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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to have serious concerns about a Julia Donaldson book?

181 replies

BabyNameHelpPls · 03/02/2026 23:14

Specifically, Fox’s Socks.

The fuck is going on with this guy? He’s woken up at 10am, his clothes are all over the place—his hat is underneath the bathmat, and one of his socks on the head of a frankly disturbing Mr. Punch character in the attic… how much did Fox have to drink the previous night?!

Or, as I’m coming to wonder, how involved is the mouse in all this? She’s so unreadable: at first I thought she was just smug, passive-aggressively following him around and not helping to find any of these clothes in bizarre places.

But does she, in fact, have MH issues, possibly even dementia? She pauses halfway through to make a hat out of a rose, for god’s sake. Is Fox a carer for Mouse? Did he sleep through his alarm from sheer stress and exhaustion, to find she had woken up and distributed his belongings throughout the house? Or is this an abusive relationship and she’s gaslighting him into thinking he’s losing his mind?

AIBU to be very worried that this is not an example of healthy dynamics, regardless of character motivations, and damaging to my toddler’s perception of the world? Should I ban the book? Or is there a more nuanced and wholesome interpretation of the work that I’m missing? Any advice welcome.

OP posts:
Starlight1979 · 04/02/2026 08:41

Tintackedsea · 04/02/2026 00:11

12 years I’ve been saying this. How can he have no memory of removing one sock in the attic? Eccies. That’s how.

Also, there are many, many pictures of ducks in the house. It’s like if humans hung up pictures of steaks and roasts. Odd. Very odd.

😆

ThisLemonRobin · 04/02/2026 08:26

I started to have problems with Stick Man at the point I made up my own words:

”Stick Man is lying,
under the trees.
Stick Man is drunk,
and covered in bees.”

Imdunfer · 04/02/2026 08:18

BabyNameHelpPls · 03/02/2026 23:14

Specifically, Fox’s Socks.

The fuck is going on with this guy? He’s woken up at 10am, his clothes are all over the place—his hat is underneath the bathmat, and one of his socks on the head of a frankly disturbing Mr. Punch character in the attic… how much did Fox have to drink the previous night?!

Or, as I’m coming to wonder, how involved is the mouse in all this? She’s so unreadable: at first I thought she was just smug, passive-aggressively following him around and not helping to find any of these clothes in bizarre places.

But does she, in fact, have MH issues, possibly even dementia? She pauses halfway through to make a hat out of a rose, for god’s sake. Is Fox a carer for Mouse? Did he sleep through his alarm from sheer stress and exhaustion, to find she had woken up and distributed his belongings throughout the house? Or is this an abusive relationship and she’s gaslighting him into thinking he’s losing his mind?

AIBU to be very worried that this is not an example of healthy dynamics, regardless of character motivations, and damaging to my toddler’s perception of the world? Should I ban the book? Or is there a more nuanced and wholesome interpretation of the work that I’m missing? Any advice welcome.

🤣😂🤣😂🤣

Mochudubh · 04/02/2026 08:15

rosiebl · 04/02/2026 00:01

I can’t cope with “stair”. Singular. Bothers me every time.

In common use in Scotland.

"Where's Mum"?
"She's up the stair" i.e. She's upstairs.

An example of the wonderful vagaries of language in the British Isles.

ETA: Cross posted with @QuetzalTerfLus

QuetzalTerfLus · 04/02/2026 08:13

rosiebl · 04/02/2026 00:01

I can’t cope with “stair”. Singular. Bothers me every time.

Anything with a singular “stair” I read in a Scottish accent (in my head)! Makes sense then - to me at least

Missohnoyoubetterdont · 04/02/2026 08:04

Sounds like a house party I once went to.

Imisscoffee2021 · 04/02/2026 08:04

Doranottheexplorer · 04/02/2026 07:29

I don't mind any of those things, let the Fox live his life how he sees fit, I'm sure he'll grow out of this drug binges/inappropriate relationships with prey animals but I do have a massive problem with trying to rhyme "giraffe" and "scarf" in the Smartest Giant.

Edited

It rhymes if you're Southern or have an RP pronunciation. My husband is from Kent and he rhymes it naturally, scarf and girarf, whereas I'm from the North so say scarf and giraff. Correctly I might add 😂

SayDoWhatNow · 04/02/2026 08:01

The only explanation I have ever found for Rabbit's nap is that she's on a long stay psych ward.

Imisscoffee2021 · 04/02/2026 07:59

LittleGreenDuck · 04/02/2026 07:36

They do rhyme! At least they do to me.

