Page 11 | To send back that Jubilee book?

YahBooFucks · 2022-07-09T19:51:23+00:00

My DS came back with the Jubilee book this week. I didn't know anything about it (the Jubilee wasn't something that I was remotely bothered by) but apparently every family with a primary aged child is getting one. I'm massively annoyed by this book... It strikes me as an enormous waste of money, especially at a time when so many people/organisations/schools etc are struggling. I also hate having patriotism shoved down my (and my kids') throat. But it's mainly the money... WIBU to send the book back (haven't figured out to whom yet. I'm guessing not the queen) with a note saying 'no, thank you'?

BeatieBourke · 10/07/2022 00:33

We're in the depths of Wales. No Queenie books here. I don't think they'd dare. And if they did I expect they'd ask the Welsh Government to pay.

ByeByeBoree · 10/07/2022 00:33

The UK isn't at war with Ukraine.

Noodledoodles1 · 10/07/2022 00:37

ByeByeBoree · 10/07/2022 00:33

The UK isn't at war with Ukraine.

Oh whatever.
It's still part of their history, when our kids are 50 they'll look back and this is what was happening at the time.

YesGotIt · 10/07/2022 00:39

Yabu. My kids enjoyed it. Of all the wastes of taxpayers money, a kids book is lowest on my list.

Why not worry about corporate fraud? Benefits cheats? Tax evasion? It's a kids book...

NoSquirrels · 10/07/2022 00:40

Strawblue · 09/07/2022 21:56

We haven’t looked at it yet but I noticed it says it is printed in Italy - why on earth was this not printed here to support British printers in these increasingly hard times?
I should imagine they got an ultra cheap deal to print it in Italy.

There’s no British printers who could handle that volume of full-colour books. Pretty much all commercial highly illustrated books are printed in Europe or China. Britain cannot compete on cost or on capacity.

ByeByeBoree · 10/07/2022 00:45

Noodledoodles1 · 10/07/2022 00:37

Oh whatever.
It's still part of their history, when our kids are 50 they'll look back and this is what was happening at the time.

Show quote history

What a bizarre assertion. It's no more part of their history than any of the other 40 or so wars happening elsewhere now and in general on average at any other point in time. Armenia's been invaded by Azerbaijan a couple of times these past few years for eg. That's not part of UK history either.

Ponderingwindow · 10/07/2022 00:45

YahBooFucks · 09/07/2022 23:49

A quick point about how else the money could have been spent - there is a scheme run by the Book Trust called Bookbuzz that schools can sign up for yearly in which students get a free (to them - the school pays £3 per student) book. They choose the book (from a carefully curated list of 17 titles) and it's theirs to keep forever. My experience of the scheme is that lots of the children love it, and really treasure their chosen free book. This makes much more sense to me.

add the book to your book donation pile. While you are at it, add some other books you do think are of good quality. There is a child out there who will appreciate the book and the others and that will be much more meaningful then any petty protest you might make.

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 10/07/2022 00:55

StrawberriesAndCreamPlease · 09/07/2022 23:08

The difference being those tourists came of their own free will, people spent because they had a long weekend. That book was given out whether you wanted it or not.

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And?

Noodledoodles1 · 10/07/2022 00:59

ByeByeBoree · 10/07/2022 00:45

What a bizarre assertion. It's no more part of their history than any of the other 40 or so wars happening elsewhere now and in general on average at any other point in time. Armenia's been invaded by Azerbaijan a couple of times these past few years for eg. That's not part of UK history either.

Show quote history

So the people who remember where they were when Elvis died, the twin towers collapsed etc that's not part of their childhood/history because it didn't happen in Britain?
You have obviously have no regard for keepsakes or memories, that's fine each to their own..

ByeByeBoree · 10/07/2022 01:03

You said "they lived through lockdowns, wars and the jubilee". No UK children have "lived through" any wars.

ByeByeBoree · 10/07/2022 01:05

But you are correct that I don't have any keepsakes of the attack on the world trade centre.

GoodJanetBadJanet · 10/07/2022 01:07

@viques
I would compost the book, compost is a good thing and we could use more of it.

No way, how is that any better than past book burning?!
You may not agree with it but it's still history.

