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AIBU?

...to think the point of World Book Day is to focus on BOOKS...

72 replies

WishICouldThinkOfACoolUsername · 03/03/2016 11:36

And not random cartoon/film characters when dressing up?

Our school has done a lot for WBD today and I completely support it - in fact I was excited to help encourage reading in a fun way - which tbh was the whole point as far as I understood it! So am AIBU to feel a bit sad that a good number of the children who have dressed up are Disney Princesses and the like? Don't really see how that's any different to any other dress up day really! According to Radio 2 this morning there were primary children dressed up as James Bond - not sure I know any primary aged child who has read those books Confused and in fact I'd argue that a lot of primary aged children probably haven't seen the films either! To be clear, I totally accept that there is some crossover (one of our staff dressed as Wendy from Peter Pan for example) but to me there's a difference between that and Elsa from Frozen...

Completely prepared to be flamed for this; I was just looking forward to celebrating BOOKS today Sad

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IHeartKingThistle · 03/03/2016 11:39

We've dealt with this already this morning. I haven't got the energy to flame you.

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makingmiracles · 03/03/2016 11:39

Yeah we were discussing this just now on another thread. Feel a bit sad for the kids in Disney costumes as there were tons all exactly the same at my little ones school this morning. She wanted to go as elsa but I said no and sent her as cat in the hat instead, she wasn't too happy until she got to school and she was one of the few being ooooh'd and ahh'd over whilst the Disney characters were all much the same.

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breezydoesit · 03/03/2016 11:40

Kind of agree with you...kind of don't agree with you Grin just enjoy it for what it is...a bit of fun

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Lancelottie · 03/03/2016 11:42

But (as mentioned ad infinitum) most of the Disney princess films are heavily based on classic children's stories - Snow Queen (Elsa), Rapunzel (Tangled), Snow White, Little Mermaid...

Maybe think of it as celebrating the power of stories and the imagination.

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PaulAnkaTheDog · 03/03/2016 11:42

There's an entire thread on this. Yabu.

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LahLahsbigband · 03/03/2016 11:43

How is dressing up in costume about books?

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ghostyslovesheep · 03/03/2016 11:44

YABU - there is already a thread about this Grin

but also these might be the only books some kids have - or the only costumes - yes it's lovely if you have the time, money or imagination to come up with some lovely Hungry Caterpillar costume but not everyone does

If they dress as Elsa and bring a book about Elsa I don't see the issue at all

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TeenAndTween · 03/03/2016 11:45

We've always done proper books, because I have the time and energy to go round charity shops to find basic clothes and to then do alterations / accessories.

Not all parents have the time or energy, or compliant children.

At our primary, the higher up the school you go, the more children dress as specific book characters. So even if reception are all Elsa and Spiderman, by the time they are in y4 there are various David Walliams characters, Harry Potters & Hermiones and more.

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MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 03/03/2016 11:46

Disney princesses are film adaptations of books.

Superheroes are from graphic novels.

Get over it.

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tinyterrors · 03/03/2016 11:46

I can see your point to an extent and I always try and get my dcs to dress as characters. Having said that, not everyone has the time and/or money or skill to make a costume or buy a new one related to a book.

My dd2 has gone in wearing her Elsa dress because she wanted to be the Snow Queen from her favourite book. Her other choice was Rapunzel.

Yabu about disney princesses though as almost all of them are based in books from decades before the films were made

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WhenTheDragonsCame · 03/03/2016 11:49

My DD3 (5) went dressed as Elsa but she took in a book that she has actually read. DD2 (7) on the other hand went as Matilda but hasn't read more than a couple of pages of the book.

Forcing a child to wear an outfit just because it doesn't come from a film is not going to encourage them to read. Plus what is being read is less important than the reading itself.

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PutDownThatLaptop · 03/03/2016 11:51

The reason why so many children go dressed as Elsa etc is because those are the costumes they already own.

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fredfredgeorgejnrsnr · 03/03/2016 11:51

So the point of world book day is

... we must redouble efforts to promote the book, the pen, the computer, along with all forms of reading and writing, in order to fight illiteracy and poverty, to build sustainable societies, to strengthen the foundations of peace.

