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)

I suppose in a way though if we get young people into reading more even if via “famous” people who have become authors in a way that then opens the door to others to become more popular by virtue of building on that love of reading.

Like I said earlier ds found a love of reading via David Walliams but now his favourite authors include the likes of Onjali Q. Raúf as his tastes have developed

@Mybalconyiscracking

Well David Walliams is a fantastic children’s writer, no idea about the other two. To be fair these people have been writing stuff all their lives, they just go on stage to say it instead of putting it in a book..

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Walliams....fantastic writer...🤣🤣🤣

That's an incredibly low bar you have.

Walliams is the most awful writer; his work is wall to wall stereotypes and caricatures. When you consider the many excellent writers for children, it is so depressing the amount of space given to him.

About 7 or 8 years ago Ds was sent a plain covered pre-publication copy of David Baddiel’s first book to review. I think it was called The Parent Controller. He loved it. At that point he had no idea who Baddiel was.

I’m a big advocate in letting children read whatever they want to as long as the subject matter isn’t too adult for their age.

DD10 has read a David Baddiel book from the library and a Ben Miller book that she won in a competition.

She's no idea who either of them are but enjoyed both of the books.

She's now reading a Terry Pratchett book. It's definitely a bit more challenging but with some help from me explaining some of the references, she is enjoying that too.

To be honest I don't care who wrote what. If it's enjoyable to read then it's a good book.

Some of DW books I don't think have been all that bad (my DS loves them) but they do have a lot of samey lazy stereotypes in them.

Last year there was a day when 600 new titles were published after a backlog due to covid. I saw a news item on it and it was heralded as a great day for bookshops and publishing... and all I thought was ...imagine being an unknown with your first book out - it would be swamped by all the celeb and big name authors.

I heard Dr Hillary Jones recently on the radio, peddling a new book he has written and Craig Revel Horwood wrote one during lockdown

I don't blame anyone if they enjoy writing and are given the opportunity, you can see why they do it but I think it must be difficult as a new and unknown author to get noticed
On a related note me and DH were musing this lunch time about "older" (mainly male) popstars bringing out mainly crap new music. If it was an unknown artist you can bet the record company/radio station wouldn't give it the time of day!! (Ahem ...Elton John, Rod Stewart etc)

I have a million kids books of all eras and genre on my shelves and I am honestly baffled at why people find DW quite so markedly terrible, stereotypes aside (by the way many other authors do this). I don't think he ever expected to be on a Y7 reading list. Billionaire Boy, The Boy in a Dress, The Midnight Gang, Gangster Granny and Mr Stink are all nice stories, and fairly heart-warming, unless I have missed something. The Ratburger I could do without, same for Awful Auntie and the collations (that my kids love).

Feel like I may be accused of being DW's PR here so I'll accept that other people have different opinions and bow out. I do wonder what their kids think though!

@Thesearmsofmine

It’s interesting, I let my dc pick any books they like. They don’t have a clue who David Baddiel, Walliams or Ben Miller are yet they have picked out their books to read among many lesser known authors. I don’t have an issue with it because I want them to read a variety and develop their own tastes.

The thing is though if you take a child into a bookshop and let them choose these are the books that are so prominently displayed. They’re in the windows, they’re front and centre. They’re much more likely to be picked.

Glad to hear The Wizard in my Shed is funny. I have it ready to read to my son. I love Simon Farnaby from Horrible Histories and am a big fan of Yonderland and Ghosts.

Williams is awful. As a person, comedian and author.

But my 8yr old loves baddiels books. Yes it’s not fair he got published but his books are good as judged by kids who have no idea who he is. And he is rich and male but he is also from a minority group.

Ooh yes. Mine came home with a David Walliams book and they didn't like it. We're really struggling atm. We've done rainbow magic and Daisy so we're back on classic that I read as a child.
Any non celebrity authors ideas?

@Peggytheredhen

I have a million kids books of all eras and genre on my shelves and I am honestly baffled at why people find DW quite so markedly terrible, stereotypes aside (by the way many other authors do this). I don't think he ever expected to be on a Y7 reading list. Billionaire Boy, The Boy in a Dress, The Midnight Gang, Gangster Granny and Mr Stink are all nice stories, and fairly heart-warming, unless I have missed something. The Ratburger I could do without, same for Awful Auntie and the collations (that my kids love).

