To feel that were I Julia Donaldson I would not consider doing this in public

[ipanemagirl]

with my husband?
I mean family gatherings would be ok but not in public.

Why? It's just a silly thing...my kids love her books, and would prob get a kick out of the songs...

Um why not. We went to see her do that live it was brilliant the kids loved it. She sat next to us afterwards and chatted to my dds. Lovely lady.

with their bank balance, I am sure they have no qualms about doing promotional stuff.

it's silly, but at least they are involved and seem to enjoy it!

Only listened to the G. Child song but it was better than a lot of children's television I've seen. If you're too up your own arse you can't entertain children.

well it's a matter of opinion. She appears to be a very nice person for sure.

I'm sure she is very nice, and there's no doubt she's very confident. But she can't sing for toffee, she's awful - flat as a pancake and tone deaf.

Who cares if she can't sing, the kids don't. I am a huge fan she talked to my dd who has SN for ages and made her feel very special.

That is lovely. Why should she not do it, sure that the kids wont notice that she cannot sing. I cannot hold a tune either and they dont complain.

It's a very sweet thing to do, children will love it.

I think it's really nice! Thye use of props and the rhythm would make it very accessible to kids with SN, too.. the rhyme is clever.. a great literacy boosting event! It's not X factor you know! I think it's wonderful to see people with ordinary voices singing to kids, highlights thst it's the fun/communication aspect that's most important. Julia, you rock!

God I cant hold a tune in a bucket, totally tone deaf, but everyone of my mindees love me singing!

Kids dont care, they just love to sing!

Well done Julia, we have you on CD in the car and burnt off on the Lounge PC, kids and I sing along at the top of our voices.

Apparently she has some hearing loss which explains the probs with holding a tune (my Mum is profoundly deaf and knows someone who knows her).

OP - Right now my credit card is cursing you as I visit the Gruffalo shop and spend too much money on puzzles, t-shirts and plasters for DS.

I think it's lovely. Personally I can't hold a tune either - doesn't stop me singing my heart out in church or in the privacy of my own home and I would be mortified if I thought people were sneering at me because of it. Op - I think your post is rather nasty actually.

I think it's a lovely thing to see adults who are not afraid to appear slightly ridiculous! Imo it shows that they are truly comfortable in their own skins.

julia Donaldson is a really gifted writer and my children have adored all her books.

Good on her (and her hubby!).

We saw her at Hay a couple of years ago and the whole family performed singing and dancing. We met her afterwards to sign books and she was lovely.

We saw her in Bath. She also got Axel to make a special picture of the Gruffalo that they all signed and was given to a childrens hospice staff member to auction off later.

What fabulously barking people, I would love to be like that! My three DS' loved watching that.

Love it. She comes across as eccentric and fun with little self-consciousness. That'll be why she's such a hugely successful author of children's books.

The Sharing the Shell song is unintentionally hilarious and I did laugh for a good five minutes.

However, my children loved the clips and have been singing along all morning. Thanks for posting the link. She's wonderful, once you get over the shock of normal people being entertaining rather than Cheryl Cole clones.

she is great.

For the record:
She's obviously lovely
Clearly one has to be totally natural to entertain kids
I have nothing against her
both dc love the books massively

To be honest it was the spouse and his guitar that made me want to hide under the sofa but what the hell! I take it back, it's adorable!

Clearly disrespecting La Donaldson and strumming spouse on mumsnet is like pooing on someone's carpet!!!!!!!

he he "pooing on someones carpet!"

It's terrible, and wonderful, at the same time. I don't suppose many would do it, like the OP says, but kids love it, stripped of all the gloss and made happy and real. I wouldn't do it but I hugely respect that she would/ did.

Obv if they were your parents it would be excruciating but she is lovely, her husband looks jolly and fun and eccentric so yah boo sucks to you op. Lighten up.

I took dds to see the Gruffalo stage show yesterday and it was fabulous. Totally loved the snake. Dds adored it all.