To ban all things Jacqueline Wilson in my house

[Normalisavariantofcrazy]

Off the back of the shit that is Tracey Beaker?

I've yet to hear positive things said about her books by any parent.

I'm happy to be convinced otherwise (although the kids are non plussed about her books)

We haven't read any of David Walliams yet - is he the new Roald Dahl, as is being suggested?

I remember reading 'The Suitcase Kid' as a child. I was one of these children that led a very sheltered life and didn't realise what happened when parents divorced. I also read Tracy Beaker and it gave me a similar tiny insight to a life I knew nothing about. That is what books are for, surely? I read these novels as well as reading C.S. Lewis, Tamora Pierce… and yes, even Sweet Valley High. I am still an avid reader.

My daughter loves and has read her every book! They do tackle the more challenging issues of life and everyone comes across those at some stage.

DD loved JW and I thank my lucky stars for JW topics coverage. When ExH had affair with another mother with DD in same lass at school, pretended to be trying to make it work to me, but still seeing OW and ODD was telling my DD this. He then left immediately took up with OW even though she was still married and still 18months later partly lives with her H.
Because of JW DD knew that adults could behave really badly and hurt each other. That adults sometimes do not think about the children. It helped her to cope knowing that she wasn't the only child in the world to go through this kind of thing.
Thank you JW I suspect you saved my DD considerable heartache.

Sorry Heartbrokenmum73 and BertieBowtiesAreCool have to agree to differ on Judy Bloom - but then (and I'm going to have to whisper) I hate Thomas Hardy and Tolkien

Yes, David Walliams reminds me of Roald Dahl in his style. It helps that the Illustrations for his books are also done by Quentin Blake.....

I found that my kids behaved badly after watching two things - horrible Henry and Tracey beaker. It's banned in my house now

Now my DD (11) really enjoyed her JW books and hated David Walliam's book. Each to their own.

David Walliams books have very thin plots and are poorly although amusingly written - there I've said it, burn me at the stake

I can see a case for a temporary ban if a child is imitating particular behaviours - it's a natural consequence of the misbehaviour.
The anecdote I always tell here, though, is that my dd started being dreadful after reading/watching The Secret Garden and deciding she wanted to emulate Mary Lennox in her obnoxious pre-garden phase

I found that my kids behaved badly after watching two things - horrible Henry and Tracey beaker.

Knew this would come up - it always does whenever JW is mentioned.

'Oooh, that awful Tracey Beaker, encourage bad behaviour'. Sorry, but that's such a weak argument. My children watch both - I've yet to have any child copy any of the bad behaviour in those shows.

Horrid Henry is a cartoon - if your children copy Horrid Henry, don't let them watch Tom & Jerry or Looney Tunes - they'll be hitting each other with frying pans and dropping anvils on each others heads before you know it.

If children behave badly because someone on the tv did it, I think that indicates weak, easily led children, rather than bad television to be honest.

DD is 10 and an avid reader. She really enjoys JW books but reads lots of other books as well. Some of the themes in JW are quite new to her and we have had discussions about different situations as a result of her reading them.

When her dad left us DD read the Suitcase Kid and told me it made her cry because she felt like the girl in the book and she knew she wasn't the only person in the world to feel this sad. It's nice to read books about perfect lives with happy endings but books about more gritty issues do tend to be more powerful, even for children.

Retroformica - did you watch the programmes with your dc? Found them annoying but a good example of how not to behave.

Never ever did my children behave badly because of a children's programme, because they were tired, frustrated, ill yes - example of a tv character no.

'If children behave badly because someone on the tv did it, I think that indicates weak, easily led children, rather than bad television to be honest.'

Oh, Tunip - I'm really sorry - we cross-posted!

I found your Mary Lennox story funny, actually. My friend's DD went around dressed as Matron from Malory Towers for weeks after reading those. And my youngest brother tried to find Narnia in the wardrobe...

Why are you ing Tunip

I loved JW as a kid. Stuff like Girls in Love was my 'way in' on teenage sex and relationships.

As an adult I have worked with her. Lovely lady.

I was blushing for my weak, easily led dd, Treas.

No worries, Heartbrokenmum

I LOVED Jacqueline Wilson books. I was given 3 of them for Christmas when I was about 8 or 9 and bought every single one she ever wrote after that... until I outgrew them. I came out unscathed. I think they deal with issues that are good for children to read about.

In the book Tracy Beaker has behaviour and anger problems, she's not just being a little brat. I don't know about the TV show, I haven't seen it.

I loved JW as a girl. I even write to her and she sent me a handwritten reply back. I still have it

I think children should be encouraged to read widely, including JW.

Let's face it, most Enid Blyton is utter bilge but kids still read it today.

Turning your nose up at an author because of subjects she covers is a bit silly.

I'd like to ask people who are so anti-JW what they think the point of reading is. My view is that reading is the way you learn about the world - you discover that other people lead different lives and have different points of view and different experiences from your own. Reading novels teaches children to engage - I loved Enid Blyton as a child but it doesn't mean I internalised the less desirable attitudes expressed in those books, such as snobbishness.

Apart from which, the attitudes expressed in JW's books are generally admirable. She is a very empathic writer - if she's teaching children anything, it's about things like how to cope with loss and the importance of being kind. I don't see how anyone can object to that.

YABU

Please don't judge an author by the TV adaptation.

I ban DC from certain material I think is too explicit or upsetting, but not just because it's drivel. And I like the way JW books become a vehicle for introducing discussion of uncomfortable subjects. YABU.

ps: Girls In Love adaptation for telly is so funny, lovely & cheesy too.