Sunday 6 November 2011

Children's books


Been reading a lot to my youngest recently.  I have to say, I am enjoying it a lot.  Not that I didn't enjoy reading to my older boy.  Of course I did.  But now...I am wiser. 

With the first, good ole' dad would say "Ok, what would you like to read?"  Then I would just let him choose whatever book he wanted.  This was how I ended up reading "Thomas is really scared for 30 pages but Sir Topham Hat was right after all!" about 1,000 times.  Guh.  And the absolute worst? As first time parents, we subscribed to some sort of disney book club.  Each month we would get a book based on a disney movie.  Now, you like the Disney movies?  Fine. I can dig it.  Hakunah matata and whatnot.  But  these freaking books? Horrible.  Soul crushing.  Ok, maybe that's too strong.  But man, they ain't good.  They take a two hour feature and write the story as basically a two hundred word summary of the script. 

                                                                           "Boo!"

The worst I can recall was "Hercules".  The ultimate battle at the end of the book was described as something like "Hercules fought really hard, and almost lost, but he remembered how much he loved so and so and that gave him the strength to win in the end."  That's the climax of the book.  I shit you not. 

So now...good ole' dad subtly frames the books to choose from.  "Well, E-man, what should we read, Robert Munsch or Dr. Suess?"  Yertle the Turtle?  Smelly Socks?  I can read that stuff forever!

So, in conclusion, kids are cool.

5 comments:

  1. You need "I'm a Shark" by Bob Shea. If I was to have written a book for the wee ones, it would have been this book. move over, Walt.

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  2. THat last comment was mine - I don't remember my Google password so I went with "Anonymous". Sounds more mysterious. Trina

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  3. I am going to get that book solely on your recommendation!

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  4. In defence of Disney Books....
    When I was a little girl, my mom and dad bought me the same Disney Books.
    It was always such an exciting day when my mom would say "Janelle, you have mail!" I thought my little heart would explode I was so excited! I'd rip open the cardboard package and stare at this beautiful, shiny, never been read Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Snow White, etc.. EPIC (in a child's eyes)! The dresses were gorgeous! The evil queen was really a bitch! The prince was handsome! The dwarves were hilarious! In a child's eyes - these books were MAGIC! To pass on my happy memories that my parents gave to me, I in turn ordered these books for my boys. Every month I meticulously wrote a cheque, bundled Gabriel up and walked to the post office to mail the fee - one week later, a Disney book came! Inside the flap, I wrote Gabriel's age, the temperature that day, and the date - I hope he keeps these books forever.
    So my dear, these books are not about us and comments on its content. But yes, I reluctantly agree, at times, they could be better. These books offer memories and cuddle time with our children. You were read them and you turned out ok.

    And JJ - the Hercules book we have insn't a Disney.

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