Author/illustrator of 'Grandads Pride' chosen as artist for the Summer Reading Challenge

[RolledDahl]

Anyone here work in a Library?
For those of you who don't, you may know that every summer we promote the Summer Reading Challenge from the Reading Agency. It's a lovely way to encourage children to keep reading over the summer holidays.

This year the Reading Agency have chosen Harry Woodgate as the illustrator - he is the author of the controversial book Grandad's Pride, which included images of fetish wear...many of you may remember the concerns over some of his illustrations.

I shouldn't be surprised, knowing how captured the literary (& library) arena is in general, but it does seem to be a very deliberate decision.
And I'm not entirely convinced that his use of baby blue and pink as predominant background colours in the posters was completely accidental 😒

No no no, don't you understand, every medical institution, human rights organisation, education authority, political institution, school, GP surgery, library, law firm, charity, sporting body etc etc in the land is just CAPTURED, CAPTURED, I tell you.

Why include the bondage part at all?

There isn't a "bondage part" for christs sake. You make it sound like there's a scene where Grandad ties his boyfriend to the bed and fists him.

I notice you've dodged addressing the actual point of my comment, which was that claims the book supports paedophilia are absurd and based on the most tenuous of overreach by people who seem bound to assume gay = paedophile.

lol sure. Why do you want that illustration in there?

I don't "want" anything, I didn't write the fricking book, but people on this thread are obviously being ridiculous and absurd about it, not to mention a little bit offensive. Why do you want patently false statements linking homosexuality to paedophilia to go on unchallenged?

The book seems regressive wrt to stereotypes. There’s a better children’s book where a girl wonders what it’ll be like to have a play date when her friend has two dads.

She finds out it’s normal stuff like bouncing on the bed and eating veggies.

Cool. Isn't it nice that there's more than one book in the world.

Yeh it doesn’t make this one a good one. Is it what you’d choose for young dc?

Well my DC already has gay parents so it wouldn't have been necessary. But I can see a use for resource that's a child-friendly way to introduce kids to something they might see at Pride, an event many people do take their kids to, whether you think that's wise or not. An appropriate explanation for this age group is going to be something along the lines of “some grown-ups like to play dress up” and leaving it at that, and the book doesn't tread anywhere beyond that. Like everything as a parent, your DC rely on you to put things in context for them, and to teach them about the world. If I was going to let my DC read this book back when he was young enough for it, I would obviously read it with him and explain any parts that he didn't understand or which needed putting in context, which I imagine is what the author intended to happen, since a book isn't a substitute for parenting.

Omfg

I know, I don't understand why people take their kids to Pride either, mine always stayed at my mum's so we could get shit-faced. But some people do take theirs, and if you are going to, it probably is sensible to have a chat in advance about some things they might see, and this book would probably help with that. Sorry if that's an absolutely shocking opinion to you, I can see your pearls shattering from here.

Have you actually read this book?

No, sorry, I didn't realise there was homework to do before participating on this thread. I doubt most commenters here have actually read it cover to cover though. Have you got anything else to share about it that hasn't already been mentioned? Are you going to reveal at this point there is in fact a bondage fisting scene?

There’s some sly references in there.

So if you’re going to defend something then it’s always best to be familiar with it.

ETA grammar

Go on, do share what those sly references are. Are they all as convincing as the picture of a map definitely being a secret code for MAP?

Thought not.

I’ve never seen a folded map wIth MAP written on it, have you?

If I was an illustrator wanting to show someone that was well travelled using a map, that’s not how I’d do it.

Please do tell me what I'm missing then? I mainly came here to point out how completely stupid the claim there was a MAP reference was, because people were sharing it without context (I recall the context from a previous thread about the same book). I've also understood from this thread that:

• There are images of a Pride parade, which include pictures of men in leather gear
• There's a picture of a trans man with top surgery scars
• There's a picture of a map (GASP)

All my responses have been based on this understanding. If I've missed something else important that would utterly change my view - like the eagerly anticipated fisting scene - surely you'd share it instead of just making dismissive insinuations?

You've never seen a map with "map" written on it? Ok.

Since you've failed to mention them I assume these other "sly references" are either equally weak or non-existent. Congrats on being the type of person who assumes a book about grandad being gay must mean he's a nonce, I guess.

I'm treating it with the contempt it deserves, couldn't you tell.

Maybe you could say that a third time? you would like to wouldn't you?

I've read the book. It's has no place in the very young children's section.

IRL, no, maps generally don’t have MAP printed across the top of them.

There’s plenty of other ways the illustrator could have shown a map.

Why do you keep going on about fisting? Trying to shock the mummies?

I've got a road map of Britain, a canal map of Britain, and a map book of my home city all sitting in the bookshelf beside me currently. Every single one of them says the word "map" on the cover. In large letters even. And even if they didn't, this is a children's book, and the map is one very small part of a much larger drawing, there is nothing sinister at all about making it quickly obvious what it is, instead of drawing something fiddly and intricate. You are grasping at straws and there are no straws there.

And you're still not elaborating on the other "sly references" you mentioned so clearly there aren't actually any at all.

So in other words, no there is nothing else in the book apart from what has already been mentioned.