Children's books that drive you crazy

[Anonymous]

In terms of more "bad message" books, we have one of those Golden books about Tootle the train. The moral of the story is that you have to stay on the track "no matter what." One day, Tootle finds a meadow filled with flowers and butterflies. She-- *gasp*-- goes off the track to frolic. Big mistake. Next time, when she tries to go back to the meadow, the other trains and train company are waiting in the meadow to catch her. Tootle is embarrassed, and now understands that she must stay on the track "no matter what."

What kind of message is that?

[Anonymous]

I think Fancy Nancy is a giant brat and needs to be silenced...but i love the illustrations...

[Anonymous]

I hate Duck in the Truck. Everyone helps Duck get out of the mud...and then he speeds off, leaving them all covered with mud and stuck in the mud themselves. Great message! Also don't like Mo W., especially since we lived right near him in Park Slope and had our fill of self-important yuppies raising obnoxious children. That just made me hate the book more. I also can't stand the Babar and Father Christmas book. It goes on forever and has the most rambling story.

Also agree with PPs' mentions of Maisy TAkes a Bath (weird!), the original Curious George (kidnapped and then in jail?!), and Skippyjohn Jones. Even DS hates the last one, thankfully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Rainbow Fish. It's about a special fish who has sparkly, colorful scales, and none of the plain fish like him because of it. He asks the wise octopus (or something) what to do and does the octopus tell the fish to just be humble and find fish who will accept him for who he is? No. He says to give one of his scale to all the other fish, and then everyone will be the same (one colorful scale) and everyone will like him, which is what happens. Appalling.

Hate that book! What a great message. If there's anything special about you, you have to give it away to everyone else so they will be your friend.

Oh, I kind of thought the message was: Don't be vain or boastful about what you have that others don't. Joy comes from sharing what you have and don't "need."

The problem is that it confuses the virtue of being humble with the very bad lesson that you should try to change innate components of your identity to please other people who are jealous. Had the fish learned to be humble and help others feel good about good qualities they had, great. But the lesson was to give away his body parts so that everyone would be the same and people wouldn't be jealous. If you are born with special talents or attributes, you shouldn't flaunt them. But it is gross to suggest you should get rid of them to please others.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever picked up a book that you remember reading a kid, started to read it to your kid and realized "holy sh*t this is racist and terrible! How did anyone ever read this to me?" That's what happened when my mom brought over my Uncle Remus book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richard Scarry -- the "Cars, Trucks, and Things That Go" book is I swear like 70 pages long. I think DS deliberately chooses it for bedtime because it takes forever to read it. And you have to find this super teeny tiny bug "Goldbug" on nearly every page. It drives me insane. But...DS loves the book and the pictures are cute and interesting, so what's a mom gonna do, right?!

Love this thread. Yes, Cars and Trucks can be long but I've found that DS knows where goldbug is now, and the book moves fairly quicly because all he wants to do is locate Goldbug and turn the page.

We don't really "read" the Scarry books. We just thumb through them or look at a page for reference and study it. They're definitely not bedtime books!

[Anonymous]

Hate Fox in Sox. i dread when my son picks that one to read.

[Anonymous]

Same with Babar. I find them horrifying now. Also hate those give the mouse a cookie, moose a muffin, etc. SO STUPID.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In terms of more "bad message" books, we have one of those Golden books about Tootle the train. The moral of the story is that you have to stay on the track "no matter what." One day, Tootle finds a meadow filled with flowers and butterflies. She-- *gasp*-- goes off the track to frolic. Big mistake. Next time, when she tries to go back to the meadow, the other trains and train company are waiting in the meadow to catch her. Tootle is embarrassed, and now understands that she must stay on the track "no matter what."

What kind of message is that?

Hmm, my mom saw this in a train museum and bought it for DS in a fit of nostalgia. We haven't read it yet (he's still a little young). I wonder if my mom would realize is not a great message upon rereading.

[Anonymous]

THIS is a great thread.
(1) Love when Tallulah gets in the bathtub with Maisy.
She IS pushy but it is just so unexpected and too funny. We always had good laugh about that one.
(2) Don't like most Sandra Boyton. Why does she have to introduce the word "ugly" so often in cute toddler rhyming books. It's odd.
(3) Agree that Mo Willem's pigeon series is annyone. But love Piggie & Gerald.
(4)My MIL gave us "I Love You Forever," too. Creepy.
(5) Runaway Bunny is creepy. Many years ago, husband took to quoting the page "Become the wind and blow you." Never could read with a straight face again.

SO glad my husband isn't the only one who does this...I seriously cannot read that page now!

[Anonymous]

I saw the title of this thread and immediately thought
I Love You Forever
The Giving Tree

It is so awesomely validating to click on it and find such universal hatred for these two books.
For those of you still reading books for your younger kids, just know the hits keep coming as they get older.
My kids came home the other day with their latest novel assignment from school.
Where the Red &%$#! Fern Grows
Aaack! My husband and I both tried (and failed) to put on our poker faces. Poor kids--they don't know what they're in for...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I may be in the minority, but I *hate* reading The Cat in the Hat. Monotonous, the Cat is annoying, and long.

I also think "I Love You Forever" is super creepy.

"I Love You Forever" is one of the scariest books I've read but the Berenstain Bears books are the worst.

[Anonymous]

Re: Where the Red Fern Grows

It's good to have a good cry and loss with a book. My son came home and said a similar sentiment about his reading group getting assigned Ol' Yeller. He's the only one that has seen the movie.

[Anonymous]

Creepiest books: I Love You Forever and Elf on the Shelf. Awful. I think the Giving Tree just isn't a children's book. It is incredibly sad and poignant about the role of the parent and the happy/blind selfishness of the child. To the person who asked about the "moral"... I think the message is that in the nature of this relationship the child never really appreciates the parents' sacrifice. I think it is a good book--just depressing and not for children!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

4. Almost all celebrity authored books. So far the only one I've liked--just a little bit--is Lydia Bastianich's family Christmas book. The writing's not great, but her love of food, family, and food, and Italy, and food shines through. Plus, there are recipes at the end.

The only one of these I enjoy is Spike Lee's Please Baby, Please.

This is the one book I can't stand reading. Unfortunatley DS loves it. DH seems to like it too.