What children's books have you tossed out of your collection lately? - Page 2

[Caneel]

Originally Posted by mamaboss 

My mom gave us a bunch of Skippy Jon Jones books and I haven't tossed them yet but they are hidden away. I can't stand them!

Skippy Jon Jones is a favorite of my DS's.  We have a Siamese cat so I think that is where the attatchment came from.  I honestly don't like reading them outloud to DS because he get very annoyed at my poor Spanish accent during those parts.

The Giving Tree.  I hate that book.  A dear friend on the family gave it to DS and wrote a letter inside the front page.  Not only do I hate the message of the book, DS is terrified by the author's picture on the back cover.  It has been hidden on the top shelf of the closet for years.

My aunt saved all of my childhood books and gave them back to me when DS was born.  The content of many horrify me and I removed them from rotation.

[ASusan]

I can't tell you all the books that were in the bin, but we recently got rid of more than a dozen books at DS's 4th birthday party. I put the basket out and told the parents to select 3-4 books for their children, that we were done with the books. Most were not necessarily bad, they just were ones we were through with. I picked up some at the Friends of the Library booksale.

I *do* know that a PJ FunnyBunny was in there. I chose it initially because we liked another PJ book so much (he doesn't want to be a bunny), but in this one, he does all sorts of mean, horrid things to his sister, and when he stops, she decides she wants more! Uh, no.

I also need to get rid of a book that is written in BVE (black vernacular English - is that correct?). I am always on the lookout for books showing brown or black children, and sometimes I just grab all that I find at the Friends' sale. This is AWFUL. I can barely read it. It doesn't reflect DS's culture AT ALL - his current nuclear family OR his extended family. I just don't know how to get rid of the book...

[Caneel]

I can't remember the title but one of the books I threw out was a Disney book, like part of a series parents would have signed up for where you got a book a month.

The story line was how Donald Duck's mean stingy uncle behaves horribly, all sorts of mayhem ensues, Donald sacrifices something of his and the book closes with Mean Stingy Uncle still being as mean and stingy as before.  Message?  You can act like a jerk and everyone will overlook it and you can continue to cr_p all over those who love you with no reprocussions.

Another one I chucked was about a "baby" (really a doll) left out in the woods.  The forest animals were very upset and the little girl (owner of the doll) comes across as uncaring.  It is silly but it upset me so much, I cried and upset DS.  DS thought it was a real baby in the woods and became obsessed that I would leave him in the woods.  No thank you, that one also went into the trash.

I have another one that I am keeping about a little girl that is sent out on a shopping trip.  She is instructed to buy, amounst other things, nails, tacks, a hammer and a saw.  I laugh each time I read it because it is just so ridicuous.

[parsley]

I hate books that teach my daughter either that people won't listen to her or that she has to be endlessly nice.  So my top three most hated books...

The Giving Tree

Rainbow Fish

How do Dinosaurs Say I love you?  (the kids are beasts but the parents are great?  I don't think so!)

I also kind of hate Dr. Seuss.  I loved him as a kid but he gets on my nerves now.  Pete the Cat really irks me.  As does Dinosaurs Love Underpants. 

As mentioned above, I Love You Forever... made me cry as a kid and as an adult all I can wonder is why the parent can't learn to let go?  Creepy!

I also don't understand why so many children's books are gimmicks instead of stories?  My in-laws are always giving DD some book that is just a cute idea but no substance.  I get textures for young kids, shiny is fun and I LOVE illustrations but why all the gimmicky books? 

[hildare]

Originally Posted by parsley 
I also don't understand why so many children's books are gimmicks instead of stories?  My in-laws are always giving DD some book that is just a cute idea but no substance.  I get textures for young kids, shiny is fun and I LOVE illustrations but why all the gimmicky books? 

so they spend all their money at the bookfairs if/when they are in elementary school. 

[parsley]

Yeah... duh, consumerism.  Toddlers and young children don't have cash... but they have grandparents. 

Originally Posted by hildare 

so they spend all their money at the bookfairs if/when they are in elementary school.