Anonymous
12/04/2012 23:16
Subject: Re:Children's books that drive you crazy
Another defender of The Giving Tree here. I first read the book as an adolescent and was really touched by its message of unconditional love and how life progresses from simple joys through the pressures of adulthood and then (hopefully) back to simple pleasures. It's the one children's book I held on to as an adult. However, I agree that it's not a book I would read to my young children.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 23:08
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
Anonymous wrote:(1) I agree with what everyone has already said about Mo Willems books. They're so gimmicky and stupid.
(2) I will probably get flamed for this, but I actually don't like "Where the Wild Things Are." It's sort of menacing and seems like a not-so-subtle commentary on colonialism (yes, I CLEARLY started overthinking this book on the 50th read).
(3) "More More More Said the Baby" is also sort of creepy. The dad in the first vignette strikes me as a sex offender.
(4) The worst book we own, though, is a truly, truly awful book called "Love Can Build a Bridge," or, as my DH and I have come to call it, "Love Can Build a F---ing Bridge." I grabbed it at a used book sale because the illustrations were amazing. I didn't realize that the words are literally the lyrics to a Wynonna Judd song. The illustrations are actually really sweet and life-like, but the words... oh, the words... We had to hide it after about the hundredth read.
Precisely!
Anonymous
12/04/2012 23:06
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
Where do I begin?
The entire Laura Numeroff series, lame! They should be titled "If You Give An Author A Paycheck for A Stream of Consciousness..."
Also "Where the Wild Things Are", yes I know it's an award winning classic, but the illustrations are creepy and annoying.
The entire Laura Numeroff series, lame! They should be titled "If You Give An Author A Paycheck for A Stream of Consciousness..."
Also "Where the Wild Things Are", yes I know it's an award winning classic, but the illustrations are creepy and annoying.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 22:32
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
We had this potty book (given to us) that had button which was supposed to sound like a toilet flushing. We were so happy when the damn button broke. Only thing worse was the "potty train" video we also had to watch repeatedly, but that would be a whole new thread.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 22:11
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
The Pokey Little Puppy. The illustrations are cute, but the story is just insipid.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 22:10
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. It's been a while, but I remember it's really depressing at the end. Wow!
Anonymous
12/04/2012 22:09
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
HATE the Berenstain Bears and their sanctimony.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 22:08
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
(1) I agree with what everyone has already said about Mo Willems books. They're so gimmicky and stupid.
(2) I will probably get flamed for this, but I actually don't like "Where the Wild Things Are." It's sort of menacing and seems like a not-so-subtle commentary on colonialism (yes, I CLEARLY started overthinking this book on the 50th read).
(3) "More More More Said the Baby" is also sort of creepy. The dad in the first vignette strikes me as a sex offender.
(4) The worst book we own, though, is a truly, truly awful book called "Love Can Build a Bridge," or, as my DH and I have come to call it, "Love Can Build a F---ing Bridge." I grabbed it at a used book sale because the illustrations were amazing. I didn't realize that the words are literally the lyrics to a Wynonna Judd song. The illustrations are actually really sweet and life-like, but the words... oh, the words... We had to hide it after about the hundredth read.
(2) I will probably get flamed for this, but I actually don't like "Where the Wild Things Are." It's sort of menacing and seems like a not-so-subtle commentary on colonialism (yes, I CLEARLY started overthinking this book on the 50th read).
(3) "More More More Said the Baby" is also sort of creepy. The dad in the first vignette strikes me as a sex offender.
(4) The worst book we own, though, is a truly, truly awful book called "Love Can Build a Bridge," or, as my DH and I have come to call it, "Love Can Build a F---ing Bridge." I grabbed it at a used book sale because the illustrations were amazing. I didn't realize that the words are literally the lyrics to a Wynonna Judd song. The illustrations are actually really sweet and life-like, but the words... oh, the words... We had to hide it after about the hundredth read.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 22:02
Subject: Re:Children's books that drive you crazy
My son had a glow in the dark Scooby Doo book. The book was terrible, the writing was terrible, but the worst part was that, in order to read it, you had to turn the light on to "charge" each page and either wait 10 minutes or stand with it right next to the light bulb, then turn the light off to read the page, then turn the light on to charge the next page.
Seriously, glow in the dark does not belong in books!
Seriously, glow in the dark does not belong in books!
Anonymous
12/04/2012 21:50
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
I also think "I Love You Forever" is super creepy.
Oh, so creepy.
When the mom drives across town "on dark nights" with the ladder strapped to the roof of the car? Chilling!
So bizarre. I once got into a weird disagreement with an ADULT man because he said he loved reading that book with his mom after I trashed it for being the creepiest book my DC received as a gift. I told him to read it again, brought to work for him to peruse and he found nothing wrong with it!
He's probably a cannibal serial killer.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 21:50
Subject: Re:Children's books that drive you crazy
Anonymous wrote:Haha, MIL gave us "I Love You Forever" too. I think they just see the title and don't realize how stalkerish it is. "Pinkalicous" -what a brat.[/quo
Is I Love You Forever like a standard MIL gift or something? I feel like everyone's MIL gave them this crappy book.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 21:49
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
I doubt anyone else is as tired of "Go, Dog, Go!" as I am. Oh. So. Tired. Same goes for One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. At some point you just feel like here's a bunch of random crap with words made up so things will rhyme. It gets old, at least for me.
I Love You Forever is so truly awful, which is odd because we're fans of a lot of other Robert Munsch books -- for instance, The Paper Bag Princess is wonderful.
I Love You Forever is so truly awful, which is odd because we're fans of a lot of other Robert Munsch books -- for instance, The Paper Bag Princess is wonderful.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 21:28
Subject: Re:Children's books that drive you crazy
"Pinkalicious" sp
Anonymous
12/04/2012 21:25
Subject: Re:Children's books that drive you crazy
Haha, MIL gave us "I Love You Forever" too. I think they just see the title and don't realize how stalkerish it is. "Pinkalicous" -what a brat.
Anonymous
12/04/2012 20:48
Subject: Children's books that drive you crazy
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
I also think "I Love You Forever" is super creepy.
Oh, so creepy.
When the mom drives across town "on dark nights" with the ladder strapped to the roof of the car? Chilling!
So bizarre. I once got into a weird disagreement with an ADULT man because he said he loved reading that book with his mom after I trashed it for being the creepiest book my DC received as a gift. I told him to read it again, brought to work for him to peruse and he found nothing wrong with it!