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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:
richteaftw · 27/07/2023 21:14

Love Room on the Broom.

Hate The Smeds & The Smoos

Afolnerd · 27/07/2023 21:14

I have a massive soft spot for sharing a shell. I read it at least twice a day for over a year as toddler ds loved it so much.
He is now 19 and I can still recite it by heart.
also loved paper dolls and the snail and the whale.

There was a unicorn one I hated sugarlump maybe? Also really disliked the Troll.
Cave baby is really dull and a bit questionable parenting “behave or we will feed you to a bear”

hiredandsqueak · 27/07/2023 21:16

I don't know many of the later ones but my favourites to read to dd2 and later dgs have been Tiddler, Charlie Cook's favourite book and Room on the Broom. Didn't like the Smeds and the Smoos when dgs brought it here.

DontBeAPrickDarren · 27/07/2023 21:17

Love that there is so little consensus on this thread!

Kids vote for Charlie Cook and Stickman.

One says Gruffalo is the “worst good”. I’d put Superworm down there I reckon.

shakeitoffsis · 27/07/2023 21:17

I love tabby mctat and smeds and the smoos, worst is squash and a squeeze.

OneHornedFlyingPurplePeopleEater · 27/07/2023 21:19

We've read highway rat almost every night (excluding the odd night out) for 2.5 years...so far.
I'm a bit fed up with it, but I think I'll always have a soft spot for it.

Love smeds and the smoos, gruffalos child, paper dolls...most of them really.

Except...Hamiltons hats and the smartest giant in town. Hate it when the kids pick either of those!

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 27/07/2023 21:19

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

Scarf/giraffe rhyme fine to me (butchered London accent), but I can see that they wouldn't rhyme in many accents.

There was one book - Superworm I think - which I could never get to scan.

Excited101 · 27/07/2023 21:19

I love a squash and a squeeze, me and DP quote it to each other regularly 😳 snail and the whale is also a favourite.

I don’t understand how people can’t rhyme giraffe and scarf, I guess it’s accent dependent. I do hate the smartest giant in town though- he was so happy in his new clothes! The first time I read it, I thought the animals were going to buy/make him some new clothes after he gave them all his… I’ve never quite got over the fact that they didn’t. You’re allowed to feel pride in how you look and feel!

I don’t like Charlie cook. And I don’t like tyrannosaurus drip. I hate the paper dolls too, never got why it’s so loved.

Illumicrateme · 27/07/2023 21:20

Paper dolls, is our fav. My daughter has made paper dolls and loves it and the story is so lovely but sad! I also like What the Ladybird Heard but the last few pages do bug me.

I can't stick Tyrannosaurs Drip, horrible book. Dreadful rhyming, I dislike the story and the pictures are grim. Also dislike Monkey Puzzle which seems to be very marmite.

richteaftw · 27/07/2023 21:21

Snail and the Whale is also up there, especially reading with my son.

I'm going to order Paper Dolls, now.

We recently got the Singing Mermaid and it's lovely. As is the Shell one.

Lovely thread.

SarahAndQuack · 27/07/2023 21:22

JobMatch3000 · 27/07/2023 19:43

Haven't read them all, but of the ones I have:

Worst: Tyrannosaurus Drip
(for rhyming dinosaur and war). "What the Ladybird Heard" is also not a favourite.

Best: The Gruffalo.

I love Tyrannosaurus Drip ... but in my accent those words do rhyme. What do they sound like in yours?

OneHornedFlyingPurplePeopleEater · 27/07/2023 21:23

watersprites · 27/07/2023 19:52

Not read them all but Room on the Broom. Hate Spinderella

Ah, forgot about spindarella. I may have hidden that one.
I don't really like any of the non rhyming books, except paper dolls.

Bouledeneige · 27/07/2023 21:23

Definite favourites Room on the Broom and then Gruffalo.

BrizzleMaverick · 27/07/2023 21:24

My favourite is what the Ladybird Heard and The Grufffalo.

Snail and the whale, room on a broom and Smeds and Smoos are up there too.

Least favourite is the girl with the magic shoes.

110APiccadilly · 27/07/2023 21:25

TobiasForgesContactLense · 27/07/2023 19:43

Love Paper Dolls although it makes me cry. I also cried the first time I heard Stickman read aloud (didn't even have a child then). Also like the Smeds and the Smoos.

For some reason I hate the Smartest Giant in Town.

I hate the Smartest Giant. Firstly because DD went through an obession with it so I've read it too much. Secondly because it doesn't really make sense. He gives all the animals his clothes and then when that inconveniences him, he goes back to the shop to buy more clothes. If he has that sort of unlimited money, why doesn't he just give the animals the money to buy the stuff they need?! Yes, I know I'm overthinking it. That's what happens when you read it every day for months.

I have a soft spot for the Singing Mermaid. I haven't read probably even half of all of the books though so hesitate to say that's the best one.

Sewannoying · 27/07/2023 21:26

Mummy2022FT · 27/07/2023 19:46

Can't believe so many people like Stickman. I can't stand it! I can't get into a rhythm with it, and the whole Santa thing I just think is really random and unfitting

Have you seen the Stickman animation? I found it hard to get a rhythm with until I saw it, and then it just clicked.

snoozeyoulosecruise · 27/07/2023 21:26

Worst by far The rhyming rabbit, love tiddler.

GrumpyOldCrone · 27/07/2023 21:27

My favourite is A Squash and a Squeeze. There are lots that PP have mentioned that I haven’t read. Probably written since my children were little. But I think I liked all the ones I read.

BillyBraggisnotmylover · 27/07/2023 21:28

I once had to recite Gruffalo from memory for an hour long flight to keep an agitated toddler from losing their shit, I think I probably still could!

Jl2014 · 27/07/2023 21:30

so many good ones- snail and the whale, room on the broom, paper dolls, stickman, hospital dog, gruffalo, monkey puzzle 🩷 she is such an amazing talent.

want to read tiddler now after this post!

Jitterybugs · 27/07/2023 21:31

I have 3 joint favourites ..
Smartest Giant in Town
Stick Man
What the Ladybird Heard

Least favourite is Superworm.

SarahAndQuack · 27/07/2023 21:31

I love The Magic Paintbrush - it's more lyrical and 'quiet' than most of her books but I think it's really beautiful, and the illustrations (by Joel Stewart) are gorgeous. I'm not that big a fan of Axel Scheffler TBH.

I find The Smartest Giant awkward to read and dull.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 27/07/2023 21:32

Has anyone mentioned Toddle Waddle yet? I think that’s JD with Nick Sharratt. I don’t know why but I’d happily read it eleventy billion times, which is just as well.

Worst - Tabby McTat. Just sort of long somehow, and I can’t get the rhythm right for the “Meeee-uuuwww and the old guitar” bits. Though I still have a library copy out from 2017, three kids later, so it must have something going for it.

Scrotox · 27/07/2023 21:33

My DC are in their 20s so I haven't heard of a lot of these. I still love The Gruffalo, though. And we still refer to things as being "a squash and a squeeze".

I was never very keen on the Snail and the Whale.

Scrotox · 27/07/2023 21:34

Also still love Room on the Broom!

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