Teacher Banning 8 y.o. DS from bringing Bunny vs Monkey books to school for his friends to read

This has reminded me of reading books in English lessons at senior school. If I like a book I can't put it down and I was always getting told off for finishing the book when the homework was read to the end of chapter 2 or whatever. For me nothing kills the love of reading as much as reading it in little chunks over weeks and weeks.

My DS, also 8, hasn’t read these as he doesn’t love pure comic books but literally the only books he has ever read to himself (and even then, only with much persuasion) is Captain Underpants which probably isn’t so different. I will happily buy him any old rubbish if it means he reads. But I wouldn’t get too worked up about this, teachers have been disapproving of popular books since forever - I remember at the same sort of age being told by my teacher that I shouldn’t be reading Enid Blyton as it was so poorly written - well fuck that, I still love Enid Blyton 😊

The teacher has made the OP’s DS her special target with her banning only his book choice. That is fundamentally wrong.

btw, most people don’t make friends based on who lives next door. Most of my DC’s school friends lived a drive away. That doesn’t give the daily kind of F2F interactions of sharing books and discussing them. Unless you love that screen time and your DC do all this through a screen.

Phoenix comics and these books are amazing for readers. I understand you're upset. Can he share outside of school? Any reading is worthwhile and develops learning.

These were amongst my child's favourites and they are both greater depth readers.

I do agree she can choose the reading for guided reading time. What they read at home is up to the child as long as they also are following the school reading journey. Our school had some of the bunny vs monkey and dog man books on the accelerated reader for the children to quiz on.

I spent months trying to get one of mine interested in reading as his teacher thought he wasn't reading enough. He loved sport so I got him lots of sports books and she then complained he was just reading books about sport. Sometimes it really feels like you can't win.

I hope you also ban David Walliam’s books because they are rascist, mysognistic, prejudiced crap, but that dross is in every school library.

I have a reluctant reader whose reading wouldn’t be where it is without Bunny v Monkey and other Phoenix comic strips. For all of you saying it’s inappropriate and isn’t “proper”, given the choice of not reading or reading comics and developing reading confidence I chose the latter.

Our school has Dog Man as a library book and it’s never available as it’s so popular. Reading is reading. If they don’t take to it naturally, they’re never going to get the stage they’re meant to be at if they’re constantly struggling with regular books or having to read “baby books” it’s too demoralising.

Oh dear.

Yeah I get the swapping thing moving to out of hours. But it's kinda annoying to have two books on the go (one in school and one outside of school...). It's not about being a 'special case' it's just that some teacher driven rules in class do have a (sometimes negative) spillover impact outside of class.

In our case, I backed the teacher up and told DD that she could use it as an opportunity to read different type of books (including non fiction...).

I suspect it's more to do with bringing things from home and lending them out - causes lots of arguments and the teacher ends up sorting it out. I'm a retired teacher and had to do this too many times.

Sorry if you don't understand the following anecdote, you're obviously not old like me! Many years ago when Tamagotchi were all the rage the kids in my year 5 class were allowed to bring them in on the last day of term as their chosen toy. However, they weren't allowed to take them to assembly. Because of the risk of them being 'stolen' I put all of these toys in a basket in the stock cupboard while we went to assembly. Well, I had girls actually crying because their 'pets' would get hungry and die without constant attention. Thank goodness it was the last day of term!

Saying that the kid should lend the books outside of school is fine.

Saying that she doesn't want them swapping them in her lessons because it's distracting or because she wants them to pick from the class selection is fine.

What is not fine is telling a boy who is excited about reading that she doesn't approve of his reading choices when they are completely age-appropriate books.

The teacher is better placed than you are to decide what is appropriate reading material in her classroom. There may well be more behind her decision than you are likely to know.

Your ds can invite friends round to read his books at home if he wants to.

Absolutely this.
The less unsolicited items that children bring into the classroom from home, the better.

Seriously? You do realise the teacher’s ban only extends to school hours - DC could pass books to his friends after school or at weekends if it’s so important to them and the OP.

Similarly DC have all evening and weekends to read books of their choice. Not to mention school holidays.

Some parents seem to make a career out of undermining teachers and wanting their little darlings to be a special case.

My child was only allowed to read books from the book corner that were preselected by the teacher in one year- wasn't allowed to bring anything from home. I guess it works for some kids. It forced her to read things she didn't like. I suppose its a good skill to have. But can kill the enjoyment of reading.

I'm a year 3 teacher. I sometimes ban children from bringing things to share or swap if it's causing problems.

If the reasons your son gave are the reasons the teacher gave him, then that's very disappointing.

Bunny v Monkey books are not great children's literature. I'd want children to get to a point where they have moved past them and are enjoying better quality books.

But they are colourful, funny and very engaging. Perfect for 8 year old boys. I have used them in a reading club for reluctant readers and they were very popular.

I suggest your ds lends them to his friends outside school.

It’s not within a teacher’s remit to trash a child’s reading choices, ban them and send them home crying. That isn’t teaching.

I’ve had this, absolute bloody nightmare. Child A holds court over the books, you can read one but you can’t! It’s a minefield to police. Outright ban on ANYTHING brought into our school. Let his friends come round and sort it out yourself.

Really, this is not a thing to get hung up on. Just be positive with your son about it. 'Oh well, Ms P probably has lots of other exciting stuff lined up for you all to read!'. If he says not, then wait until parents evening and ask her for suggestions.

Save B v M for swaps with friends outside school or make it the theme of his birthday party.

Yes, I was just going to say this. If all of them are like what came up below, then I wouldn’t consider that an appropriate use of classroom reading time for an 8 year-old. At home for recreation absolutely, but not when they should be reading something with more substance and structure that will improve their skills.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s bringing up the content as a deflection instead of outright saying to him that they aren’t considered year-appropriate reading for the classroom.

My dd is a very advanced reader and I send her into school with books because she doesn't do the class reading.

She's not allowed to share them with her friends at all.

It's understandable, what I find appropriate for dd may not be deemed appropriate by other parents.

I wouldn't want the headache of complaints if I was a teacher either.

or… allow teachers to teach

🙏🙌

This is crazy, the BvM books made avid readers out of a lot of reluctant readers in Ds' class in year 2. The teacher needs to learn to pick her battles!

Does he lend them to everyone indiscriminately or just to kids he likes?
Who vets them before they are shared in class for inappropriate themes?
What happens if they are damaged or lost?
How do you think it makes children who’s families can’t afford books feel?