To HATE World Book day

[CurlyRooth]

I love books, but I truly and utterly, really, really, REALLY hate World Book Day. I just see it as yet ANOTHER edict sent from above (i.e. 'well-meaning' schools) to make our lives as busy working parents the ultimate hell.

And it's the same old, same old every single blooming' year: a smattering of Harry Potters, a few shiny Cinderella's, and many more Where's Wally.

Time consuming, and tedious.

Sorry, I love it so YABU

We're both very busy working parents but, as DS had (for once) given us plenty of notice) I bought some bits and bobs from ebay and amazon and DS has gone as a soldier from War Horse

He looks mint, if I do say so myself

LastSplash
"I may have remembered wrong, but aren't many of the special £1 books just extracts? I don't think they seem to be substantial enough / stand alone enough to live up to the idea of WBD rather than be a cheap promotion for a longer book or a prolific author. "

no, they are full stories (so short stories if you like)
mostly specially produced for the event.
they aren't promos for larger books, but they are often "in the same series" to encourage readers to read more.
and some of the WBD stories were incorporatwed into later editions of one of the series (the Malorie Blackman

oops.
the malorie Blackman one - an eye for an eye - was put into later editions of noughts and crosses as an extra chapter.
but it does stand alone.

DD got given the £1 book token today - but it says it can only be redeemed against a book costing £2.99 or more, so it seems the £1 book idea is a thing of the past.

Seriously? That's outrageous. Surely the whole point of getting a £1 book token means people can get a book for free?
At our school, everyone gets a £1 book token, and there's a selection of £1 books that they can choose from, so everyone gets a free book.
Pretty crap of yours if they say it can only be redeemed against another book!

amazingmumof6
"(I think it is a very patronizing thing to "point out" that books and reading are important, to me both are obvious...) "

really? fucking really?
well, then come to my fucking town and tell some fucking people here how fucking obvious it is.

Many children in this town don't own a book, and many can't afford to own a book.
Many parents can't read,and many parents also don't place any importance on reading at all, hence a large proportion of children never being heard read at home.

Now, tell me why, if everyone knows how fucking obvious it is to read, have I had to take the final decision this week to close my independent bookshop because fewer people are buying books than I've paid for?
tell me why when I get people coming into my shop 5 years after I open, who say "oh, I never buy books, oh no one reads any more fo they? oh, kids watch telly and play games now and don't read"
now tell me how fucking obvious it is that reading is important.
Go on, fucking tell me - then maybe the next 7 months can be spent saving my business instead of winding it down.

landofmakebelieve - please read my reply to er post - the director of World Book Day has told me that that token can be used for the WBD books too, don't panic!

Our school give a theme, so we don't see many Darth Vaders.
They then do some literacy work related to the theme. DC LOVES book day, one of the highlights of his school year. Sorry.

I think its charming. All the kiddies were super excited this am, an air of frisson rippling through the play ground as they lined up, a teacher witch walked by and they were all twittering....

so cute and brightens up the day for them, after monotenous tedium.

shame you cant appreciate that op!

It was lovely seeing all the different characters in the playground this morning. My two went as Horrid Henry (blue top with yellow felt stripes stitched on) and Peter Pan (black leggings we use for extra layers under clothes in the snow and a green t-shirt zig zagged on the bottom and sleeves).

landofmakebelieve - please read my reply to er post - the director of World Book Day has told me that that token can be used for the WBD books too, don't panic!

Oh good, didn't see that bit, sorry. I'll calm down a bit now then,

Many children in this town don't own a book, and many can't afford to own a book.
Many parents can't read,and many parents also don't place any importance on reading at all, hence a large proportion of children never being heard read at home.
tell me why when I get people coming into my shop 5 years after I open, who say "oh, I never buy books, oh no one reads any more fo they? oh, kids watch telly and play games now and don't read"
now tell me how fucking obvious it is that reading is important.

This post makes me feel really sad.
As a huge reader myself, I find it incomprehensible how some parents just don't want to read, or indeed can't.
Sorry to hear about your shop. To the person who cam in saying "nobody reads any more, do they?" I couldn't disagree more.
We do. My kids (9 and 5) love reading too, and are always getting new books.It's attitudes like that person which succeeds in closing down bookshops.
(Wish your bookshop was in my town, I adore bookshops and lose hours in them!)

Doh, bolding post epic fail

Someone was looking for evidence that world book day inspires reading over videogames... Well DS1 came in from school today and started reading his book. He usually comes in an asks if he can play in his Xbox. So perhaps dressing up made him even keener to read.

Disclaimer: he reads loads anyway. His form teacher complains that his nose is always in a book, and he tends to read for over an hour before bed each night (usually closer to 90 minutes, sometimes more).

Im underwhemed by a ?1.50 book token.

thanks Ginebra that's exactly the problem we're facing.
Go and exchange it for one of the special E1.50 books!

It will give you money off any book you like or a free small book. I don't see how this is such a terrible deal.

exactly! it's fucking free.

(and paid for by your local bookseller, not the gevernment)

No. My kids get much better books thru the school library. id rathervgive 14 euro to the school library than be manipulated into spending money. in fact i might do that. its such a load of shite. my ten year old read the help after me last year. a one fifty book token isnt going to make any child a reader if reading isnt their thing. we have no games or wiis or xboxes here. doesnt mean i fall for this wbd hokey!

No one will force you to use it!

As I said, it will give you money off a book or a free small book if you want it. Otherwise, you're under no obligation to use the token.

I could be underwhelmed by a £1 token, but I still use it and appreciate it. My DCs virtually never get new books as I work in a library and also get a lot from charity shops. I am lucky enough that £1 isn't a massive deal, but it's symbolic - it's a chance for the DCs - who are too young for pocket money - to go and choose their own book and hand over their own voucher, whereas usually mummy is still in control of all their reading material (apart from DD's school reading book)

fine, give 14euro to the school library.

But there are plenty of children who don't have anything.

it's not fucking hokey!

Jesus, please understand, it's a way to give every child a fucking chance to own a fucking book.

To be honest, I just see the token as an excuse to buy another book for me to steal from DS1 and read. Because, you see, there's money off and everything. It would be a shame to miss out. Of course, if there weren't money off, I'd probably buy one anyway.

DS2 went on a nursery trip to waterstones and spent their tokens on a world book day book of their choosing. He loved it. And he was so keen completing his giraffes's can't dance activity book the next morning.

nickelbabe Thu 07-Mar-13 12:47:46

I had to take the final decision this week to close my independent bookshop because fewer people are buying books than I've paid for?

Same here MM - have been wanting to travel down and spend loads of money in visit the shop for ages, but am too unwell to travel ATM. Nickel, I'm really sorry to read this and I hope something happens to turn it around. :(

It really amazes me that some people can't understand that some children have no access to books at home, and that something like a free WBD book can possibly make a difference. I love the sound of a nursery trip to spend vouchers together - could really be beneficial to children whose parents may not be able to, or want to, take the child to the shop themselves. At the library we have visits from schools all over town and a huge amount of the children have never set foot in the building before (of course that doesn't mean they don't read or have access to books - although it is certainly true for some)

As an aside I think my 3yo will want to sleep in his costume tonight :)