The boy in a dress

[EweSurname]

Argh, this is the first time something has popped up in real life.

We had a parents evening last night and talked to dc’s reluctance to read fiction, which the teacher said she’d tackle.

DC came home from school saying the teacher had noticed that dc and a friend didn’t like reading fiction so challenged them to a competition to see who could read a book the fastest.

The book given was a brand new copy of “the boy in the dress”.

I’ve had a quick flick through in the hope that it would be about a boy who liked wearing dresses and learnt it was fine to but no, Dennis apparently becomes Denise when wearing a dress.

The teacher is so lovely and I’m so grateful that she’s acted so quickly but I don’t think I want DC reading that book, especially given lack of exposure to other fiction!

Google tells me it’s a book celebrating crossdressers ffs. Has anyone read it?

Sounds like shite. I'd hide it, give it back on Monday with a note saying child didn't like it, so we got X book out of the library and read that instead.

David Walliams. It's about acceptance. It isn't real.
If he likes it maybe try Gangsta Granny next. Not real either.

In our house it’s an absolutly fine book to read. But in my house we teach acceptance. If that book teaches my kids that not everyone’s the same and to be tolerant then that’s fine by me.

My daughter has read every David Walliams book, loved them all. Niece has read a few, including this one and loved it. Neither child is transgender yet.

What do you think will happen if they read it?

It's definitely about acceptance and the whole boys football team end up playing in dresses (spoiler alert!). Can't go far wrong with David Walliams

iirc, and I may well not, doesn't he take on the name Denise in order to trick the French teacher?
i.e. More 'kids playing tricks' than 'taking on a new identity'?

He ends up playing football in a dress and is supported by his peers. I think it is a book supporting acceptance of going against gender stereotypes.

David Walliams may not be great literature, but he was one of the few things my reluctant reader DD would read in upper primary.

Can't go far wrong with David Walliams

He has always given me the creeps.

The RSC are currently developing a stage adaptation. I think it is aimed at breaking gender barriers which is what we should all be aiming for really.

He pretends to be an exchange student called Denise. It's not about transitioning.

Dd read it recently and to begin with I had your opinion / view but actually as above, it’s very funny and more about acceptance.

We’ve just started reading Miranda Hart The girl with the Lost Smile and I’ve been in hysterics reading the first couple of chapters with her (but also quite sad that the little girl in it has a hard time at home) But I love Miranda!

This highlights the problem. We are becoming so used to finding organisations and individuals in schools sharing age inappropriate beliefs about changing sex / encouraging children to believe in regressive sexist / homophobic stereotypes that we now look at anything gender non- conforming with suspicion. And that's wrong (don't mean you OP)

Somehow we need to find a way to ensure our children encounter ideas that challenge these stereotypes and are inclusive while removing those peddling a regressive ideology until they are old enough to critically evaluate the idea.

As I said, if it’s about accepting that boys can wear dresses that would be fine! I was concerned about “Denise” but I only had a quick flick through before I had to leave so wanted opinions.

Reassured it is about breaking stereotypes rather than pigeon holing into them. Will read it properly tomorrow.

It is literally about a boy in a dress, and saying that is fine....rather than a boy becoming a girl because he is wearing a dress (IYSWIM)

hooray!

Don't worry, it's a good one. He pretends to be the exchange student so he can wear the dress to school, gets found out then all his football team wear a dress to support him. Not about trans at all.

DWalliams appears to enjoy cross dressing, at least he seems to regularly invent acting parts where he can do so. I think he is pretty clear he is a man.

Its a wonderful book. It is about having the confidence to be yourself, acceptance and supporting your friends. Great pick by the teacher.

Walliams is vile and a terrible author riding on the coat tails of Quentin Blake illustrations and pretending he is Roald Dahl. He isn't. He can't write, seems to detest women and the messages in the books are insidious and awful.

There are a million better authors out there, choose one.

Can't go far wrong with David Walliams

god DS and I have just finished the one about a fucking mammoth

it went on forever

we were both heartily relieved when we reached the last chapter. maybe his other books are good but I think I'm too scared by the mammoth marathon of tedium to find out soon

it gave me flashbacks to the fucking prisoner of azkaban

What CountFosco said. More a case that he had to take on the disguise (wig and maybe some makeup) to wear what he wanted when in an ideal world boys could wear anything simply as themselves. I wonder if girls did the reverse to wear trousers many many moons ago.

I’m so sick of having the gender campaign rammed down our throats and horrified at the impact on teens and the really confusing things being told to young children about how girls can be boys etc.

I wouldn’t read it because I don’t think it’s a good book - of course if there was a boy wearing a dress I’d teach my dc to accept them.

Before Walliams (just saying, not implying) there was Anne Fine's Bill's New Frock.

This

Walliams is vile and a terrible author riding on the coat tails of Quentin Blake illustrations and pretending he is Roald Dahl. He isn't. He can't write, seems to detest women and the messages in the books are insidious and awful.

There are a million better authors out there, choose one.

and this

Before Walliams (just saying, not implying) there was Anne Fine's Bill's New Frock.

I suspect Walliams' books are ghost written as are most celeb authors.

It has been known.

I understand that David Beckham's agent called and told him he'd written a book.

We had a plague of Walliams at Christmas, all off to the charity shop unread. Had a flick through the talentless mammoth one, that last scene with the queen was poached straight out of the BFG. Poor form.

Walliam's entire writing "career" is a PR experiment and nothing more.