So not really much about the physicality of books that are being celebrated, so YABU.

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ceebie · 03/03/2016 11:55

Oh I agree with you.

But I don't have time to sort out a book character outfit. So I simply let the DC grab something from the dressing up box as we're flying out the door.

One year I did manage to dress DD as Wendy - that was easy: Blue dress and ribbons.

This year DD has to dress a potato as a book character. Now there's no excuse for not choosing a book character for that, but plenty of people have chosen Star Wars. Yes book were written, but sigh, IMO don't count. The children are dressing in pyjamas so they can have hot chocolate and bedtime stories in school.

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WishICouldThinkOfACoolUsername · 03/03/2016 11:57

Fair enough, was fully expecting to be flamed Grin

And apologies, I've now found the other thread so may wander over there...

I think I'm probably BU a wee bit but it's purely because I generally try and read a book before I watch the TV/film version - so it's just me being me I guess! But ceebie I think you get me!

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ASmallHenInItsLateForties · 03/03/2016 11:59

WBD and dressing up has got out of hand.

I don't get the correlation between promoting and enjoying reading and fancy dress. I've loved books all my life but have never once dressed up because of it Confused

I do remember at junior school sitting quietly and the teacher just reading to us at the end of the school day. And they'd be big books too, a chapter a day so we couldn't wait for the next instalment. That was wonderful. We just did it..no great fanfare about WBD or turning it into a great palaver. And Jackanory on the tv.

Dressing up just seems a load of stressful competitive hoopla that hasn't got much to do with reading. Anyway parents are expected to come up with costumes at the drop of a hat all the time. It's hardly surprising they just turn to the nearest and easiest solution just to get through it.

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TurnOffTheTv · 03/03/2016 12:00

Snow White/Beauty and the Beast/The Little Mermaid etc. were all French/German/Danish tales that were published about 200 years ago

Disney made them popular by making the animated versions from the 1950's onwards.

So yes YABU. Do a tiny bit of research first.

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Figgygal · 03/03/2016 12:05

I drove past a star wars storm trooper on the way to work this morning that really is taking the piss!!

I'm with you though I do feel it should be about books not film characters that Disney have now churned out books about to maximise their pockets. BUT if the kids love the books who are we to argue?

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IHeartKingThistle · 03/03/2016 12:06

My DC have gone as Harry Potter and Hermione. They know loads of kids who have seen all the films but not read the books. They've seen the first 4 because that's how many books we've read so far, and having done it that way they are as passionate as I am that the books are better. But you couldn't tell that from looking at their costumes!

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Happyrouter · 03/03/2016 12:12

Star Wars is taking this piss apparently, and yet.....

Books......

...to think the point of World Book Day is to focus on BOOKS...
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Bragadocia · 03/03/2016 12:13

I doesn't have time to be bothering with books - I am too busy fussing over World Book Day costumes.

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DontOpenDeadInside · 03/03/2016 12:14

My dcs school doesn't really do dressing up days very often. They dont do CIN, Sports relief etc so when they do have a dressing up day my dds want to go as something "pretty" Last year dd3 went as Fancy Nancy, but to others who hadn't read the book, she just looked like a ballerina/princess. This year she chose Supergirl and when we got to school and saw all the other princesses, she asked if she was a princess too. (I said yes though I'm not actually sure?? Was Zor-El the king of Krypton?)

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DontOpenDeadInside · 03/03/2016 12:17

Ah, I meant Jor-El and no he wasn't..oh well, never mind ;)

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madamginger · 03/03/2016 12:17

My 5 year old has gone as a storm trooper this morning, we already had the costume, I didn't have to spend money and he wanted to.
I spend £20 yesterday at the school book fair and donated £1 today to buy new library books. I've spent enough without the cost of a costume that would probably get worn once. So yabu

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molyholy · 03/03/2016 12:22

They aren't doing fancy dress in my dd's school. All the children had to write a review of their favourite book and there will be a competition. Much better imho.

My Dnephew on the other hand - his whole school had to go in pyjamas. He has no idea why.

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