The Terrible Treatment of "Flat Stanley" (Kids' books)

hodeez

Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:37 pm

youngishbear wrote:

I know people who object to Curious George because he disobeys orders and teaches kids that bizarre behavior can be cute and funny.

Oh, well.

I don't like that curious George messes everything up and then somehow ends up the hero of the story

number

Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:40 pm

sequoia wrote:

Wow.

You could not be more wrong.

Children’s literature is not stupid and has plenty of substance. Wayside School is one of the most interesting examples of surrealism in literature that I have ever read. The nineteenth story!

Wayside Story is brilliant. I can’t say the same for Flat Stanley though.

small bean

Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:43 pm

My kids always felt he was a martyr to makeup for his special needs. They didnt like the books at all and my younger set has never read them.

My husband hates papa bear and always tells my kids that when the books are around. I try not to buy them.

Dogman and captain undrrpants are so dumb but my boys love it and it gets them reading.

My kids like wayside school and analyize it with my husband.

In general, I ban very little and instead discuss the messaging. Youd be suprised what good comes from discussing what they read. Even my big kids, I read whatever they read. Great bonding and lesson making.

Ema of 5

Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:53 pm

Why can’t it just be a fun book to read? Why does it have to be ripped apart and analyzed? Does every story by a Jewish author have a purpose? No, sometimes reading is just fun. There are very few things I won’t let my kids read, because honestly as long as they’re reading, I’m happy.

MiracleMama

Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:56 pm

hodeez wrote:

I don't like that curious George messes everything up and then somehow ends up the hero of the story

Funny, I loved those books as a kid. Thought George was hilariously funny. Re-reading them as an adult, I couldn't get away from the thought that this monkey is really a giant pain in the.....

#BestBubby

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 6:05 am

Ema of 4 wrote:

No problem with just fun book.

But must be very careful with modern secular books that may have problematic message or teach bad middos. Like wimpy kid.

Reality

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 6:17 am

#BestBubby wrote:

No problem with just fun book.

But must be very careful with modern secular books that may have problematic message or teach bad middos. Like wimpy kid.

I never liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Judy Moody but let my kids take it out of the library. They knew I didn't like it and why. I would never buy it at a book fair or book order. But I don't ban books. Forbidden fruit is so much more enticing!

Younger kids I try to redirect. Once they are older I trust them and they have never given me reason not to BH!

rgr

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 6:28 am

Flat Stanley was great for book number one and maybe two. Once it gained popularity, they had to make a whole series of it, which imo ruined the story.

You see this happen with many series

Reality

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 6:36 am

rgr wrote:

Flat Stanley was great for book number one and maybe two. Once it gained popularity, they had to make a whole series of it, which imo ruined the story.

You see this happen with many series

This is so true!

watergirl

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 8:47 am

I have no real issue with Flat Stanley, but I'm the preschool teacher/mother who is adamant against Rainbow Fish. The TL:DR version - Rainbow Fish has beautiful scales and goes around all day being a jerk and bragging about it. He has no friends because of how he brags about his beautiful scales. He is told to go to the wise old fish, who tells him that he must share his scales so people will like him. There are entire preschool curriculum units on this book. I think there was a teachable moment lost here. Rather than teach Rainbow Fish to stop being a jerk and to stop bragging and to just be nice, he is told to disfigure himself and "share", a word that is really misused in the preschool world. He can't help that he was born with these scales, but he can change his attitude. I really hate the book.

And the Giving Tree... don't even get me started on that one. That poor tree needed to learn some boundaries and the boy is narcissistic and selfish. Why is it so famous?

singleagain

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 8:51 am

watergirl wrote:

And the Giving Tree... don't even get me started on that one. That poor tree needed to learn some boundaries and the boy is narcissistic and selfish. Why is it so famous?

https://lithub.com/somebody-fi.....tree/

Someone fixed the giving tree. "Topher Payne has now fixed it. The Tree Who Set Healthy Boundaries"

Oh... It looks like he fixed the rainbow fish also:
https://www.topherpayne.com/fixed-it

chanatron1000

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 8:51 am

hodeez wrote:

I don't like that curious George messes everything up and then somehow ends up the hero of the story

Actually, the man in the yellow hat shouldn't expect better. George is literally a monkey.

watergirl

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 8:54 am

singleagain wrote:

https://lithub.com/somebody-finally-fixed-the-ending-of-the-giving-tree/

Someone fixed the giving tree. "Topher Payne has now fixed it. The Tree Who Set Healthy Boundaries"

Oh... It looks like he fixed the rainbow fish also:
https://www.topherpayne.com/fixed-it

YES! I know his work on the Giving Tree. I had never seen the rainbow fish one! And OMG HE DID THE POUT POUT FISH!!!! And the creepy I'll Love You Forever. YAY!!

singleagain

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 8:56 am

watergirl wrote:

YES! I know his work on the Giving Tree. I had never seen the rainbow fish one! And OMG HE DID THE POUT POUT FISH!!!! And the creepy I'll Love You Forever. YAY!!

It looks like it's his mission to fix the creepy bad lessons kids books

hodeez

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 9:00 am

watergirl wrote:

I agree one million percent Rainbow Fish was a real missed opportunity

watergirl

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 9:01 am

singleagain wrote:

It looks like it's his mission to fix the creepy bad lessons kids books

I just read the other ones (I already read his alternate ending to the Giving Tree) and OMG PERFECTION!!! Thank you so much for this link. Also omg can you just HEAR that catfish's voice? He is FABULOUS.

chanatron1000

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 9:02 am

"Give away your skin" should probably win the award for worst message in a children's book. Some of the others are pretty bad too, but The Rainbow Fish belongs in the horror genre.

watergirl

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 9:06 am

chanatron1000 wrote:

"Give away your skin" should probably win the award for worst message in a children's book. Some of the others are pretty bad too, but The Rainbow Fish belongs in the horror genre.

And yet - google rainbow fish preschool curriculums. It's famous. When I taught it, I taught where he went wrong and skipped the end.

zaq

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 9:40 am

watergirl wrote:

And the Giving Tree... don't even get me started on that one. That poor tree needed to learn some boundaries and the boy is narcissistic and selfish. Why is it so famous?

Good question! I have always hated the Giving Tree, the moral lesson of which seems to be "be a doormat."

mfb

Mon, Jan 03 2022, 9:43 am

watergirl wrote:

YES! I know his work on the Giving Tree. I had never seen the rainbow fish one! And OMG HE DID THE POUT POUT FISH!!!! And the creepy I'll Love You Forever. YAY!!

What was wrong with I love you forever?