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Children's books

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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:
Threeboysadogandacat · 27/07/2023 20:23

I love The Smartest Giant in Town and A Squash and a squeeze. I’m not sure I have a least favourite.

Oligodoodle · 27/07/2023 20:25

Love most JD books. Have spent hours of my life reading them.
favourites: Tabby mcTat, Ugly Five and Highway Rat
Least faves: Monkey Puzzle, the Princess one and Zog and Flying Doctors
Have never even heard of Paper Dolls until now!

Original poster
Mummy2022FT · 27/07/2023 20:25

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

Wow sounds amazing! I wish I could take my DS but live in london so too far :(

OP posts:
MsNorris · 27/07/2023 20:27

I love the Axel Schlaffer illustrations the best, there’s always hidden Easter eggs with characters from other books hidden in them.

Julia Donaldson said she was inspired to write Stickman after her sons suicide which makes me think differently about the story, especially when stickman goes through all the things he’s not and how he wants to get back to his family.

Favourite - hard to choose - Zog, Tabby McTat, Charlie cook and others
Least favourite - the trolls, the illustrations make me feel a bit ick

Blobblobblob · 27/07/2023 20:27

Tiddler is amazing, also Paper Dolls.

I hate Smartest Giant in Town and I am sick to death of bloody Super worm!

mynameiscalypso · 27/07/2023 20:28

We saw the Smeds and the Smoos at the theatre today - it's on in London until the first week of Sept. It was brilliantly done and my 4 year old adored it.

Cheeseplantt · 27/07/2023 20:28

Best is Tabby McTat
Worst is Tyrannosaurus Drip - it just doesnt rhyme at all for me. I also dont like scarecrows wedding for the smoking (judgy I know!)

SgtCatherineCawood · 27/07/2023 20:28

Love Room On The Broom and Snail and the Whale

Hate The Ugly 5. I just can't get it to "flow" when I read it 🤷🏻‍♀️

DiamondTiddler · 27/07/2023 20:29

My favourite is Tiddler and least favourite is The Snail and the Whale, the latter being far too 'wordy', it loses the Donaldson charm.

PerspiringElizabeth · 27/07/2023 20:29

HATE Superworm. Hate the look of him, hate the words.
Tabby McTat has a really grating rhyme pattern to me.

LOVE Squash and a Squeeze and Tiddler but that’s because they’re one of the first we were exposed to with DC1 and saw the Tiddler stage show which included Squash & Squeeze and it was just magical and such a great production, and I read S&S in the accents they used to this day and I’m just really good at it and it just makes me feel really good about myself 😄

No clue what the kids prefer 😂

PerspiringElizabeth · 27/07/2023 20:30

Oh and how could I forget Room on the Broom!!! Adore! Had to make up the first page for ages as came to us with half ripped off haha.

And DS2 was obsessed with Highway Rat for a long time so ❤️

LostInTheColonies · 27/07/2023 20:33

Love Toddle Waddle, but that may be partly because it was one of the first books that DD got involved with!
Charlie Cook's Favourite Book.

Can't think of any I dislike 😁

YouveGotAFastCar · 27/07/2023 20:34

The Snail and the Whale is the best, by far. My son has been obsessed with it since he was 8 months old... I can recite it now 😆 Gorgeous book, it's a masterpiece.

He's also a big fan of Room on the Broom.

Vivi0 · 27/07/2023 20:35

Best: The Everywhere Bear and Cave Baby

Worst: Tyrannosaurus Drip

ReeseWitherfork · 27/07/2023 20:35

The worst one without questionable doubt is Wake Up Do, Lydia Lou.

Oliesjola · 27/07/2023 20:36

I really enjoyed Stickman and Smegs and Smoos …it’s a great way to introduce young children to prejudice and how to overcome it . That is me presuming I understood the message .

Marilla1966 · 27/07/2023 20:37

enemaofthestate · 27/07/2023 20:02

I love Charlie Cook, especially how the drawing of the little page on each characters book matches the next page in the actual book, so clever.

I also love the Everywhere Bear and The Flying Bath.

Least favourite is Highway Rat.

I love Charlie Cook but our one on repeat has always been The Flying Bath but very few people have it.
The Highway Rat is quite boring x

Oliesjola · 27/07/2023 20:37

mynameiscalypso · 27/07/2023 20:28

We saw the Smeds and the Smoos at the theatre today - it's on in London until the first week of Sept. It was brilliantly done and my 4 year old adored it.

My granddaughter also really enjoyed it .

PonkyPonky · 27/07/2023 20:41

I don’t have a least favourite, I love them all! But number one is the snail and the whale for me. It makes me cry a little every time! My 5 year olds favourite is Charlie Cook’s favourite book. He says it’s crazy because it’s a “book in a book in a book in a book”!

FourTeaFallOut · 27/07/2023 20:42

My favourite is Tyranasauras Drip and the very worst is The Smartest Giant in Town...because the only way you can get giraffe and scarf to rhyme is to sound affected.

trebarwith1 · 27/07/2023 20:43

The paper dolls is so wonderful. Don't like a squash and a squeeze though.

MargotDeWitt · 27/07/2023 20:43

My absolute favourite is The Singing Mermaid. Has that been mentioned yet?

DollyTots · 27/07/2023 20:44

Love room on the broom and zog.

Hate what the ladybird heard. It barely rhymes.

shivbo2014 · 27/07/2023 20:44

Worst smartest giant and tabby mctat

Best easily by a mile is stickmam.

Also love monkey puzzle, and the gruffalo.

Hercisback · 27/07/2023 20:45

Best - Highway Rat, Tiddler and Cave baby

Worst - Ugly five because it doesn't rhyme properly.

I'm shocked the highway rat is so disliked too.