesson". DD1 is reading now and so she treats books very well.

So no, I don't think its mean. Just common sense