to think that Spot books are just really really badly written?

[emkana]

I have to make up my own words to them.

And don't even get me started on the Mr.Men books. Hate them.

And as for Thomas the Tank Engine... they make me lose the will to live.

Are thomas books really bad?

My dad always did the bedtime stories and we usually got thomas or one of his friends. As a child I think I enjoyed them...

And today dad announced that he was bored of all DDs usual books and produced a very battered thomas book...

Are they a man thing?

I hate Oxford Reading Tree books from school. Chip and Biff - what sort of names are those and which one is the girl. Aaargh.

Haven't read the thread, but I think the Elmer books are particularly shitly written. Good illustrations though.

'I hate ANY book that is based on a TV series- Thomas, Bob, Dora'

If you mean Thomas the Tank Engine-they were written by Rev Awdry, a railway enthusiast, for his son Christopher, starting in 1943.
Apologies if you didn't mean that Thomas.

Owl Babies. Vomit, vomit, vomit. Twee as anything, cruddy illustrations and nothing happens. DH was reading to our 6mo DS with disbelief tonight, not having read it before.

I'm with whoever slated the "That's not my..." books. I'm sure the author is lovely but I'm afraid the copy of "That's not my Santa" we got for Xmas is just crap. "That's not my Santa, his beard is too fluffy" or something. WTF?

Trefusis, eurrrrgh. I think I remember the wolf but had forgotten it until now (ta!). A relative gave us her "Mother Goose" or somesuch from her own childhood and it has so many gruesome rhymes in it. "Who Killed Cock Robin" isn't the half of it. Brrr.

Any book that is more about shifting product than enjoying reading.

I loved Noggin the Nog books when I was tiny (apparently) and have recently seen the TV series. My goodness, but it's dull. Tiny Vikings toddling around having adventures that all seem to end in eating hot buttered toast. But I am sure that is exactly why I loved it as a child.

Doesn't Beatrix Potter contain some horrors? I am sure that domestic violence occurs in the Tale of Two Bad Mice. But I loved the Tailor of Gloucester and The Tale of Mrs Tiggywinkle.

We also love "Peepo" for the period detail in the illustrations and DS likes chewing it and sticking his hand through the hole in the page. And DH loves the Gruffalo as he does the voices like various celebrities. Fox is Ringo Starr, the Gruffalo is Brian Blessed and Owl is Noel Coward. Not sure who Snake's supposed to be but whoever it is, his dentures don't fit.

What's with that weird ending of The Elephant and the Bad Baby? Was he on drugs? Had he given up on life?

Most peculiar.

But Owl Babies is great (well, if you have a child like mine who positively enjoys weeping).

Also, wasn't the Bad Baby just knackered from being bad?

I have to say I rather love the violence of Beatrix Potter. But then I have a mad friend who has excised the word bad from the elephant etc because bad is just wrong in her world. Odd.

We have "that's not my penguin" and it is perfectly alright by me

Noggin the nog I never knew there were books? i thought it was another oliver postgate job - certainly i loved it as a child. Same vibe as captain pugwash (the bits of cardboard for the mouth moving and that was it!).

Starkadder - will check that one out.
To be fair dd reads absolutely anything & everything and our family must know it - she got 73 books for Christmas!
I am much more picky than she is!

Hate hate hate Mr Men books and will refuse point blank to read them. Love Dr Seuss generally, but am all Cat in the Hatted-out. Anything Disney or character based completely turns me off.

Love Shirley Hughes. Don't mind Julia Donaldson. And Emily gravett is pretty cool too.

trefusis - the emaciated wolf is in "beware of girls" ds2 was fascinated by that picture
My dcs have always loved badly written, impossible to read aloud without that dragging fingernails down a blackboard feeling books, usually given as hand me downs or bought at school fairs.

garden gang was WONDERFUL!

ditto curious about the whereabouts of jayne fisher...perhaps she is an mn-er...???

I tried reading DS a Secret Seven book, because in race memory everyone loved them (I didn't) so thought I should at least give him the option.

Just awful. After about half way he said 'what is going on? please stop reading this now'. We went back to Harry Potter with feelings of relief.

The little one, who let's say doesn't exactly challenge himself, is still enjoying Kipper even tho' he starts school in September. That's going to be a bit of a shock, eh!

I could happily read the Tiger who came to Tea every day (and I think I have) but want to throw all the Thomas, Mr Men and bloody dinosaur encyclopedias over next doors fence.

I see Spot books as being 'readers' for children learning to read, as well as being friendly images for pre-school age. Big text, simple words - DD1 who is 5 and in reception can just about read a whole story to her little sister. Very cute indeed, so I like them for that reason. They are not exactly bed time story material otherwise.

Mr Men are awful to read, likewise Thomas.

I nearly dislocated my jaw trying not to yawn while reading the Thomas stories.

I also made the mistake of buying 'Curious George' because the illustrations looked quite sweet. What a mistake!

The stories were inane yet wildly irritating and DH and I refused to read them to DS. He had to rely on visiting friends who volunteered for the bedtime story, while DH and I made a start on the wine

DD was given That's Not My Princess and dh and I always childlishly chortle when we get to 'That's not my princess...her fan is too fluffy'.

I'm another one who can't bear reading Thomas the Tank. I love Julia Donaldson books and Miriam Moss' Billy Bear stories.

I started reading Mr Men books to DD1 when I had dreadful 'morning' sickness before realising how awful they are to read. She loved them of course and still does. They still make me feel nauseous and that's before I've even opened the cover

Agree re. the Thomas stories - same thing happens in each one and some of the messages they give are awful.

Don't mind the Mr Men books or the That's Not My X series.

My fave books to read are Bear Hunt, Penguin and The Night Pirates.

I loved reading DS the Thomas books! Couldn't bear Beatrix Potter, but luckily neither could he, so the lovely illustrated "complete works" got shelved very soon.

Trefusis - that sounds like "Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf". I loved that when I was little.

My mother was an outrageous snob and banned the Mr. Men and Enid Blyton from the house.

Would it be inappropriate to admit I hate the Gruffalo? Repetative and dull, though I do like the Gruffalo's Child. Some Beatrix Potter is great, some dull, some downright scary. Dd1 loves the Tale of Tom Kitten (Or Rats and Cats as she calls it) dh does a terrifying voice for the rat calling "Anna Maria! Anna Maria!" but dd1 seems to like it.

I like both Gruffalo and Gruffalo's Child but love The Smartest Giant in Town.