...to think the point of World Book Day is to focus on BOOKS...

[WishICouldThinkOfACoolUsername]

And not random cartoon/film characters when dressing up?

Our school has done a lot for WBD today and I completely support it - in fact I was excited to help encourage reading in a fun way - which tbh was the whole point as far as I understood it! So am AIBU to feel a bit sad that a good number of the children who have dressed up are Disney Princesses and the like? Don't really see how that's any different to any other dress up day really! According to Radio 2 this morning there were primary children dressed up as James Bond - not sure I know any primary aged child who has read those books and in fact I'd argue that a lot of primary aged children probably haven't seen the films either! To be clear, I totally accept that there is some crossover (one of our staff dressed as Wendy from Peter Pan for example) but to me there's a difference between that and Elsa from Frozen...

Completely prepared to be flamed for this; I was just looking forward to celebrating BOOKS today

[SleepyBoBo]

For those saying 'Disney Princesses are based on books' - would you actually let your children read the original fairytales? The one where the Little Mermaid kills herself for a man, or Aurora is raped? I think WBD should be based on actual books that the child has actually read, isn't that the point? I don't believe some flimsy read-along-book is exactly what they had in mind, just so they have another excuse to dress up as bloody Elsa, Anna and so forth.

[mouldycheesefan]

Else is based in the snow queen, hans Christian Andersen.We have various volumes of fairy tales with the snow queen in it. And many others with sanitised versions of other fairy tales
Does it really matter whether the book or the film came first?
In school the kids will be talking about their characters, developing their own characters etc it doesn't matter what they dress up as! And many kids insist on wearing their Spider-Man or Snow White dress!

NB I do draw the line at minions....

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

And for the parents who don't have the time or money to do otherwise Bobo? Also, all those Disney films have child friendly books as well (as you acknowledged) so yes, that is what 'they had in mind'. A character from something a child has read.

World Book Day: another reason for parents to judge each other on completely inconsequential shit.

[EnoughAlready999]

YANBU.
Its all surface and no substance.

[weebarra]

And using James Bond as an example is a bit daft as Ian Fleming wrote the books (not that I would have expected DCs to read them).
My DSs have gone as Harry Potter and Batman. I wasn't going to get into an argument with DS2 this morning, and I've been working all week so haven't had a chance to lovingly craft something. They read and are read to loads.

[WishICouldThinkOfACoolUsername]

Happyrouter... I have the Star Wars film tie-in books. I guess maybe what I'm trying to say is it would be nice to encourage use of books/characters that were books first iyswim. And TurnOff - I'm old enough to have had the originals read to me as fairy tales long before they were Disneyfied, so I'm perfectly aware of the origins of the films thanks . I guess what I'm trying to say (badly, obviously) is that to me there doesn't need to be a film/TV version of a book to make it worth celebrating/dressing up from!

[SleepyBoBo]

PaulAnkaTheDog - of course they do, that's why I mentioned it. However, do we actually have to pretend that the reason a child is dressed as Elsa today is because they read the book, and not due to an obession with the film - therefore using yet another excuse to dress up as the character? Do you not think there are just some parents who are being lazy or not using any imagination at all, honestly?

I don't actually agree with dressing up at all, I agree with how some schools do it. Chose a book, bring it in, write a bit about it, give an explaination as to why they like the book, No fancy dress nonsense what so ever.

[Notso]

When I was at school it was book week. There were loads of book related activities and dressing up was just a tiny part of it, only a few children from each class entered the dressing up.

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

But therein lies the problem: you're assuming laziness. For a friggin dress up day. Why judge?! It's ridiculous and unfair. I hate this crap.

[TurnOffTheTv]

No I wouldn't let them read The Brothers Grimm when they tiny BoBo but they do have the original Ladybird ones from when I was a little girl which were published years ago

[Madeyemoodysmum]

Ahhhhh. Screaming!
Most popular film and pop culture are based on original books or comics so you and the Star Wars poster are BVVU !!!!!! And also most parents don't have multiple hours and money to spend so I don't blame them for choosing the easy option and some kids won't do it unless they are elsa spidey or whoever.

[Madeyemoodysmum]

And the more commercial WBD becomes the more I'm hating it!!!

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I am just so glad that my dses are long past the WBD stage (they don't do it at university, apparently ), because for many people, sorting out a costume is a real pain in the neck.

I can understand perfectly why a harried, busy parent wouldn't have the time or resources to make an original costume, and so would put their child into a Disney princess costume.

Perhaps the schools need to come up with something different to do for WBD, that will focus on the books the children love, rather than being an extra burden for the parents. They could do a Hungry Caterpillar meal, for the little ones, for example, or get the older children to write a review of their favourite book.

[Happyrouter]

wishicould - well I entirely disagree and think that is what puts kids off reading (as mentioned on other similar thread). If you have a child that's really not at all interested in reading but are mad on Star Wars then you might get them reading those books and that might lead to other books if you're lucky. If you tell them no that's not a proper book go read treasure island (for example) that's not going to work.

[honkinghaddock]

I don't like world book day because ds can't read and probably never will. Not a reason to not have it of course but to me the day just hilights what he cannot do.

[YesterdayOnceMore]

But those little girls who love Elsa and who are dressing up in their Elsa dress would see an Frozen book in the library or book shop and would want it and want to read it and enjoy it. Frozen books are books and if they are read and enjoyed by a child, does it really matter if it's an original story or a film tie-in? It's still a love of books and reading which is what matters.

And I wouldn't be at all suprised if little girl dressed as Elsa loves her Frozen storybook and has read it/had it read to her far far more times than the child dressed as Stig of the Dump has read and enjoyed that story.

World Book Day should be about the love of books and reading. If a child is inspired to read a book about minecraft or frozen because that's what they are interested in, that is brilliant. Reading is reading- there is no need for the snobbery.

[SleepyBoBo]

Yes, I am judging laziness, Elsa a isn't a book character, it's World Book Day. I'm allowed to think that's lazy. Then again, how dare I have any thoughts on the matter....

[Madeyemoodysmum]

Applauds yesterdayoncemore

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

Yesterday exactly.

[Madeyemoodysmum]

There are plenty of books on frozen and if that's what a 4/5 yo wants to read so what ? Why get pissy

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

SleepyBoBo I do hope you are absolutely perfect in every aspect of your parenting then. Honestly, judging people for World Book Day costumes! I've heard it all now! Pathetically ridiculous.

[Happyrouter]

Wow

[passmethewineplease]

How can anyone give a shiny shit about this?

DD went as a fairy out of her favourite fairy book. The only costume we could get at short notice was a tinkerbell one.

So what?

Does anyone genuinely care that much? Also OP there's another thread about this if you care to actually have a look.

[WanderingTrolley1]

Yanbu.

[Madeyemoodysmum]

Next year I must make sure ds dresses as Pierre from war and peace then!!!