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Original poster

Best & worst Julia Donaldson book? (In your opinion)

247 replies

Mummy2022FT · 27/07/2023 19:24

Just interested.

For me I love Tabby McTat and Smeds & the Smoos. Least favourite is Stickman.

Wbu?

OP posts:
Helihelicopter · 27/07/2023 20:06

Favourites:
The Gruffalo
Zog
Tiddler

Least faves:
The Highway Rat
Paper Dolls - so I’m surprised that it seems everyone else loves it!

ProfessorGambol · 27/07/2023 20:06

I think The Snail and The Whale is a masterpiece. Every word is so perfectly chosen, and Axel Scheffler’s illustrations are sublime.

I’m surprised The Highway Rat is getting so much stick, I really like it as a riff on The Highwayman. The page near the end has some lovely phrases - ‘wild was the moonlight dancing’.

I also really enjoy Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book - very meta

Peekingovertheparapet · 27/07/2023 20:06

i hate the smeds and the smoos. Such a dull, sell-out book. But I for a similarly themed but awesome book I’d recommend The Butter Battle by Dr Seuss.

id struggle to pick a favourite but I do like Paper Dolls

Fleur405 · 27/07/2023 20:07

Best - the Snail and the Whale (but it’s a close call between that and The Everywhere Bear)
Worst - the Highway Rat

soundsys · 27/07/2023 20:07

Worst is The Smartest Giant in town for the bloody scarf/giraffe (non) rhyme

Room on the Broom is my favourite

Tootingbec · 27/07/2023 20:07

Favourite is Tabby McTat

least favourite is Zog

Fleur405 · 27/07/2023 20:08

Oh I do also like The Detective Dog

aunttrixie · 27/07/2023 20:09

hlc123 · 27/07/2023 19:56

I find it really hard to pick a favourite but will go with Tiddler. Worst is Spinderella then The Highway Rat

Ugh I’d forgotten about Spinderella - definitely the worst! Why does it have to be so long?!

gingercat02 · 27/07/2023 20:10

Charlie Cook's favourite book was probably my favourite. What the Ladybird saw would be DS fav

Sunset6 · 27/07/2023 20:11

The Singing Mermaid is a masterpiece. Also love the Detective Dog & Hospital Dog. Least favourite is the Rhyming Rabbit, it’s too long.

Andanotherone01 · 27/07/2023 20:11

Love Tiddler and used to love doing different voices for DDs when reading it.
Worst is Superworm. Annoyingly repetitive

Auntieofdragons · 27/07/2023 20:12

Best: the singing mermaid
Second: the smeds and the smoos
best seasonal: the Christmas pine

worst: the smartest giant or monkey puzzle

mastertomsmum · 27/07/2023 20:12

Best: Charlie Cook’s favourite book or Room on the Broom

Least faves: A Squash and a Squeeze and Stick Man

DaisyDando · 27/07/2023 20:12

I love reading Tiddler in assembly to the infants.

ThreeFeetTall · 27/07/2023 20:13

I like the ones that are nice to read and a lot of her books have a thread running through them about how reading and story telling is great- eg detective dog, tiddler, the snail and the whale

The worst is the scarecrows wedding, a real creepy guy and the idea of being in a field on fire but not having any feet..it's the stuff of nightmares 😱

kezziegrey · 27/07/2023 20:13

Snail and the whale is beautiful and stickman is the most entertaining.

Worst - Charlie cook and smartest giant in town - both quite boring

mastertomsmum · 27/07/2023 20:14

soundsys · 27/07/2023 20:07

Worst is The Smartest Giant in town for the bloody scarf/giraffe (non) rhyme

Room on the Broom is my favourite

When we lived in the US I saw that their title for it was The Spiffiest Giant in Town

ThreeFeetTall · 27/07/2023 20:14

I meant nice to read aloud

TinyTeacher · 27/07/2023 20:15

Sont like the Highway rat. Most of her books have such great rhythm and are so easy to read. That one feels like hard work.

Favourite is hard... All of my kids have loved Zog. Gruffalo is obviously great. Room on the Broom also amazing. We frequently read lots of different Julia Donaldson books. I think favourite is age dependent - all of mine had Monkey Puzzle as an early favourite but then have moved onto others as they were able to understand plot better.

GetOurraMeWay · 27/07/2023 20:15

I hate JD books. HATE. worst is Smartest Giant with Flum Flum tree a close second. Gruffalo and Zog are the least awful.
I hate the rhythm/scansion, they don't rhyme in my accent, and I really dislike Axel whatshisname's illustrations. The characters are weirdly googly eyed.
I realise I am in a tiny and very wrong minority 😁

gingercat02 · 27/07/2023 20:16

olivo · 27/07/2023 19:48

Is Giraffes can’t dance. a JD book? I loved that too!

One of the best little kids books ever 🦒

unicornjewels · 27/07/2023 20:17

Favourites:
Tabby McTat
A Squash and a Squeeze

Worst:
The Princess and the Wizard (or whatever it's called)
Charlie Cook's Favourite Book

LessonsInPhysics · 27/07/2023 20:18

Snail and the whale makes me cry (in a good way).

Stickman (or Dickman as DS used to call it) not so much

Also have a soft spot for Squash and a squeeze.

Pl242 · 27/07/2023 20:20

Favourite is Detective Dog Nell (love the message about the importance of libraries).

Least favourite is highway rat as I just can’t get the hang of the rhyme.

lotsofdogshere · 27/07/2023 20:23

Snail on the whale, room on the broom, Gruffalow child

i haven’t read the entire thread so this may have been mentioned. The Lowry (Salford) has a great Julia Donaldson- exhibition on now. There are stick men and Gruffalows wandering about, a good craft room, great illustrations on the walls, plus stories. Julia’s hand written notes and Axel’s sketches thst became illustrations all there. I’ve been with grandchildren the 4 and 5 year olds loved it, the 7 and 8 year old boys were engrossed

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