I've felt a rant coming on for a couple of days..after hearing the author of the Horrid Henry books on Desert Island discs, R4. Sounds a really educated woman (Cambridge graduate). Not sure if she has kids, she didn't mention any in the short time I had to listen. Somehow think she surely can't have children, hmm.
I felt The Rage was when she replied to the interviewer, after being asked if she got bad feedback from parents saying that they disapproved of Horrid Henry's ways.
She said, no not at all, in fact they actually liked Henry, and disliked his brother perfect Peter, who is really good in the story. She continued, in further reply, that there is a Horrid Henry in all of us, I mean, who hasn't, like Henry said/thought, 'What an awful present so and so has just given me....why don't they just give me the money?'
.....See what I mean? If my boys came out with that one I would go hairless! Brings me back to a previous R4 programme, which was a discussion about morals and the sense of entitlement which seems now to be rooted in British society (an import from the USA I think, and funnily enough the authoress I speak of is a yankee).
Great shame, and I can foresee battles ahead for me, because I will not be buying, or reading Horrid Henry to my boys. Guess she has no negative feedback from parents because the ones who, like me, don't like this brand of disrespect being poured into our youngsters brains, wouldn't bother to give feedback, but carry on reading the many good books there are available.
Having said this, I bought a job lot of 'Horrible' books, in anticipation for my 5 year old's later understanding, as I've seen a couple of the programmes and think they're very funny.
Upon reading a few pages of the Horrible History books, I found things here that I disliked...disrespect for adults (especially older people), unbalanced views on various parts of history, and (I always feel uneasy about this, having skimmed a few older kids books which have a bit of a 'teenage before I'm ready' theme) stating that Church and school are boring...well if the child thought these life experiences weren't boring before, they sure will now, won't they?
I have to accept the fact that I'm now 40 (ancient) and as a youngster, read every one of Enid Blytons' books. I think now many of them must be almost incomprehensible to kids, unless they go to a boarding school? I also read a vast array of different types of books, but none of which I can remember preaching anti establishment, or disrespectful stuff. I cannot remember my choices being censored by my mother, apart from not being allowed certain girls mags which promoted kissing and boyfriends.
I swiftly disposed of a younger children's book a while ago, too. It was a story about a gorilla who comes into a little girls' bedroom and invites her on a trip to the zoo. She was scared at first but (picture opposite text, rear view of gorilla in rainmac, holding little girl-in-nighties' hand. Can you visualise what I was thinking?)...but had a great time at the zoo with new friend. Just the kind of thing I really really don't want my kids to think is ok.. I skimmed it and slung it.
I feel quite angry that some adults are teaching children the wrong social habits by what they write.
I will be pre-reading any choices made in the next few years when it comes to children's books. As if we don't already have enough problems with the telly!
Saying that, I don't know if I've mentioned complaining to R3 around a year ago. On the way back from Mass one Sunday evening, lovely mass on Radio 3 and hymns, very relaxing. The next minute, not even realising the programme had ended and a drama had come on, a man shouting 'F**k' harshly and loudly jarred the atmosphere in the car.
Really annoyed because my two small sons were in the back, we swiftly switched over. The answer I got back from the Beeb was that there is no watershed on radio (the time had been well before 9pm). Very good of them to inform me of that, and I've been wary of the station ever since.
I felt The Rage was when she replied to the interviewer, after being asked if she got bad feedback from parents saying that they disapproved of Horrid Henry's ways.
She said, no not at all, in fact they actually liked Henry, and disliked his brother perfect Peter, who is really good in the story. She continued, in further reply, that there is a Horrid Henry in all of us, I mean, who hasn't, like Henry said/thought, 'What an awful present so and so has just given me....why don't they just give me the money?'
.....See what I mean? If my boys came out with that one I would go hairless! Brings me back to a previous R4 programme, which was a discussion about morals and the sense of entitlement which seems now to be rooted in British society (an import from the USA I think, and funnily enough the authoress I speak of is a yankee).
Great shame, and I can foresee battles ahead for me, because I will not be buying, or reading Horrid Henry to my boys. Guess she has no negative feedback from parents because the ones who, like me, don't like this brand of disrespect being poured into our youngsters brains, wouldn't bother to give feedback, but carry on reading the many good books there are available.
Having said this, I bought a job lot of 'Horrible' books, in anticipation for my 5 year old's later understanding, as I've seen a couple of the programmes and think they're very funny.
Upon reading a few pages of the Horrible History books, I found things here that I disliked...disrespect for adults (especially older people), unbalanced views on various parts of history, and (I always feel uneasy about this, having skimmed a few older kids books which have a bit of a 'teenage before I'm ready' theme) stating that Church and school are boring...well if the child thought these life experiences weren't boring before, they sure will now, won't they?
I have to accept the fact that I'm now 40 (ancient) and as a youngster, read every one of Enid Blytons' books. I think now many of them must be almost incomprehensible to kids, unless they go to a boarding school? I also read a vast array of different types of books, but none of which I can remember preaching anti establishment, or disrespectful stuff. I cannot remember my choices being censored by my mother, apart from not being allowed certain girls mags which promoted kissing and boyfriends.
I swiftly disposed of a younger children's book a while ago, too. It was a story about a gorilla who comes into a little girls' bedroom and invites her on a trip to the zoo. She was scared at first but (picture opposite text, rear view of gorilla in rainmac, holding little girl-in-nighties' hand. Can you visualise what I was thinking?)...but had a great time at the zoo with new friend. Just the kind of thing I really really don't want my kids to think is ok.. I skimmed it and slung it.
I feel quite angry that some adults are teaching children the wrong social habits by what they write.
I will be pre-reading any choices made in the next few years when it comes to children's books. As if we don't already have enough problems with the telly!
Saying that, I don't know if I've mentioned complaining to R3 around a year ago. On the way back from Mass one Sunday evening, lovely mass on Radio 3 and hymns, very relaxing. The next minute, not even realising the programme had ended and a drama had come on, a man shouting 'F**k' harshly and loudly jarred the atmosphere in the car.
Really annoyed because my two small sons were in the back, we swiftly switched over. The answer I got back from the Beeb was that there is no watershed on radio (the time had been well before 9pm). Very good of them to inform me of that, and I've been wary of the station ever since.
