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Original poster

To be unable to read this book to my children?

175 replies

AudTheDeepMinded · 25/10/2018 17:52

Took my 3 DSs to the museum today. Eldest is going to be learning about WWI soon and there was an exhibition about local soldiers. Bought a lovely book in the shop entitled 'Where the Poppies Now Grow' to share with them. Only I can't read it, I tear up on page one, my throat closes and I can't get the words out. It just makes me feel indescribably sad. I had the same problem with 'War Horse' and 'No Matter What'. Does anyone else have this problem or am I just very wet?

OP posts:
liquidrevolution · 25/10/2018 19:56

CBeebies do a lovely animation for remembrance Sunday. It'seen through the animals of the countryside and how war effected them.

Must get hold of that poppies book.

I sob at many books. Tonight my voice cracked reading the paper dolls to DD.

ThePrincipal · 25/10/2018 19:59

Charlotte's Web...the bit when the spider dies.....

Henryismyfriend · 25/10/2018 19:59

War Horse and Blitz Cat (same author) have me in bits. I have a horse who looks a lot like Joey in the film, which may explain War Horse, but I'm not a particularly cat person, I like them but I'd not want to own one, will stroke and have saved one when run over and left but I certainly don't feel about cats as I do horses, but blitz cat had me in floods.
I think it is because it mixes two things I'm in awe of - the wars and everything that was lived through, and animals and their sense of survival and living in the moment.
I tear up every year on remembrance Sunday, to see the parade and the minutes silence.
My Grandparents were in London during the blitz in the civil defence - digging people out of bombed out buildings, and I have heard many stories of such times, the sound of an air raid siren sends shivers down my spine.
Let your children see that it fills you with emotion and explain why that is.

OnceUponATimeInAmerica · 25/10/2018 20:00

The Snail and the Whale used to get me too. And Stick Man, but that was when my DH was in Afghanistan and wasn't going to be home for Christmas.

I have never read Dogger. At risk of lowering the tone, it sounds like it is something for voyeuristic deviants to me. Blush

Henryismyfriend · 25/10/2018 20:02

My apologies, Blitz Cat and War Horse are not by the same author.

Windgate · 25/10/2018 20:04

Grandpa by John Burnigham be it the book or Raymond Briggs' short film of the story. It's me and my granddad right down to the greenhouse.

averylongtimeago · 25/10/2018 20:06

Now I am six,

Sorry

64ChewsBrains · 25/10/2018 20:07

I just clicked to the end of the thread to post about Grandpa @Windgate.

Toddler DS picked it up while we were hanging out in the comfy section of the local library years ago, and I ended up sobbing among the soft cushions.

ARoomSomewhere · 25/10/2018 20:07

Yes- The Little Match Girl, The Happy Prince, The Velveteen Rabbit.

Mind i am very sad tonight. our lovely little rescue rabbit caught myxomatosis and had to be PTS. RIP Bella.

Sorry. As you were. Sad

TigerDrankAllTheWaterInTheTap · 25/10/2018 20:09

I cry at the drop of a hat. My children are in their mid 20s now and I'm still feeling the danger signs thinking back to The Mousehole Cat. Beautiful illustrations, but very emotional.

Toy Story 3, anyone? My son was coming up to university age when we saw that in the cinema. I was a wreck. Let's not even mention Up ...

Mishappening · 25/10/2018 20:09

I do not think that this book is one to share with children - time enough for the appalling inhumanity that went on/goes on to become part of their lives - they cannot unsee/unread this stuff. Let them be for now.

Nanny0gg · 25/10/2018 20:10

"Dragons live forever, but not so little boys"

Gah! Someone had to mention that one...

Children's Favourites. Every Saturday morning, that bloody song...

iamthere123 · 25/10/2018 20:11

On holiday I was re-reading The Subtle Knife (for about the third time in the last 20 years or so!) and I cried so hard at the description of a characters death (for some reason it got me more this time than ever before) that my mum heard and got out of bed to see what the hell was wrong! Crying at books is normal for me!

Gingerrogered · 25/10/2018 20:11

I find it very difficult to read anything about WW1 since I had sons because I can’t bear to think about the mothers of teenagers who had to send theirs away.

Your little precious baby you bought up and kept safe and held and loved sent away to be blown to pieces for nothing.

Okay I’ve made myself cry now.

Nanny0gg · 25/10/2018 20:11

Let's not even mention Up

Please don't...

Purplestorm83 · 25/10/2018 20:11

@bloobcurdling I’m so glad it’s not just me who cries at the snail and the sodding whale!

DangerousBeanz · 25/10/2018 20:11

Yep OP I've got that poppy book, it kills me. And one called Proud as a Peacock Bold as a Lion about a grandfather and his grandson getting ready for a remembrance parade and all his memories. I'm a snooty clubbing mess.
When I was teaching we were learning about Michael Morpurgo and one of my yr4 class said war horse was their favourite book, so I offered to read it up the class. The little girl said I shouldn't try because I'd properly cry and then she'd cry too, and the rest of my class agreed. They asked the T A to read it instead because she didn't get as emotionally involved as I would and she'd get through it.
I didn't know whether I should be insulted or flattered.
Oh and this poem.
I can't read it. When thinking about it had set me off.

Rhiannon13 · 25/10/2018 20:14

This thread is making me well up!

plus3 · 25/10/2018 20:15

Annie-rose is my little sister ...that always made me cry at the end. Although to be fair, I have just asked my 14yr old DS which books I used to cry at whilst reading to him and he said ‘which didn’t you???’

Riversleep · 25/10/2018 20:15

Charlotte's Web was the first book I remember making me cry when I was a child reading it. We're in Amsterdam at the moment and I was telling the dc's about Anne Frank's House as we walked past and I got unexpectedly choked up just talking about it and being there. I read her diary a long time ago.

Rhiannon13 · 25/10/2018 20:15

The thought of my sister trying to read Watership Down...

Gingerrogered · 25/10/2018 20:19

Oh God. I remember going to Anne Franks house and seeing the entrance to the attic where she went to dream and write and had her romance with Peter. That killed me.

Rebecca36 · 25/10/2018 20:22

Bless you!
Your eldest child can read it on their own and talk about it to siblings and to you.

Poodles1980 · 25/10/2018 20:24

Under the hawthorn tree about the famine in Ireland. It’s so heartbreaking but I am glad the snail and the whale is on this thread because I become very overwhelmed reading it.

The cat and the mouse and the run away train makes me well up for some reason. I think when the mouse saves the day it makes me very emotional and I can’t read it without my voice cracking

BestIsWest · 25/10/2018 20:31

Nothing

  • Mick Inkpen. Even thinking of it 20 years on.