Feel like I may be accused of being DW's PR here so I'll accept that other people have different opinions and bow out. I do wonder what their kids think though!

The book my son was given is about two animals racing to be first on the moon. One of them screws the other one over, leaves them on the moon (presumably to die, with no way back to earth) and returns to earth to falsely claim the glory. I turned the last page waiting for the bit where good triumphs and he gets his comeuppance but no, that’s the end of the story

My son said he didn’t like it because it wasn’t kind and I quietly removed the book from circulation.

People who say his writing has mean undertones are bang on-there is none of the fundamental goodness, kindness and innocence of Roald Dahl. I think it’s insulting to him to compare them.

The book my son was given is about two animals racing to be first on the moon

This was the book I read too. It had no redeeming features. It didn’t even have the good grace to be well written. It was awkward and clunky.

I would agree, and I do find it annoying, but the proof is in the pudding. Kids don’t give a fuck who Ben Miller is. They either enjoy a book or don’t.

There are a lot of shit children's books out there.

@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.

Oh not much, just a dash of racism, fat shaming and classism

There are some books by celebrity authors that are a genuinely good read. But the weight of the attention they're given is a real issue, when there are so many authors writing great books that kids simply won't find, because the celeb titles are marketed so, so prominently.

Seconding the recommendation of Laura Ellen Anderson.

And another idea for the pp who has finished Rainbow Magic, by the way - The Magic Potions Shop series is lovely, if you haven't tried it yet?

I'm not a fan of Walliams, but I don't think DC care about his celebrity. For whatever reason they really enjoy his books, including lots of DC that don't otherwise read much.
I'd rather they read something better, but I'm, I'm ok with a bit of Walliams.
As others have pointed out, his comedic fame is partly based on his ability to write gags and skits.
Reading material for DC should be chosen for their benefit and enjoyment, not to provide air time or income to authors deemed underepresented or worthy.

Do people refer to kids that aren't their own as DC?

Reading material for DC should be chosen for their benefit and enjoyment, not to provide air time or income to authors deemed underepresented or worthy.

And you think that's why Holly Willoughby and Frank Lampard were given publishing contracts? Because their books benefit children more than those written by a non-celebrity author?

My almost eight year old opined - after being given two of the masterpieces that are David Walliams books - that he thought the books were trying to be like the ones that man Roald Dahl wrote but they are rubbish.

@NothingEverChangesButTheShoes

Ooh yes. Mine came home with a David Walliams book and they didn't like it. We're really struggling atm. We've done rainbow magic and Daisy so we're back on classic that I read as a child. Any non celebrity authors ideas?

The Lion Boy series by 'Zizou Corder' is brilliant. And Halo by same author (young female main character set in ancient Greece) is really good too. Authors name in apostrophes as it is a pen name of a mother+daughter duo (The daughter not an adult), my kids thought this was quite cool.

I just think there needs to be ways of promoting unknown authors in libraries and schools.

The celebs seem to have a monopoly on the children's market and they have such an advantage with name recogonition, established agents and time/resources to write.

Another thing about the celeb authors is that ultimately their lived experience is one of relative privilege and does this mean you are missing out on authentic working class voices in the children's sector?

I think JKR showed there was money to be made in children's literature and the celebs and canny agents recognised this and took advantage.

There are some books by celebrity authors that are a genuinely good read. But the weight of the attention they're given is a real issue, when there are so many authors writing great books that kids simply won't find, because the celeb titles are marketed so, so prominently.

This totally.
It's difficult to get an agent for a book-they have 100s of books per one they accept. I'm sure there are many books written that children would love that never get the opportunity for children to read.

But saying they were the books which get children reading, doesn't really make a good argument, because who knows if there is an unknown (like JKRowling) whose book hasn't been published (she was rejected many times over) or if it has been published hasn't been able to compete as an unknown against the celebrities, which would have just as much got huge numbers of children reading.

I would never comment unfavourably about a book that a child is reading but there are no celeb books on my classroom shelves.

None in my house for my DC either but I wouldn't comment if they borrowed one from the library.

We are in a golden age of children's publishing. There are so many fabulous books to read of every genre for every age group.

Its the idea of children's authorship which truly is an art being a sideline in the many revenue streams of a successful celeb which makes me feel this is rather corporate.

It's as if an agent or adviser in some cases has pushed the celeb to put their hand to writing as there is a profit to.be made.

Better marketing for the unknown geniuses in this field I say.