Children’s books you don’t like?

[MagnaDoodle]

Anyone got a book or two that makes them inwardly sigh and weep when DC asks for them?

I had to read my most disliked book today. Burglar Bill. Dirge.

Beast Quest! Just terrible. DS1 loved the first one but by the time we got to book no. 4 or 5 he said, 'Mum, it's the same story in every book, isn't it? They're not actually very good these, are they?' Spot on, son

I love most of the older, original Mr Men books. But the newer ones are just bizarre sometimes - the stories make no sense!

I love Burglar Bill (I'll 'ave that). And Cops and Robbers.
I don't like Beatrix Potter at all.

I can't stand anything by Dr Seuss and (controversial) have always loathed Winnie the Pooh.

My username outs me as an Ahlberg fan :)

I agree with LRD that venerating all books because books is misguided, but I do think it is better to read anything (with a handful of exceptions) than to read nothing.

My older two are teens/preteens and I find myself struggling with a lot of the earnest, often issue-based new young adult literature coming out. Now and again there's something fantastic - we all loved Liar and Spy, for example - but it seems there's a bit of a formula and that formula includes effusive praise in the reviews.

skankingpiglet have you seen the new one, Oi Platypus? Got it for DS (me!) for Christmas and can’t wait to read it!

I absolutely love Burglar Bill!

I dislike most combinations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Schaeffler especially Charlie Cook's Favourite Book and that Giant one. Both of those went in the recycling bin here.
I do like JD's Cave Baby; at least it scans and the illustrations are lovely (Emily Gravett).

I quite like the retro-ness of the Tiger Who Came To Tea and can even get over the drinking all the water in the tap, except that I make them buy fifteen tins of tiger food and then have him return the following week!

My especial loathing is reserved for what we call the Crap Flap books, a solo stunt by Axel Schaeffler called Flip Flap where the pages are bisected horizontally and can be turned to create the top half of one animal and the bottom half of another. Physically they are a PITA, the verses are atrocious doggerel and the illustrations are his usual blind shite.

Almost all TV tie ins!

Charlie Cook is one of my favourites!

I love Charlie Cook too! And Snail & the Whale and Superworm.

BUT agree my heart sinks when I see Smartest Giant & even worse is Hamilton's bloody Hats.

Enid Blyton books

As a child I really disliked The Famous Five it all seemed so twee

Updated Noddy was ok

And the Harry Potter books

Thankfully ds got bored half through the third book

I steered ds away from Thomas

I love Clarice Bean and the other Lauren Child books for slightly older kids. Beware of Storybook Wolves is fab. I love her phraseology.

I do think that if your child loves a book it is not a bad book even if you hate it because encouraging children to read is so important. And means you no longer have to read the books you hate 🙂. Crap repetitive stuff has its place for fostering independent reading.

I like the illustrations in Charlie Cooks favourite book. I like that the first page has all the subsequent characters in it, and every page has the next character. I wouldn’t bother with it if it didn’t have the artwork but I think the illustrations are what make it a lovely book.

The worse book ever has to be a daft Star Wars one with a projector. To get the room dark enough for the projector to work you couldn't read the book. Bit of a design error.

TBH i dislike most Star Wars books esp Star Wars "fact" books wtf its a fictional story.

My other dislike is Biff and Chip it was a relief that DC1 came home with something different last week.

I'm also not a fan of the Alex Schaffer flip flap book. Its the only one my toddler has at the moment that might disappear.

I like Julia Donaldson. Other than reading bedtime stories I'm not a reader.
However somebody told me to try Harry Potter, those books really pull you in and keep you going. So they must be good.

As far as I can tell all books for toddlers are complete and utter shite, even the ones I remember fondly from my childhood, especially after the fourth reading (which happens the day you get them) and especially especially after the 400th reading. I cannot think of a single one of my sons books I feel glad to read to him. The only redeeming feature in some books is nice illustrations but after the 90th sellotaping their aesthetic value is also lost.

Thats a tad harsh to say ALL toddler books are shite.

Favourites in my house are Oi Dog / Oi Frog Hungry Caterpillar, Dig Dig Digging etc. I'm enjoying doing bedtime stories again after being bombarded with Star Wars rubbish from the older one.

Artesia IS THERE?? Ooo I know what DD1 will be getting for Xmas then...!

I actually think You Choose is a great book and led to many fascinating conversations with my DC.

However ... DS chose it from the library every single week for about 3 years and there are some nights you just want to read as quickly as possible and get them to bed ... just not possible with that book.

When did the Mr Men get so long? They take ages to read!! Also Beatrix Potter - horribly wordy!

Artesia Oi Duck Billed Platypus is fab! Got it last week and there were two excited adults and one exited 3.5 year old! DH sulked as DS wanted Mummy to read to him that night!

A Kitten Called Moonlight.

Aaarrrrrggggg. I hate it so much. Ridiculous over use of the word "said" in any book, but one with only 2 characters? It is a crime against writing, editing, publishing and humanity. It's a fucking travesty.

My first thought was the sodding jolly postman! And all the annoying bits that come with it.

In second place, my heart sinks with Mr men books. So small and yet so long.

David Walliams are awful. Also dislike most Morpurgo.

Someone just gave my son Thomas Comes to Australia. It's so bloody awful and he wants it every night. We are in Australia, so it should be fun, but it's awful.