To consider Mr & Mrs Large (aka Jill Murphy) a bit outdated, old fashioned and down right boring

[roseability]

My DS loves these stories

BUT

Mr Large comes in from work collapses on the sofa and does nothing because he is tired

He 'kindly' does the children's breakfast because Mrs Large is poorly. So when the man does these chores it is out of kindness

Mrs Large has a poor body image because a fat elephant couldn't possibly be happy with their figure

and so on....

I work in a playgroup and the children love the story when Mrs Large is poorly. I hate it and you have just reminded me to lodge it at the back of the book cupboard when I go back in September.

I dont like the one where Mrs L decides they are all fat so she puts them on an extreem diet and exercise programme. Then they all end up binge eating on the cake.

i dont know the one where she is poorly, but their night out one always rings true with me, once a year
i like them as did dc's, and i always read them changing their names to my dc's

I didn't like the one where Mrs Large was feeling fat but I love "5 Minutes Peace". I completely relate to that one.

I do like the books and find them quite witty, but I do agree that the roles of the parents are a bit sexist/gender-stereotyped.

Oh me too! I loathe them - and the crappy tv prog.

But I LOVE On the Way Home by the same author.

I HATE 5 minutes' peace. Awful message to give your kids I think. I haven't read any others but I'm not warming to them!

The diet/cake one was in our dr's waiting room, I was a bit suprised TBH its not really "on message" is it!

Though dc's love them and chortled at them all hiding under the table.