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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

...to be cross that DD (6) brought home a Barbie book from school library?

100 replies

redrobin · 14/09/2011 16:36

AIBU to expect that school libraries not to contain trashy books geared towards seeling stuff? To add insult to my injury the book is called "Barbie - Wedding Planner'. I utterly despair if the librarian actually chose this. so...aibu to expect higher literary standards within an educational environment?

OP posts:

Original poster

redrobin · 14/09/2011 19:18

i'm not being sniffy! i just think its sad that people think its ok to foist this crap on kids, saying that if they wont read it, they wont read anything. There are far too many low expectations on here. Truly, is that all you expect for our children? Why should we accept - for my child or for anyone elses - badly written sales material when there is a wealth of tremendous stuff available?

oh well, am retreating to my ivory tower now.

OP posts:

halcyondays · 14/09/2011 19:30

They aren't foisting it on them are they? It isn't as if it was sent home as a reading book. Presumably your dd chose this book from the library herself.

Whatmeworry · 14/09/2011 19:32

There are far too many low expectations on here

At 6, I was delighted they were reading,and I didnt care what it was solong as they read a lot.

Voltaire, Proust and Joyce can come a bit later....

Bue · 14/09/2011 19:32

'Barbie - Wedding Planner' has no place in a school library! That doesn't even qualify as a "book" in my eyes! I'm going to assume there is no proper school librarian employed... if there is, s/he could be doing a much better job.

It's perfectly fine to not censor kids' reading habits at home, and I get the concept of 'gateway literature' and all that, but there are so many great books out there and that's what schools should be introducing young children to.

shebird · 14/09/2011 19:56

I agree with OP that this book does not belong in a school library. There should be a certain standard if this is to be a reading book. Barbie is fine as a playtime read or to look at the pictures but I'm sure a school library could do better. My DD came home with a Tracy Beaker book last year aged 7! It was totally inappropriate as her reading book. I wish schools would be more selective as there are good books to appeal to all sorts of levels and interests out there. Do we really need to set the bar at Barbie the wedding planner!

CurrySpice · 14/09/2011 20:03

If that's all she was reading, I woul agree with you.

If that's all the library had in, I would agree with you.

But I'm sure it's not.

It's like a balanced diet isn't it? Eat healthy most of the time, the odd bit of junk is OK

Or cinema - I like a good quality film but would happily watch a blockbuster too

More literaray books are great, but a bit of trashy chick lit now and again does no harm

Don't sweat it. I don't think one barbie book will turn her into Jordon by 13

Hulababy · 14/09/2011 20:03

It isn't the school reading book.

It is a school library book. I assume that this means it is like a normal library on a smaller scale - the children get o chose, free choice from any available covering all types of books. Our school library also includes magazines and newspapers too. The school library is where children go and make their own choices about ta book without others dictating what they read in their own time - which, btw, is one of the criteria on the NC for literacy that children need to be able to do.

Voidka · 14/09/2011 20:21

For goodness sake!

My DS used to hate reading - would try for hours to get him to read. When he got into a Ben 10 phase suddenly he was happy to read Ben 10 books. Its not about what he is reading, its about the fact he is reading.

And if young children aspire to be what they read about then I have really let myself down. I am not a spider, havent met a talking pig or died a very sad death after giving birth to hundreds of tiny spiders.

Voidka · 14/09/2011 20:22

yy Hula - at our school they have reading books and library books - teacher chooses reading book (from a scheme) and child chooses library.

SexualHarrassmentPandaPop · 14/09/2011 20:46

YABU. I think it's good that kids are offered a wide variety of reading material.

Proudnscary · 14/09/2011 20:51

YANBU there are 800 gazillion kids' books to choose from without choosing Barbie for the school library.
It's not the end of the world but I would think 'Of FFS' if DD came back with that.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a little bit of a literary snob when it comes to kids' reading.

CurrySpice · 14/09/2011 20:52

I read and read and read as a child, including TONNES of Enid Blyton which is considered by some to be pretty dodgy now

PootlePosyPerkin · 14/09/2011 20:53

All that matters is that your child is reading - it doesn't matter what! It could be the cereal packet & that's still good. Your primary school has a librarian? That's posh!

justhayley · 14/09/2011 20:57

Has this book got words? I wouldnt encourage her to read wat ever she wants to read as longs as its not in appropriate! Whats wrong with Barbie?
At 6 I had a shelf full of barbie and princess and fairy books - at 21 I graduated University with a literature degree.
I think at that age if she has an interest in books and reading its wonderful. She should read a mixture of slightly educational books and books that she just purely enjoys. Let reading excite her and if Barbie does that - fantastic. I honestly dont think it matters. I think if she came home at 16 with the same book and wanted to compare it to cindy goes to the dentist for her GCSE's then you may have to worry - at 6... well i really dont think theres any king od problem or issue and I hope your daughter isnt aware of your diaapointment of her bringing home a barbie book - especially if thats what she picked.