Show quote history

Yeah my husband is southern and they all rhyme seamlessly, but I'm from the North and also struggle to rhyme scarf and giraffe 😅

Imisscoffee2021 · 04/02/2026 07:57

The quest for a rhyme puts things in odd places in Julia Donaldson books, or gives animals odd names - anything to get that rhyme to work!

SchnizelVonKrumm · 04/02/2026 07:44

Shipedyshape · 04/02/2026 07:41

Can we also talk about Stickman which is basically a story about a dad being abducted from his family and subjected to torture and almost being burned alive before Santa saves him?

Bit of a tall tale, really!

I've always had difficulty with Where's Spot. A lion under the stairs? A crocodile under the bed? Where are social services?

JollyHostess101 · 04/02/2026 07:42

We’ve always said Fox is secret drinker!!

Shipedyshape · 04/02/2026 07:41

Can we also talk about Stickman which is basically a story about a dad being abducted from his family and subjected to torture and almost being burned alive before Santa saves him?

JayJayj · 04/02/2026 07:37

I’ve never wanted to read a kids book so badly 😂😂 I will read it and come back,

Feels like a weird book club 🤣

LittleGreenDuck · 04/02/2026 07:36

Doranottheexplorer · 04/02/2026 07:29

I don't mind any of those things, let the Fox live his life how he sees fit, I'm sure he'll grow out of this drug binges/inappropriate relationships with prey animals but I do have a massive problem with trying to rhyme "giraffe" and "scarf" in the Smartest Giant.

Edited

They do rhyme! At least they do to me.

EndlessHolidayWashing · 04/02/2026 07:33

I absolutely hate all of her books. They are all just weird.

Doranottheexplorer · 04/02/2026 07:29

I don't mind any of those things, let the Fox live his life how he sees fit, I'm sure he'll grow out of this drug binges/inappropriate relationships with prey animals but I do have a massive problem with trying to rhyme "giraffe" and "scarf" in the Smartest Giant.

Bunnycat101 · 04/02/2026 07:16

I can still recite this word for word many years later. I was obviously too brain dead at that point to be questioning fox’s lifestyle choices. All seemed totally normal back then.

Newthreadnewme11 · 04/02/2026 07:01

HumphreyCushionintheHouse · 03/02/2026 23:34

I believe he’s in Mouse’s house. This was a one night stand gone bad, and now Mouse would just like the Fox to leave.

😂

SalmonOnFinnCrisp · 04/02/2026 06:59

She pauses halfway through to make a hat out of a rose, for god’s sake.

THIS in spades.

Wtf is up with her???

My dd 3 always used to point and asks what's going on and I'm thinking "damned if I know"

Blueyelloworange · 04/02/2026 06:50

Tintackedsea · 04/02/2026 00:11

12 years I’ve been saying this. How can he have no memory of removing one sock in the attic? Eccies. That’s how.

Also, there are many, many pictures of ducks in the house. It’s like if humans hung up pictures of steaks and roasts. Odd. Very odd.

Yes the ducks are wierd too! Loving this thread.

TheGoldenApplesOfTheSun · 04/02/2026 06:46

Latenightreader · 03/02/2026 23:44

Rabbit's nap - if Rabbit had stopped looking for a place to sleep and either waited or talked to her friends she would have been fine. Builder Bear looks like a kind soul who would have found another task for a couple of hours, Tortoise would have stopped ringing the bell if she'd asked, and when they all turned up to sing her to sleep they were just causing more noise, and had stopped the original sleep-depriving noise! Had she even tried earplugs? Why did she let them in?

I found this book hugely frustrating as the mother of a toddler who woke frequently. Can you tell?

Yes, Rabbit’s nap! Quite soul-destroying to read it with a toddler after another twenty-minute Crap Nap.

Globules · 04/02/2026 06:37

That's the one that concerns you?

You're not worried about the giant walking through town shedding his clothing at any feeble opportunity?

Get muddy paws dog in the bog.
Buy a sail if you're going sailing goat.
Giraffe - having a warm neck makes absolutely no difference.

I'd rather my children didn't see a naked giant with his nads out strolling through town.

MrsFinchley · 04/02/2026 06:18

My people! 🙌🙌🙌

I thought mouse was gaslighting Fox too. Convincing him he couldn't manage on his own.

You may also ask: what's the obsession with ducks?? 🦆

PithyViewer · 04/02/2026 06:08

EmeraldRoulette · 03/02/2026 23:31

I don't have children

but I want to read this book now! 😂😂😂 sounds like they're all off their faces to be honest.

🤣🤣🤣🤣