The Gas We Pass - The Story of Farts
Hardcover for $10.07 at Barnes & Noble
Published by Kane/Miller Book Publishers (January 29, 1994)
Average Rating 4.5
Everyone Poops
Hardcover for $15.44 at Amazon
Published by Turtleback (October 1, 2001)
Average Rating 4.0
I'm not one to criticize children's books, but I found these in a small gift shop while vacationing in Jacksonville Beach, FL last month. I didn't know how to take the hardcover books, supposedly educational in nature. I didn't purchase either one. The urge to do so just wasn't there, and trust me, I'm a compulsive buyer. Instead, I took a photograph of each to share with my writer friends and ask a question of you all.
I've read the reviews, and there seems to be two camps on this type of educational material, which also contain graphics of not so fine art, according to Publishers Weekly.
Do you believe there is a message in all this? Yes, it's natural. We all do these things. But, is it appropriate educational material for the intended audience (18 months - 4 years)?
Which camp are you in, Camp Kudos or Camp No Go (pun intended)?
Visit my Alphabet Links:
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z
*
*
It's good to have resources for parents to be able to talk with their children about things like this. Why? Some adults find it hard to talk about because they've been brought up to believe, or have decided along the way, that such subjects are all but taboo. By bringing them to a child's attention in a way that is easy to deliver and non-adult in nature, these books can be instrumental in helping to understand our bodies and prevent future body image and self-esteem issues. So yep, I'm in favour.
ReplyDeleteOne for camp kudos!
DeleteMany of the 5 star reviewers agree. From parents who have read the stories to their kids, to those who have given them as gag gifts to adults.
I may have made the purchase had it been published when my son decided at age 1.5 to pull off his dirty diaper and have a blast finger painting my wall with poop. Yep, true story!
Camp No Go. Yes, it's natural, but why do you need a book about it? I didn't have a book about poop and farts and I grew up just fine. To me, what's in this book is common sense and something all kids learn easily on their own. Books like this make people dumb. Let us discover natural crap for ourselves. This is just ridiculous. I don't need a book telling me that pooping is natural. I think I can figure that out on my own. And anyone with a pet knows that everything poops. End rant. Lol!
ReplyDeleteAnd one for camp no go!
DeleteBoth of these books were originally written by Japanese authors and later translated into English. If you do a Google search on keywords: Japanese obsession and poop, you'll see so many articles turn up. For some reason, it's just as natural for them to have a poop mascot of sorts.
I didn't live there long enough to experience the full impact of the cultural differences with poop. But, even though we all do it, they do seem to have an obsession with this theme cropping up in places Americans might not expect.
But hey, these publications were more than 10 years ago. I haven't done much research on today's children's books. I would be interested to know the sales figures of these types of books if there are more.
Camp Kudos. Apart from the fact that I still find poop and farts funny, I think kids are really interested in (and often proud of!) these bodily functions. I would certainly have bought these for my kids when they were little. Sounds like a fun way to engage little people in science. Most kids are curious about how their bodies work. Not me. I don't do those things. I'm a laaaaady.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, I don't poop or fart. Are you kidding me, who does that?
Delete:D
LOL, these books are way too realistic. What happened to D. Seuss?
ReplyDeleteI've always avoided like the plague childrens books with messages -- like potty training, going to the dentist blah, blah blah. Boring, and just not necessary somehow. Certainly doesn't feed a child' s imagination.
ReplyDeleteNow ya got me all confused is'nt' P a little premature as we're on D? I thought you were talking about last year...
LOL!! Sandra,
DeleteThis is last year's list. I'm still working on it. Am behind, so couldn't start on a new list.
Sorry for the confusion. =D
I would go "Kudos" if these books were tongue-in-cheek kid's entertainment. "No go" if they are seriously intended to be educational.
ReplyDeleteI've read Everyone Poops. Honestly, I just don't see the need for a book like that.
ReplyDeleteOne and one, Botanist and Kelly.
ReplyDeleteIt looks pretty even, just like the reviews at Amazon and Barnes. Someone sent me a link to "Where Babies Come From", a German book. Wow, just WOW.
lol
I wouldn't buy them, but I'm not against it. I might have been interested in Everyone Poops a year ago, as my son would cry every time we tried to get him to go on the toilet, but it's also something I felt I could handle myself. I'm with a previous poster, I don't really get the point in 'message' books. I would prefer to spend my money on the type that have a possibility of holding interest for more than a single stage of development.
ReplyDeleteMaybe like an anthology of stories for children. One story per milestone in a childhood. First it's pooping, then starting kindergarten, then losing a tooth, etc.
DeleteI think you're on to something.
Camp No Go for me... I just don't see the need for it.
ReplyDelete