AIBU to have serious concerns about a Julia Donaldson book?

[BabyNameHelpPls]

Specifically, Fox’s Socks.

The fuck is going on with this guy? He’s woken up at 10am, his clothes are all over the place—his hat is underneath the bathmat, and one of his socks on the head of a frankly disturbing Mr. Punch character in the attic… how much did Fox have to drink the previous night?!

Or, as I’m coming to wonder, how involved is the mouse in all this? She’s so unreadable: at first I thought she was just smug, passive-aggressively following him around and not helping to find any of these clothes in bizarre places.

But does she, in fact, have MH issues, possibly even dementia? She pauses halfway through to make a hat out of a rose, for god’s sake. Is Fox a carer for Mouse? Did he sleep through his alarm from sheer stress and exhaustion, to find she had woken up and distributed his belongings throughout the house? Or is this an abusive relationship and she’s gaslighting him into thinking he’s losing his mind?

AIBU to be very worried that this is not an example of healthy dynamics, regardless of character motivations, and damaging to my toddler’s perception of the world? Should I ban the book? Or is there a more nuanced and wholesome interpretation of the work that I’m missing? Any advice welcome.

Pooed on?! 💩

I have to say I don't remember that particular plot twist!

Of course, I haven't read all of Julia's output, she's like a children's-book-writing machine, I swear I see a new one almost every month in the library. Not sure I'll pick up the one about the mole getting pooed on though, don't want to give out any ideas when potty training...

Can I throw the classic The Tiger Who Cane to Tea into the mix?

I always felt it was perfectly obvious that mummy had clearly helped herself to some Mother’s Little Helpers and hadn’t done the weekly shop so had to make up a whole load of hooey about a tiger eating everything in the house to gaslight poor, hardworking daddy into taking her and the unfortunate neglected child out for sausage.

It really bothers me that Harry doesn't just ask the snail for directions to the pail. Why he has to follow him for days is beyond me.

On a separate note, Frog's Day Out has a picture where he is bouncing in his seat and the other animals are clearly embarrassed to be with him.

Nooo they are gorgeous books!! I often use this call and response with my son: in the cupboard up high - he finds his bow tie. And I’m sure the depths of symbolic interpretation are immense :-)

Not read this one (I'm a few years out of the Julia Donaldson world) but from this thread it sounds like it's just a counterfeit Dr Seuss Fox in Socks.

Fox in socks this game is done sir, thank you for a lot of fun sir!

I absolutely loathe Fox’s Socks. It’s such a disappointment, particularly when compared with Rabbit’s Nap.

You’re singing to the choir here.

I also detest the Scarecrow’s Wedding! Why introduce a three year old to the concept of a cad?! Why is someone smoking in a children’s book?

🤣🤣🤣

😂😂😂 think I pissed myself a bit

Monkey Puzzle. Butterfly spends the whole time selflessly helping the little monkey and only gets a load of wailing and screaming "you got it wrong" in return. Doesn't even get a thanks in the end.

Did anyone have Mr Pusskins?! The lovely cat that went rogue and went off partying with all the feral cats through the night, then basically had a massive self pitying comedown and had to ring his mum to get picked up from the street?

We've all been there I guess.... 🫠😂💀

I've never been a fan of any of the books & this one is no different.

This a reference to 'The Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business' (not written by JD) my DC had the 'Plop-up' edition shudder, thanks to my 'dear' brother who was always supplying poo/wee based books, I used to hide them. Give me Julia and Axel any day.

Its a fantastic book and this is a hilarious post.

Never liked the troll. It never rhymed and felt like it lasted an a lifetime to read! I do love a squash and a squeeze though. I feel like I’m that lady.

In Squirrels Snowman, she clearly has a bottle of wine in that pantry. They must all be into the party lifestyle in Acorn Wood.

Great thread btw.

I love this one.

think Tiddler is my favourite though

I always point that out to my husband - making a burglar a cup of tea is the last thing that I'd be doing. What was life like back then!?

However, Mog and the Baby is the absolute worst. Mrs Thomas (the mother in Mog's family) is watching a neighbour's baby whilst neighbour goes to do some shopping.

Mrs Thomas is so lax and neglectful the baby pulls and prods at the cat, eats the cats food and actually escapes out of the window and crawls into the road to follow Mog.

As they come home, Baby's mum and Mr Thomas almost hit the baby in the car. Thankfully Mog saves the baby, albeit only to avoid a vicious dog.

And then, Mrs Thomas has the cheek to criticise the baby for being so stupid for crawling out of an open window and wandering into the road. And praises Mog.

No mortification of being such a neglectful babysitter. No apologies to the mother who almost was in a car that narrowly avoided killing her own child.

It actually boils my piss. The Mum is called Mrs Clutterbuck and I always think to myself; more like Mrs Clusterfuck.

Loving this thread - thanks OP! 😂

You’re not wrong, there is a backstory here, no way all those clothes end up in such random places by accident. Inside the clock?! The hat would be damp under the bath mat surely. I’m wondering if the mouse may just be a figment of Foxes fragile mind..? A construct to help ground him and guide him back to reality, except she is part of his broken mind state and starts doing loopy stuff too like the rose hat and the knowing smile 🤷‍♀️ The Jack in the Box in the loft is maybe a metaphor. I felt weirdly jealous of Fox’s loft though, it’s so gloriously roomy, look at all that storage space!

Love how the rabbit in Hide and Seek Pig looks pissed off when she ends up carrying squirrels washing basket. Also why does Pig’s head look so massive and weird on the last page? All round and huge and odd 😳 The invading friends at the end of Rabbit’s nap are tone deaf, just leave Rabbit alone ffs she can take herself to bed or wherever, but no, fine, barge in, go follow her upstairs to bedroom like a load of intrusive wierdo’s 🙄

This is my favourite interpretation so far

The end of the Smed’s and the Smoo’s always makes me tear up a little though. I sing the song like they sang it in the stage show adaptation of the book we saw and is a bit emotional 🥲

Oh God, looks like they've turned the Acorn Wood books into a stage show as well! Including a bit where a half dressed giant Fox puppet is searching for his clothes to a cheery song by the puppeteers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUYdUUgCKUw/ but you may need eyebleach. Has anyone been to see this? What was it like??

I think she's run out of ideas. Though I did like one book which was about a crab, a worm and a sea anemone sharing a shell.

'Dormouse has a Cold' really gets my back up. She goes to the doctor and gets a pill - for what?? It's a cold! Then she spends days in bed whilst mutiple friends come to visit bringing cards and chocolates. I'd have to undergo major surgery for that sort of treatment.

What about "A Squash and a Squeeze"? Disturbing hoarding situation unfolding with the batshit old woman. The old man is clearly abetting.

Also, Stick Man spends most of the book away from his wife and kids yet gets a hero's welcome on his return.

I'd love it if he'd come back and the missus had shacked up with a big burly tree bough.