Trinity65 · 10/07/2022 01:07

Joyfultoes · 09/07/2022 22:54

All the people thinking they can make money on it, if they sent out 10m are you kidding? Also kidding yourself if you think anyone will give a fuck about over privileged monarchy in 50 years time

This ^

I was 12 in 1977 and we got a Mug and a Silver Jubilee Book .
I still have the book (Well, DM does, in her loft)
I used to think my old annuals would make money but here we are, some 40 years on, and really they are not worth much unless super special

Noodledoodles1 · 10/07/2022 01:11

ByeByeBoree · 10/07/2022 01:05

But you are correct that I don't have any keepsakes of the attack on the world trade centre.

Hmm I don't have any keepsakes of the Falklands war, but it was a part of my childhood and memories. Same as the coin and mug from the 70's - maybe I'm more nostalgic than you - again each to their own

ClaryFairchild · 10/07/2022 01:13

YABU - my DSs have the diamond jubilee books, 1 also has a mug and the other a coin (different schools chose different keepsakes). As teenagers they quite like them now!

MissFancyDay · 10/07/2022 01:22

It's your son's book, I know you claim that he doesn't care about it but you obviously influence their views. Just give him the book, stop telling them what to think, and let him make his own mind up.

Cookingutensil · 10/07/2022 01:25

Send it to me, I wouldn't have minded a book. We got a pissing medal which is just more shite cluttering up my house and causing arguments (and landfill if I get my way).

milkyaqua · 10/07/2022 01:51

It's not yours. It was given to your son. Highhanded and controlling to remove it from him and send it back as if it's yours, in my view.

DailyDuckie · 10/07/2022 02:24

Why do you feel entitled enough to decided what memories and interests your son has? Just because you might not like it doesn’t mean he has to follow suit, if he throws it out in 10 years time then so what, no love lost. What ever you do now is not going to make the money back, give it to charity or back to the school if you are worried about the money aspect.

justfiveminutes · 10/07/2022 04:49

YahBooFucks · 09/07/2022 23:26

@GyozaGuiting but this is precisely why I'm getting a bit worked up (and I mean 'a bit'... I've really done nothing more than state how annoyed I am by it on a mumsnet thread)... There are awful things going on in the world, and real suffering and difficulties in this country. 12 million quid could have made much more of a difference elsewhere.

This thread shows that lots of people liked it. I daresay providing the book as an 'opt in' scheme would have been more costly and cumbersome than just providing it to everyone. It is now on general sale for £10 I think so wonder whether over time the publishing costs might be recouped that way.

spanishsummers · 10/07/2022 05:02

Seems like a cheap popularity seeking gimmick to send such a book to schools.

DockOTheBay · 10/07/2022 05:20

user1474315215 · 09/07/2022 21:01

YANBU. The book isn't at all child friendly, and who cares about the Jubilee anyway? Massive waste of money - charity shops are going to be overrun.

Agree it's not child friendly. It's SO long and dull. My 5 year old wanted to read it and I said OK, assuming it was a nice little picture book, but it's 100 pages of encyclopedia facts! They could have at least had different versions for KS1 and KS2

Meredusoleil · 10/07/2022 05:29

DockOTheBay · 10/07/2022 05:20

Agree it's not child friendly. It's SO long and dull. My 5 year old wanted to read it and I said OK, assuming it was a nice little picture book, but it's 100 pages of encyclopedia facts! They could have at least had different versions for KS1 and KS2

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I agree completely. And I say that as a teacher in primary. I tried to read it myself and gave up part way through!

Bungg1e · 10/07/2022 07:07

2 books would be too expensive . All kids get to KS2 in the blink of an eye. When I was little we often got given books that would last a whole childhood and you grew into. Think kids of today can manage the same. Not everything has to be now, now, now.

DockOTheBay · 10/07/2022 07:12

Bungg1e · 10/07/2022 07:07

2 books would be too expensive . All kids get to KS2 in the blink of an eye. When I was little we often got given books that would last a whole childhood and you grew into. Think kids of today can manage the same. Not everything has to be now, now, now.

I'm sure they can "manage" just as they could manage without the books at all. I don't think my daughter will be interested in reading a book about the jubilee in 3 years time when she barely remembers that it happened. It's not the story of classic book that lasts a whole childhood that they will reread and treasure, it's mainly a list of facts.