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Original poster

Daughter's book...

127 replies

EachDubh · 07/11/2020 22:05

I know I am reading to much into this and perhaps missing the celebrating difference and diversity here but.... I don't think I can read this book with the eyes of innocence anymore. 😂😂

Dd got her p1 bookbag (5 year old gifts of books etc in Scottish schools). The books ares elected, written especially for the book bag scheme and are lovely. But this book got me thinking.

Brenda is a sheep!
Page 1- these are sheep, pic of sheep.
Page 2- this is also a sheep, this sheep is called Brenda. Brenda has a nice wooly jumper, pic of wolf in wooly jumper.
Page 3- Brenda does all the things sheep do... Next page -.. Because Brenda is a sheep. Obviously lots of repetative languagebto help with reading.
It goes on to say the other aheep think Brenda is the best sheep, Brenda is planning to eat the sheep but they plan a special feast and Brenda doesn't eat them because they are her friends and kind.

My mind is telling the sheep to run away and stay safe, kindness won't always keep you safe, be kind but also be aware.

Am I mad?

Daughter's book...
OP posts:
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ErrolTheDragon · 08/11/2020 10:35

I'd write a version which had, in addition to the cool Brenda, a Big Ugly Sheep. This social outcast would turn out to be brave but herbivorous Llama, who would see off Brenda when her true (and unchanged) nature was revealed to the kindly but deluded flock.

(I don't think llamas are ugly, btw - nor are cygnets)

PlanDeRaccordement · 08/11/2020 10:34

That book would go straight on a bonfire. And I was against book burning until just now. Everything about that book is harmful messaging:

A wolf can be a sheep.
A wolf can be better at being a sheep compared to the actual sheep.
That the sheep by being nice and appeasing the wolf with a party can avoid being eaten by the wolf.

That’s dangerous to be teaching a child. They grow up and think, oh look we should release the violent sex offender wolves from prison and let them mingle freely with their type of victim (women or children) and so long as the women and children are nice and say they are gods gift to them and appease them with gifts, they will magnanimously decide to not harm them. Rubbish.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 08/11/2020 10:22

The author is a well known 'queer' author (I looked her up).

I'm not sure that the message of that book is quite what she intended though.

I quite like the alternative ending where the sheep have roast wolf with mint sauce - why else would they be sharpening their teeth?

JellySlice · 08/11/2020 10:14

That's a good point. More women and children are harmed by people they are familiar with, precisely because the wolf in sheep's clothing has insinuated himself into their lives and been accepted by them.

GeorgiaMcGraw · 08/11/2020 10:08

I wasn't sure if I was overreacting to this, but I told DH about it and the look on his face was priceless. His response: "So at what point did we stop teaching Stranger Danger, and that some people will lie in order to hurt you?"

JellySlice · 08/11/2020 08:29

Up to you exactly how you read it, and what points you choose to bring up when discussing it.

Original poster
EachDubh · 07/11/2020 23:32

At the end of the book he is joining in, but how long until hunger/desire overrides feeling of friendhip 😂

OP posts:
YourWinter · 07/11/2020 23:31

Does the wolf embrace a veggie diet and eat grass with the sheep??

littlbrowndog · 07/11/2020 23:19

Love it. The subversive of it

HecatesCats · 07/11/2020 23:09

I mean obviously we read the poem to her first, she's not in front of the telly 24/7 Wink

EmpressJKRowlingSpartacus · 07/11/2020 23:07

I remember much annoyance in certain circles about a newspaper cartoon featuring a crocodile that demanded entrance to the newts’ pond because it claimed to be one of them.

Crocodiles & newts, wolves & sheep....

HecatesCats · 07/11/2020 23:06

[quote ErrolTheDragon]By way of a corrective ....

www.poemhunter.com/poem/little-red-riding-hood-and-the-wolf/[/quote]
OMG this is eldest DC's fave film - she pulled a pistol from her knickers!

Original poster
EachDubh · 07/11/2020 22:54

Sorry the book is Brenda is a sheep by Scottish author Morag Hood

OP posts:
CountFosco · 07/11/2020 22:50

Brenda wants to eat the sheep? The author knows exactly what she is saying and more fool the Scottish government for not realising.

ThatIsNotMyUsername · 07/11/2020 22:49

Dear god - have they also rewritten little red riding good where the wolf doesn’t eat Grammy and yet to eat little red riding hood (and doesn’t have his head mobbed off?).

The Grimm (?) fairy tales may have been... well, grim... but they were better than that airy farty wokey nonsense.

DidoLamenting · 07/11/2020 22:48

@HecatesCats

WTAF? Fox in the hen house. I really hope this is subversive because if not the people commissioning this stuff are completely lost.
If this is being promoted by the Scottish Government, I very much doubt it is meant to be subversive.
GeorgiaMcGraw · 07/11/2020 22:47

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Original poster
EachDubh · 07/11/2020 22:45

They had a grass feast, grass replaced the meat.
The author seems genuine enough and has won awards etc.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 07/11/2020 22:40

By way of a corrective ....

www.poemhunter.com/poem/little-red-riding-hood-and-the-wolf/

DidoLamenting · 07/11/2020 22:38

Brenda is planning to eat the sheep but they plan a special feast and Brenda doesn't eat them because they are her friends and kind

Which animal did the sheep slaughter for the special feast for Brenda the carnivorous sheep?

HecatesCats · 07/11/2020 22:34

WTAF? Fox in the hen house. I really hope this is subversive because if not the people commissioning this stuff are completely lost.

gardenbird48 · 07/11/2020 22:25

What a bizarre book - I can’t see what useful message this carries for children and seems to be of the standard of pop n olly or similar (confusing and low on safeguarding considerations).

DisappearingGirl · 07/11/2020 22:22

Bloody hell. This is LITERALLY a tale of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Hahaha. Anyone think the author was being a bit subversive? Or is that wishful thinking?

Whatsnewpussyhat · 07/11/2020 22:22

Brenda is NOT a fucking sheep and anyone who thinks she is, is a bloody fool

Yep. Just another bullshit way of teaching girls to be kind.

ThinkWittyThoughts · 07/11/2020 22:16

Bloody hell. This is LITERALLY a tale of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Use it. Great opportunity to teach your child to assess evidence & draw her own conclusions.

Brenda is NOT a fucking sheep and anyone who thinks she is, is a bloody fool.