Not to want the DDs to read any more dismal, turgid, depressing shit written by Jacqueline Wilson?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

I can't stand it any longer. Death, destruction, broken families, mum's boyfriend beating her up. Happy just doesn't exist. If parents are married, they are disfunctional, or have ishoos.

I wouldn't mind the odd one, interspersed with other stuff, but it's like fucking drugs in this house. Anything else is read perfunctorily before rushing back to worship on the altar of Saint Jacqueline of the Sorrows.

Belle, your books sound ace.

DD was given a Tracey Beaker by my sister when she was only about 7 or 8 and I secreted it away - she still hasn't read any and she's 13 next month. (Has just devoured the Twilight Trilogy so has moved on from the JW stage I think.)

I know some would say those books are just as bad, but I kind of feel that now she's more aware of what her friends are into, and I'm just happy she's reading.

At that age, though, she was more keen on MillyMollyMandy and Little House on the Prairie - sweet, heart-warming stories about little girls' adventures.

And then we discovered Rhumer Godden - so inspiring and genuinely touching - we used to well up reading them, whereas I'm sure reading TB we might well up also, but would be left feeling uncomfortable, which is not a feeling I like to impart at bedtime.

DD loved Jacqui Wilson, read them all within 6 months and I had no problem with it at all (quite enjoyed them too)but has also read all the Roman Mysteries, all the Harry Potter's, all the Lemony Snickets, all the John Horowitz's, all Saddle Clubs, Ballet Shoes et al, Little Women, What Katy Did, Ann of Green Gables, most of the Morpurgo's etc, etc., and I don't mind a bit. Surely they have to read a bit of low brow to appreciate the high brow - a bit like us really.

My DD read a lot of JW books and really enjoyed them. She was picking out a book to buy her little sister (half) not mine and must admit I had to question whether they would be appropriate for her half sis who is from a two parent family! I didn't police what DD read and these books haven't done her any harm.

I loved JW books as a child I don't remeber all these terrible things in them, I know some of them were a bit sad but not that bad! I really enjoyed the suitcase kid, illustrated mum and vicky angel, I love nick sharrats illustrations to. I will admit to always reading new JW's when in staying at the hospital with ds

I loved JW books as a child I don't remeber all these terrible things in them, I know some of them were a bit sad but not that bad! I really enjoyed the suitcase kid, illustrated mum and vicky angel, I love nick sharrats illustrations to. I will admit to always reading new JW's when in staying at the hospital with ds

YABU - I grew up with JW books and I loved them. Bad girls, Dustbin baby, the illustrated mum etc are really good books and quite eye opening as it helps children realise that there are others who are a lot less fortunate than they are. It can also help children in similar situations to not feel so alone.

i am ambivalent about them tbh. the dd's are nice middle class two parent types so the themes are interesting for them to ponder, but i do object to 7yos being fed them at school. (i complained vigorously).

i like cressida cowell as a follow-on from rainbow fairies (as fast as possible). she's done 'how to train your dragon' 'how to be a pirate', how to cheat a dragon's curse', 'how to speak dragonese', 'how to twist a dragon's tale' etc.

slaying of dragons far more appropriate for 7yos.

(am lol-ing at 'misery lit' though)

AHHH madwoman thats who I meant, they are reeeeeally popular, colfer is more of a boy author...next to each other on the shelves at work doh!

Belle - how interesting. One comment I received was that although the reader liked the book, it was too gentle for today's market {Grumpy heads off to add zombies and death to her pages]

It was Judy Blume when I was at school - yep we devoured the rude bits of Forever quite severely (such rebels that we were). I was obsessed with trashy Point Horror books for ages, spent all my pocket money on them but never ever ever considered touching JW... they had, ewww, pink covers and sparkly bits and stuff! Gross!

Pratchett... awesome - hubby got me hooked on him when we met. Once taught a class of older kids who were Discworld nuts - we just used to share in-jokes and recommendations like crazy!

