From "Is it just me or is everythign shit?" by Steve Lowe & Alan Mcarthur
Adult editions of children's books
If you must follow the adventures of a public school conjuror, even though you are a) notionally a grown adult, and b) have probably been to university or at least to 'big school, why attempt to conceal the fact behind a different cover, as if fellow passengers will assume after a casual glance that you're actually reading Thomas Mann in the original German?
Just because the train on the front is black and white rather than bright red, it doesn't suddenly become a harrowing Booker prize-winner called Harry Potter and the Genocide in Rwanda.
How do the dinner party conversations go?
"What are you reading at the moment?"
"It's called The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It's about a caterpillar who gets really hungry - he just has to keep on eating stuff."
"Ive read it. Marvellous."
"Oh, don't tell me how it ends!"
"No, I wouldn't. But it's ... well, it's pretty moving. Oh look, I'm hogging all the Hula Hoops..."