David Walliams' books & negative stereotypes

[MissPrimaryCrafts]

Hi all - I'm wondering what your thoughts are on DW's books and reading them to children. I'm doing a PGCE at primary schools and the kids love them, the libraries and classrooms have loads of them, my last school it was a class text that the teacher read to them at the end of the day.

I haven't read any of his stuff but I've heard a lot about them having really horrible stereotypes, some mildly racist, one kid's dad who was really into Page 3 girls, mocking working class people and also fat people.

Not sure if I'm over reacting or if there's some merit to it. I'm thinking about it because in the class text the teacher read a part where it was mocking a 'fat' kid who 'waddled around' etc etc. Literally the day before we'd been talking to a girl's mum about how this girl was overweight and really struggling with it, she felt really self conscious about it etc, so it just seemed not a great idea to then be reading this book in front of her. I hear people's arguments saying it's just a joke not a big deal, but I think it really impacted her.

Do you read his books to kids? Are they appropriate, do they have harmful stereotypes?

[phlebasconsidered]

I think they're badly written shit and i'd never have one as a class book. Regardless of the lazy stereotyping, they have no literary merit at all - just try reading one out loud. I do have them in the book corner, but they seem to have had their moment, really. My class prefer other stuff. They have a sudden craze for Darren Shan and Michelle Paver. I'm thankful they are over Harry Potter too.

[StationView]

I'm very anti Roald Dahl, too. There's an unhealthy emphasis on revenge, and the earlier books are extremely misogynistic. Danny, the Champion of the World seems to be his ideal - a father and son, with no women around. There's also an unpleasant throwaway comment about the headmaster drinking because of his wife. It's all very interesting when you consider that Dahl's father died when Dahl was young, and Dahl himself was raised by a mother and sisters who adored him.

Dahl only changed and became more positive about women (e.g. Sophie in The BFG, Matilda) in the 1980s because of the growing criticism and because he was angling for a knighthood.

[theluckiest]

I cannot bear DW books and have no idea why they are so popular.

Yes to lazy, mean-spirited stereotypes but my main bugbear is how poorly written they are. DS got me to read one to him when he was younger...it was a sack of shite. Presumably, DW had been told to produce 300 pages and so fleshed out a very thin story with as much over-written twaddle as he could. Honestly, why write 1 sentence when you can make a whole page from one poor idea?!

They remind me of crap comedy sketches that start off as mildly amusing but then go on...and on...

[GrammarTeacher]

DW's books are awful. Poorly written, derivative and full of stereotypes (so just like Little Britain and Come Fly With Me). There is SO much fantastic MG writing out there at the minute I wouldn't have them in my class room. Not banned as such but they will be exposed to them anyway they don't need them in school too.

[Zig27]

I remember when I was on placement I came into the classroom halfway through the story and thought what is this negative book about and the story was about lots of misbehaviour. No wonder the teacher has a difficult time controlling the class, making more work for themselves. I did not share my opinion with the teacher as she did not see a problem with reading it. The other school I did placement at would not dare read DW books and the children were a lot more well behaved.

[Beachhuts90]

My class teacher is reading one to our kids. She skips loads of things in it that aren't suitable. I'm not a fan of what I've heard.

Also not a Dahl fan.

[Skral]

They are churned out and not very well written. There are so many better authors to choose.

[LostArcher]

Awful shit. I don't like Dahl either.