To think that the Wimpy Kid books are pure shite?

[FlyingPi]

I read to my kid every night, I love it and am happy to read almost anything even if he goes through phases of the same book or author for a while (we must have read Dogman A Tale of Two Kitties about 15 times).

But I freaking hate the Wimpy Kid books. And we're currently on our fourth one in a row, he spent a Christmas book token on three of them and also keeps asking for them at the library.

The hero is a little bully and is just mean to everyone. There are loads of parts where he makes fun of people for being fat, bald, stupid etc. They're not particularly funny, to me anyway. And there is a weird, WEIRD emphasis on the hero trying to chat up girls all the time which seems really odd in a book for this age group who are not yet at that stage surely? In one illustration he even is shown peeping in a window at some girls having a pillowfight. WTF? I also feel that the situations are honestly quite boring.

Just wanted to have a rant! Obviously I'll keep reading them if my kid wants me to, but I am really hoping he moves onto another series soon.
Does anyone else hate them?

I see Wimpy Kid and raise you anything by that Walliams bastard. I cannot stand those books and every relative bought the wannabe Dahl arsehole.

However, as someone who used to be involved in school book sales, anything that engenders a love of reading blah blah blah…

Lol and also your right.
Solutions: Try comic books or graphic novels that are age appropriate next maybe? The wimpy kids and the Walliams stuff have illustrations that seem to appeal. Either ask library if they have/ stock them if not, or buy a free and just leave them around the house? Or pick one for bedtime reading.

Or present your view to your child and see what they say? Do they agree with you and why etc. Generate some critical reading of the text together :)

So dull, we have read loads of great books , love Roald dahl , Pamela buchert, and Susanna Davidson.
but yes wimpy kid books are boring and ds agrees. I work in a library though and some kids love them.

Oh lordy, I would never read those aloud. They are for kids to read themselves, especially reluctant readers. If you’re doing the reading, you get to choose something more to your taste :)

Anything that gets kids reading is fine.

The absolute pits. Well, apart from Walliams obviously. See also Tom Gates (bit better but still hate them), and BeastQuest.

I find them hilarious

I read that the film contained some questionable information about FC so I'm giving them a wide berth too.

I can recommend the Bolds by Julian Clary. Very happy for my DS6 to read those.

I see Wimpy Kid and raise you Lottie Brooks. DD(11) and her friends - all of whom are bright and capable girls - are obsessed with this drivel.

Ha ha completely agree but my eldest’s class went through a phase of all being obsessed. The problem is that the books are about an 11/12 year old (who probably do have crushes etc.) but read by much younger kids. That being said, I have two friends whose children are reluctant readers and both absolutely loved the Wimpy Kid books - for one friend it was the first time her child had chosen to read by herself.

I have the same arrangement as a PP in that my son can read them to himself but when we’re reading together it’s something better (Harry Potter at the mo).

What's FC?

At least you are spared the rainbow fairies.

DD loves them and I let her read them. I wouldn’t read this to her
@MrsTerryPratchett.I couldn’t agree more about Walliams.

I remember loving the Babysitters Club series and Swert Valley High and went on to be discerning reader.

Oh my. I had forgotten about the Rainbow Fairies! DD1(14) loved those when very young. She is an avid and discerning reader now!

I know people rave about reading to kids but must say them becoming independent readers and reading to themselves at night was a happy day for me.

Rainbow fairies did no lasting damage both mine avid readers and opted for English lit gcse / a level which they ace!

Agreed! DD loves them and I think they're grim. Much prefer Tom Gates which is similar in style but actually funny and relatable.

Totally agree on Walliams as well. He's always given me the creeps and the unpleasant vibe from the books is entirely fitting with my visceral aversion to him.

I refuse to buy Walliams. I hate his books. So until my kids can work the library reserve system I’m safe

But it’s the parent reading them, not the kid.

I agree with the other poster who said these books are for independent reading. Any kid old enough for those books should be capable of reading them themselves.

So I had a rule that children can read anything they want themselves but if they want me to read it I have a say in what book I read. So, e.g. I refused to read any Rainbow Fairy books, those were for DD1 to read to herself. So if your DS likes the Wimpy Kid books then he can read them himself and you will read him book X that you'll both enjoy.

All the kids at school started writing kinda etc because of that wimpy bloody kid

They are more year 7/8 secondary aren’t they? I found them quite funny but wouldn’t really read them below year 5 sort of age.

Agree. And agree about Walliams. Awful. Have you tried any Anne Fine books? They are quite short but really overly stories. I have read them to children iver the years and they have loved it. My daughter still loves Bill's New Dress. And the angel of Nitshill road is a lovely book.

FC = father christmas.

DS 6 quite likes rainbow fairies, I found a few in a library book sale. I haven't read them myself, can someone give me the cons briefly?

He enjoyed the sam silver books.

Interesting to read about wimpy kid. DS is only six but has a reading age of at least 12, however content-wise he is a small child and I don't need him to be reading about what PPs have described! So thanks for the heads up!

He reads for at least three hours a day and it's hard to keep up. He doesn't have any screentime at home so it's either books or trainset. I did buy him a job lot of back issues of kids' magazines which has plugged a gap.
Totally agree that "kinda" would be a real turn off!! Already the American cartoons he watches on netflix at grandparents' house is a source of Americanisms!

So much for boys these days seems to approach them as though they don't enjoy reading and need it to be cool.

I've looked to the past and found some famous five, which he enjoys.

They are dreadful....but....

DS1 struggled with and hated reading. WK was pretty much was the first book that he voluntarily read to himself for more than the school required homework time. He loves them. Asked for them for birthdays and Christmas one year and built up his reading stamina.

He also enjoys DW. Again a fairly easy read that he'll voluntarily read at bedtime so building up stamina.

He's still fussy about what he reads but when challenged with other stories is able to read enough to actually get enough pace to enjoy the story.