One of mine outgrew them very quickly and considers them tedious. Also loathes Tracey Beaker. Another is still okay to read them, but tends not to.

I would never ban reading them, but I would steer away from them if possible.

I had a 'too gentle for todays market'. The book was about a fox that invited himself for supper into a chicken coop!

JW is a fabulous. Far far better than some of the series fiction out there.

She writes about social issues because that's what she likes to write about.

She has always tackled big subjects. It's her USP and she does it very well.

The problem here may be that the OPs DD is not casting her net wide enough and given JW is so prolific, her DD seems to only read JW.
How about steering her towards the same genre but another writer, then at least she would experience a different style?

But I would absolutely never tell a person what they could or couldn't read (providing it were age appropraite - and even then I'd take a lax view) as that to me is tantamount to telling someone what to think.

YANBU as you probably know your DD best and what she needs or doesn't need or would be upset by (or not).

Nevertheless, YABU as a general thing, I quite like JW as does DD (9).
JW's niche is to write stories about girls coping with real-life problems. All of the books (I am reading them with DD) end on a uplifting positive note where the girl has done things to improve her own situation. They are very much about finding coping skills. The only one I wish that DD hadn't read so far is The Lottie Project, because there is so much in it about men abusing women sexually.

DD doesn't like to read fantasy or action/animal adventures, she likes stories about girls just like her solving their real life problems. We talk about the plots and issues and I find the books very useful introductions to many social issues.
JW books usually make me cry, but I can't read them as miserable at all.

Mind, I can't "stick" Tracey Beaker at all, nothing in her books has made me like her!

DD (nearly 11) adores JW. She has been reading her books for about 2 years and loves them. She can never wait for the next one to come out.

I am aware of the current issues covered and doom and gloom element but, TBH, as my line of work has always tended to be around homeless young people or child protection issues within families, DD is all too aware that a lot of horrible stuff happens in the real world.

I am trying to get DD to expand her reading though so will follow up some of the suggestions on this thread

I love the Tracy Beaker books even though she is horrible, because she's such a brilliantly handled 'unreliable narrator' - you can see through her side of everything she says to what the truth must be and the disconnect is actually quite funny.

YABU DD has read them and enjoyed them. DD reads a massive variety of books and I wouldn't restrict her.

Has she read older JW books? Like Glubbslyme, etc? You could extend a JW-addicted child that way, as I think her writing style has changed somewhat.

For what it's worth, I loved JW books as a child, because her books reflected my life, in a way most books didn't.

NurseSunshine - I'd still prefer to talk to my DD about those kind of issues rather than have her read about them in some novel.

IME many children (not all granted) who read these books are not picking up on this whole understanding of other people's issues and changing their thoughts and opinions as a result. More often than not, they are reading them as novels and nothing more.

Belle, you say:

"JW is a brillint writer and is just writing what she's been told that the market wants to read."

But that is nonsense! She has been writing that sort of book forever - she was an instigator of this tradition. She's certainly not writing 'what the market wants' - the market wants to read her books!

I think they are really good books and introduce children to a side of life they may not be familiar with. I know my daughter learned a hell of a lot about people who weren't as lucky as she was. It's not misery porn at all - it's a sensible look at how some people live and there is always something positive to be gained from them.

I'm not criticising another writer. It's a very difficult thing to get into. You could have a real debate about what it is that you, as the parent/person with their hand in their pocket want from a book. I see them as an opportunity to make children laugh but also as a way to show them about the relationships and personalities that they will see so they can understand them better. There are scenarios, such as bullying, that every child needs to learn about. There's a place for what JW writes, not for younger children though.

I have absolutely no problem with 'issues' being addressed in children's books. My children had no interest in stories about bunnies or whatever BUT JW is a very mediocre writer, who children cling to as a safety net when actually they could be reading much better and more intellectually challenging writers instead.