Indaba · 14/09/2011 21:14

"Curryspice" got stuck at GPs with nothing to read other than Famous Five yesterday.....read 9 chapters....horrified......all Ann wants to do is clean up and make house whilst Julian does stuff....never mind the strange gypsy kids !

read them all as a child and I have turned out ok

but I was genuinely shocked to realise how stereotyped they were.

CurrySpice · 14/09/2011 21:16

Indaba - I like to think George balanced Anne out a bit but IKWYM - they are really cliched and sterotyped and insufferably middle class!

But as a kid, I loved them and devoured them whole

I also didn't turn out too bad, I hope

biological · 14/09/2011 21:23

I hate Barbie & her stupid 2 inch waist, but would find this hard to express to a 6 yr old in a way that she would understand. So I would just be a bit disappointed that she had brought it home from school.

But practically, I'd probably pretend to be really interested in stoopid dresses & weddings for 2 minutes & then distract her onto something that I found more interesting.

Feenie · 14/09/2011 21:47

saying that if they wont read it, they wont read anything.There are far too many low expectations on here. Truly, is that all you expect for our children?

Er.....noone said that, OP. Many posters have said that if tempted to read something (and some children do need tempting, and aren't encouraged at home), it usually encourages them different, better quality books. It isn't about low expectations; it's about getting them to want to come to a library in the first place.

MilaMae · 14/09/2011 21:56

An out of print old Barbie book badly written without engaging content,style or language,far too much text(a common complaint of brand books) and crap pictures wouldn't get any of my 3 wanting to come to the library.

Sorry kids do want good quality books,they have access to them throughout school life and this assumption that they can't identify crapness when they see it is wrong.

Ofsted look at books in school libraries for this very reason and I have to say I hope the op's school hasn't got lots of poor quality books in it as they'll get slated come the next inspection.

Feenie · 14/09/2011 22:16

But your three already go to the library, Milamae, and are luck that their parents encourage them to go.

Who made the 'assumption' that kids don't want good quality books? I have repeatedly said that this book, and others, may tempt a child to come to the library at first. Your reading comprehension is suspect here, Milamae - nobody said that kids 'can't identify crapness', but once in the library, they inevitably read other, better quality texts and learn how to be discerning.

Ofsted praised our library for 'consistently finding different ways to engage pupils' reading'. That's what good libraries do - and half the battle is drawing the children in in the first place.

Keeping them there is an entirely different debate, and of course involves high quality texts.

Feenie · 14/09/2011 22:16

lucky

Whatmeworry · 14/09/2011 22:16

Sorry kids do want good quality books

Sorry, this smacks to me of a certain type of parent wanting totell other little people what those little people should want.

This bit of satire is about Middle Class people worrying about Poor People, but it works well if you replace "poor people" with Kids Reading Habits"

Enjoy :o

Indaba · 14/09/2011 22:33

Thats what I had thought Curryspice too, but then rereading them realised George was seen as a bit of a freak and a bit weird.

Don't get me wrong, am encouraging mine to read all the Famous Five and Secret Seven (the latter which is a bit ropey but what the hell)....much better than a lot of current s**t.

Unfortunately they now all have expectations of luscious picnics, ginger beer and being allowed to go off on caravan-ing holidays pn their own at the drop of a hat.

My eldest son was doing a race the other day and said at the top of his voice, I swear......"last one to the top of the hill is a rotten tomato" ..........DP and I stood around laughing and rest of kids thought "what a pr*ck"

eandemum · 14/09/2011 22:39

Speaking as a school librarian (Secondary) but I have also been in Primary.

I feel YABU - and I really hope you didn't say how you felt to yr DD.

She chose a book she wanted to read - and would have been so excited re: it.

One of the saddest things I've seen at work is a little boy who wanted to get out a book that was quite 'thin' but said he was only 'allowed' to take out big books like Harry Potter as that was PROPER reading.

Surely the main thing is that they choose sth they WANT to read - I can say 100% certain that that boy NEVER read that HP book.

Yes you are right Barbie is shit (!) BUT she will read it, return it and get sth else out.

I feel (one of) the important things in my job is to create/encourage/promote a love of reading - and offer a WIDE variety of texts to do this.

corriefan · 14/09/2011 23:01

YABU. your dd chose it, it wasn't pushed on her. Are you finding it hard to accept she likes Barbie rather than Roald Dahl? Is it everyone else's fault?

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