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Original poster

Which is your most hated book for reading aloud to your DCs

131 replies

BarcodeZebra · 04/12/2008 20:35

It has to be almost any of the Mr Men books, for me. They are unreadable. I seriously doubt that anyone bothered to read them aloud at any point during the editorial process (a criticism that could be leveled at any number of books published today too.)Reading them aloud is like the verbal equivalent of walking barefoot over broken bricks.

Come on, dish the dirt. Which ones really make your heart sink when your child hands them to you to read out?

OP posts:
Comma · 04/12/2008 22:16

How can you not like Ricardo of scarry?Sacrelidge.

You lot wait till you have read all of ORT three times.

The only redeeming line is " what a soggy doggy" when floppy falls in on " The Rope Swing"

I was really looking forward to that until dc3 was diagnosed as G and T and we jumped 10 levels.

blametheparents · 04/12/2008 22:15

Mr Men books, and also Charlie and Lola books. I can't stand the syntax of Charlie and Lola books, makes them very hard to read.

solidgoldbrass · 04/12/2008 22:10

At the moment it's having DS 'read' Three Little Pigs to me. I know I am an ungrateful old bag and I am proud of my clever PFB's feat of memory and near-reading but aaaargh it goes on forever.

Merrylegs · 04/12/2008 22:10

Harpo just had another look at your link and I do believe we only have the one book -The great Supermarket Robbery. Didn't realise there was a double whammy. Have not had the pleasure of the pie one, but am sure tis equally as fab.

DH's copy is inscribed (in childish hand): to X on his 6th birthday. Love from Fleur.

Who Fleur is, and what she's doing now, I do not know, but she's a blardy legend in our house.

ingles2 · 04/12/2008 22:02

I always hated Postman Pat and Thomas but I save most of my bile for You Choose! my 7 yr still gets it out and I start screaming inwardly. He never ever bloody deviates.

superfrenchie1 · 04/12/2008 21:59

Ooh not a fan of MR Men either, and Miffy is rubbish for reading aloud which is disappointing.

we read the snail and the whale tonight - love that one.

my worst one is a book we found in a car boot sale called Mac and Lauren, it's dreadful, i must remember to hide it! Of course it is ds's absolute favourite...! grr

ZZZen · 04/12/2008 21:39

Rainbow fairies used to make me squirm, I really dreaded those.

Earlier though when dd was smaller we had a truly awful book which she ALWAYS wanted me to read out: One of the Teletubbies finds a guitar and then plays it and the others run away, one by one. It is so mind-numbingly idiotic to read out. I dunno, sort of "ooh what that?" "guitar" "twang twang twong" "run away, run away"

Then it's time for tubby toast "tubby toast! tubby toast!". I kept hiding it behind the other books on the shelf but she somehow always dug it out.

Poledra · 04/12/2008 21:32

Another one hating the Mr Men. I go through phases of disliking certain books just because they are the current favourite. DD1 (nearly 5) has got wise to the fact that, if she promises to find books we haven't read for a long time, then she might get 2 stories instead of one. When she was about 2, though, her big favourite was Duck in the Truck. Just caught DH in time one night as he read 'Say hello to Mr Duck. Where's he going in his truck? I don't really give a ....'

Original poster
BarcodeZebra · 04/12/2008 21:29

I loved Busy Busy World and What Do People Do All Day when I was wee.

Lowly Worm and Farmer Alf Alfa were heroes in our house.

OP posts:
harpomarx · 04/12/2008 21:25

erm, it is my book from childhood. Perhaps I know your dh!

go on, name another fave...

Merrylegs · 04/12/2008 21:23

OK Harpo, now am actually seriously actually freaked. Do you know me? That is my kids' fave bedtime story book! DH (yes, H) was given it on his 6th birthday and we still have the copy.

'And my, that bunny is getting fatter.'

christiana · 04/12/2008 21:18

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Jux · 04/12/2008 21:18

Agree with Mr Men; also Thomas books and the Harry Potter stuff.

harpomarx · 04/12/2008 21:17

We're obviously on the same wavelength, Merrylegs! this is absolutely one of my favourite and my best books in the world. Ever.

(did you see what I did there?)

ohdearwhatamess · 04/12/2008 21:15

Thomas the Tank Engine (any thereof)

Runners up include:
Miffy
Squash and a Squeeze (failure to scan properly makes me ridiculously irate)

All are hidden so that ds1 can't request them.

Also loathe any Noddy books and all that Charlie and Lola crap. Fortunately we don't have any.

Merrylegs · 04/12/2008 21:11

What Harpomarx said about Lauren Child.

I know I know, ever so very really pretty and ever so awfully actually cute but enough with the typefaces already.

It's as if she just discovered the font list on her mac. My kids say no no please not those books. They are too very silly.
I will not never read another. Ever.

We all love Richard Scarry though!

christiana · 04/12/2008 21:06

Message withdrawn

controlfreakyhohohohohohoho · 04/12/2008 21:05

thomas the tank and his 5 million friends..... topsy and tim (bleeeuuuuggghhh)..... the stupid mr men (which i threw away after someone gave ds a huge set as a pressie)......

harpomarx · 04/12/2008 21:04

is it this one christiana?

Original poster
BarcodeZebra · 04/12/2008 21:04

I'm so relieved. I thought I was a bad Dad for hating Mr Men.

We are just starting with the Rainbow Fairies. DD1 has only had the two so far.

It's two too many...

I was wracking my brains for the one I really hated. Bingo! It's the Lonely Giraffe.

OP posts:
gemmiereindeerlegs · 04/12/2008 21:03

anything tied in to a kids TV prog or film is likely to be pants and a large waste of money. The excitement content is always inversely proportion to how much my dcs love it

gemmiereindeerlegs · 04/12/2008 21:01

is it Lettice Christiana? That is shite.

christiana · 04/12/2008 21:00

Message withdrawn

Pawslikepaddington · 04/12/2008 20:59

It is horrific! And we have read some bad books! . Most things that look like they have really good illustrations too-no story to them at all! Oh god, we have so many, let me think (threw most of them out when we moved!) Little red tractor books are worse than mr Men IMO, I don't mind them. The thomas ones with photo pics from the show were ok (can still recite Bulgy rides again off by heart!), but the cartoon ones were dreadful!

christiana · 04/12/2008 20:58

Message withdrawn