Has anyone's DC read The Christmas Pig?

[FlamingoYellow]

I'm just finishing up reading Goodnight Mr Tom with my 9 year old and we're both still slightly traumatised from the chapters with Willie's baby sister, so DS suggested a Christmassy book next. I bought The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling, thinking it would be a lovely story about a little boy and his toy pig, but I've flicked through and the first few chapters are really sad! It's all about divorce, absent dads and adjusting to new step families. I'm in 2 minds about whether to read it to him or save it for next year and find something slightly less emotional for now, but I was just wondering how other people's children found it?

DS's dad and I are divorced, I'm getting married to my new DP in a couple of months and he will be gaining a step brother too, so it's all a bit close to home (although there was nothing like the level of conflict and drama in our divorce as there is with the parents in the book 😂).

I think I'd give it a miss this year.

Little Women starts off at Christmas? I read it around that age.
Otherwise - not Christmassy but I am reading DS1 'The never ending story'

We started it last year when my daughter was 7 and decided to move on to something else. It's very 'real' for a kids Xmas book

I agree with PP, possibly not right now if he's sensitive. I'd suggest the Ickabog but that also features bereavement so perhaps not ideal right now?

Have you read the Ben Miller Christmas Elf books? My sensitive 8yo likes them.

Glad you said this. Was thinking of this but will leave it now

It's actually a really lovely book, I read it with my then 9 year old last year and it did prompt some worries about separation. Tbh she was more distraught at the lost special toy because she has a special toy and would be devastated to lose it. Normally I would be tempted to read the story together and use the story to explore their feelings about the separation and the forthcoming merging of families, but only if as a parent I was feeling strong and robust enough to have this conversation and given how recent these events have been for your family it might be better waiting a year or two.

We gave up after several nights of extreme nightmares when the toy goes missing! (Dd aged 9, whose favourite soft toy is very important to her though!).

Thank you for the suggestions, I will have a look at them on Amazon in a minute.

It does look like it is a really lovely story, but DS is a total worrier and I can imagine him awake for hours worrying that his dad might randomly decide to move abroad and communicate solely in postcards 😂.

I'm reading A Boy Called Christmas to mine. She's 10. She absolutely loves it so far. Doesn't want to stop

It is a really good story to be fair, but probably not the right time at the moment!

Have you tried Tom Fletcher's Christmasaurus series? DS10 loves those and we've just got the latest one for this Christmas.

Winter Holiday by Arthur Ransome is a lovely winter story, although set after Christmas.

Wasn't worth the money tbh.

My son loved the Christmas Pig. I wouldn't read him Goodnight Mr Tom because I know he would have nightmares for weeks!

I'd probably go for something funny and silly and reassuring after that tbh.

Can someone please tell me about Goodnight Mister Tom. I have it for my child. I have read it but it was years ago. So don't really remember details

I read it aloud to my (then) 11 & 8yr olds & we all loved it but it was definitely a case of "the only way out is through" so there were a few late nights when we needed to read past a sad part. It was the cuddly toy aspect that caused upset as all in this house have a devoted cuddly!
it really is a great story but if you need an alternative there's Tinsel (or the best ever Christmas story is The Dark is Rising but you'd need to read fast if you start from Over Sea Under Stone😄)

It's mostly OK. I read the book when I was about 9 or 10 so I already knew the bit when Willie goes back to London is very upsetting and I did warn my DS in advance that that part was coming and that the baby dies but Will is OK and there is a happy ending. I forgot about the bit where the mum puts tape over the baby's mouth and my DS found that part very upsetting. He was very upset afterwards at the thought that there might be children and babies in the world being treated like that but we had a chat about it and he was OK about it. He has learnt lots about WW2 from it and we've spent time googling different things from it (like the different bomb shelters) so it has been an educational experience!

It's lovely but it is sad, especially the end. I'd just lost my Mum when I read it to DS and was fighting back tears at the end.

I make my 10 year old read a chapter of a book most nights. He thoroughly enjoyed this and told me about the story most night. He's not particularly sensitive though as he loves the Choose Your Own Adventure books that I read in the 80's which are far more brutal than today's standards.

I've read it for the past 2 years to my DD who is now almost 8. I sobbed my way through the same chapter both years. Decided not to read it this year because I think she'll have more understanding of loss (my mum is v ill and we are having to slowly prepare DD that Grandma may not be around for much longer).

My 8yo said it was too sad to read last year

Clarice Bean Thing Like an Elf is lovely. It doesn't have anything scary or sad.

Clarice Bean does question the existence of Father Christmas but it's not confirmed or denied either way. It's also quite a quick read.

We abandoned reading The Christmas Pig last year. I thought it was dull.