Famous men cashing in on children's book market??

[mids2019]

David Walliams, David Baddiel, now Ben Miller.....rich university educated men getting in on a lucrative market or simply making the most of their talent?

Personally I feel I would like my children to read books from relative unknowns (I guess JKR would have originally fitted this bracket) to allow new author to establish a career (as these guys have already had theirs)

By 'truly great' I don't mean anything stuffy. There are great humorous, books, historical fiction books, thrillers etc.

Anyone who buys a children's book by David Baddiel should look up his enthusiastic endorsement and defence of porn - all through his 20s and 30s. He only shut up when he became a parent funnily enough.

Anyone remember when Fergie wrote a kids’ book? Budgie the helicopter or something? Was that the start of slebs thinking I know, I’ve got kids, I’ll do a children’s book…

I only read one Tom fletcher book and it was basically “poo poooooooo poo poo poooooo pooooooo poo poo poo”

I started one David Walliams book and it was mean and boring. I might have finished it but it was a gazillion pages long and I couldn’t be arsed.

Agree, but IMO the Walliams comfort reading can sit alongside those (if a kid wants). I'd never expect to see them on the shelf of a secondary school TBH.

I agree with the frustration about celebrity publishing generally speaking-there is so much drivel - publishing is about making money only. I just happen to think the DW aren't actually that bad. (And so what if he took inspiration from Dahl/isn't as good as him? It's a high bar).

Fergie has written many more since.... and has a Youtube channel where she reads them.

@minipie

Anyone remember when Fergie wrote a kids’ book? Budgie the helicopter or something? Was that the start of slebs thinking I know, I’ve got kids, I’ll do a children’s book…

she's got a bodice ripper out now. I saw some very ad promo vid where she was wandering around a field dressed in 19th c riding gear trying to look sultry!

*odd promo vid

I hid the one David Walliams book my kids got given because the message and theme of the story was so awful. I was astounded it got published. I think he’s utterly awful.

It’s everywhere isn’t it - Charlie Higson, Simon Farnaby, Greg James as well. Some but not all are talented and at least had a background in writing. It’s very lazy of the publishing companies and must be so frustrating for genuinely talented but unknown authors trying to not only get published but get any publicity or room in displays for all the celebs.

David Williams is awful in my opinion. A local theatre company did a production of The First Hippo on the Moon a few years back and I bought a copy for my son beforehand, it was unreadable. Just awkward prose and rubbish storytelling. I’ve flicked through my niece’s copies of his books for older children and don’t see the appeal.

On the other hand my son absolutely loves The Creakers and The Danger Gang by Tom Fletcher. I read them to him and can understand the appeal.

I agree with the person mentioning how touchy David Baddiel is on this topic I commented on a Twitter thread where he was just absolutely not having that his celebrity may have been helpful in getting his books published or getting them front and centre in Tesco/Waterstones etc.

This country has to be one of the world for giving publishing contracts for shitty books to really illiterate slebs.

My child was given a terrible book through the school by some fuckwit called Ben Fogle, who is apparently a "beloved broadcaster."

one of the worst in the world*

So outraged I am dropping whole sentence fragments.

Ds started off with David Walliams, they where the first books he was really passionate to read.

He is currently loving books by Onjali Q. Raúf and Michael Murpurgo and many similar type books so I don’t think his early enjoyment of David Walliams has done any harm when it comes to the “quality” of his reading material.

Reading The Danger Gang to my DS at the mo and I like it. I have never found David Baddiel's that appealing.

Is Fergie channelling Jilly Cooper now...?

some fuckwit called Ben Fogle, who is apparently a "beloved broadcaster."

posh blonde bloke who travels to far flung places whilst being blonde and posh.

Its no different from the celebs who used to do those ridiculous exercise videos. Anything for a dollar and a bit of fame. Pathetic.

I hate David Walliams books. Has anyone noticed he bumps up the word count with endless long lists? They're crap.

@mids2019

David Walliams, David Baddiel, now Ben Miller.....rich university educated men getting in on a lucrative market or simply making the most of their talent?

Personally I feel I would like my children to read books from relative unknowns (I guess JKR would have originally fitted this bracket) to allow new author to establish a career (as these guys have already had theirs)

It's very possible to find works by good unknowns but you have to do the searching yourself. Of course all the highly publicised books would be by 'famous' authors - marketing and even the front spot on bookstore shelves/Amazon's choice costs money. And people are very brand conscious.

Slebs sell mostly badly written books. But I don't care. They still sell books. My niece(11) loves David Walliams. She is working on an online dictionary of words he's invented. Along with many some DW inspired words of her own.🤣🤣🤣

DS1(14) started loving of books because of Julia Donaldson and his love of reading, from the Moon Boy books. DS2(3) loves Dr. Seuss. As long as it gets them interested in books, I don't care🤷‍♀️

I agree. Maybe we should all share non-sleb decent authors?

Laura Ellen Anderson and Harriet Muncaster have my 5 year old captured at the moment.

@WhiskyXray

This country has to be one of the world for giving publishing contracts for shitty books to really illiterate slebs.

My child was given a terrible book through the school by some fuckwit called Ben Fogle, who is apparently a "beloved broadcaster."

You are not wrong. Out of all the beautiful poetry and stories that came from the world during the 1600s Shakespeare was probably among the most simple. Yet he’s the one people celebrate because of the British Empire

The shark Caller by Zillah Bethell is a fabulous read for chidren in years 5-8. Set in Papua new Guinea.

Yep, it’s embarrassing how easily celebs get a children’s books contract. People think it is easy to write for kids, when it is anything but….

@Peggytheredhen

I like the David Walliams books and so do my kids. I have seen brilliant stage shows of them and like the BBC shows. Not sure what the problem with them is? Roald Dahl's books aren't all good. Agree about celebrities amd book deals but TBH I have more of a problem with slebs (male or female) publishing books they haven't written.

As books they’re not that great to be honest in my opinion. As tv or stage productions I can see that wet work better. It was my mum who pointed out that Walliams is first and foremost a script writer. His books read like a tv script I think - lots of described noises etc. I’m not a massive fan myself. Find him weirdly creepy as he ages.

Thought this the other day when Tom Fletcher was called an "author" on Strictly, it's just ridiculous. What on earth makes them qualified to be able to write books?