Will older children really want to read baby books?

[Fishfire]

Youngest is outgrowing 'that's not my' etc books. I was going to pass them onto someone with younger DC but one friend told me to keep them as older DC will want to read them when they're learning to read.

It's this true? Won't they find them a bit babyish and turgid? Or will they come in handy?

Have you kept baby books for this and were they used?

I wouldn't bother. They get given so many books and school will obviously be sending some home to practice with too

I thought this but neither of mine ever had any interest in the baby books. They wanted something with a bit of a story by then.

I think this concept is true more generally of picture books but not the "that's not my..." genre of one phrase per page board books for babies, they are a bit too simple really.

Keep a few favourites and give away the rest - speaking as someone whose 20-somethings reacted in horror, when we went through the cupboard under the stairs, at the thought of giving away "Dear Zoo", "Owl babies", "we're going on a bear hunt" and that classic "Where's Maisy's panda". 90% went to the charity shop.

@Fishfire I warn you now if you think the baby books are bad the learning to read ones are so much worse😶

My five year old clung to her That's not my... books until a few months ago - I think she found them comforting. She still has quite a few toddler books as well as more age appropriate things, yet has rejected the Hairy Mclairy books she used to love!

I was told this but it was rubbish because baby books don't really follow phonics well and they're also incredibly boring.

I would ditch 90% and store any that you want to give future grandchildren.

I wouldn't keep any baby board books, except a few absolute favourites.

Picture books with a story (particularly rhyming ones) can be enjoyable for early readers, particularly if they've got a younger sibling to read to.

Thanks everyone! Seems unanimous, 'that's not my book, it's too boring' can all get a new home. I feel no sentimentality about any of them. 😂

Oh Hairy McClary is out of favour here too, I'm sad about it.

I've got a lovely photo of my then 7 year old reading that's not my meerkat to his baby brother in the nicu.

He didn't read them while learning to read though.

Won't they find them a bit babyish

Have you seen the learning to read books they'll get sent home from school with? They're so tedious they make that's not my mermaid look like a thriller.

I wouldn't bother keeping them though, because your child will get books from school.