2.) Book Review! What children’s book do you hate reading to your child?
Chicky.
Chicky.
Chook.
Chook.
Kainoa LOVES this book….as in CRACKS up when I read it….as in MAKES me read it over and over and over again until I think my brain is going to chicky chook all over the place.
I hate this book and I’ll tell you why.
There is no story line. There are no real words. There is no real redeeming quality about this book whatsoever. Part of me loves that written word can entertain Kainoa the way it does, but a bigger part of me wonders if there’s something wrong with him.
I won’t quote the entire book (it wouldn’t take long) because I’m not sure if I’d be breaking some kind of law by doing that, but here is the gist of it:
Chicky chicky chook chook chick chick chick
Chicky chicky chook chook peck peck pick
Mushy mushy mush mush mish mish mush
Mushy mushy mush mush mish mash matter.
Dizzy dizzy wiz wiz dizz dizz wiz
Dizzy dizzy wiz wiz dizz dizz weeeeeeee.
And on. And on. And on.
I would love to write children’s books and this just baffles me. What did that author’s book proposal say?? Was she sitting at home and then suddenly think “I’ve GOT IT!!! The PERFECT book!!”
Did she sit around thinking hard about how the words should go?? “Dizzy dizzy wiz bat??….nooooo…..dizzy dizzy wackadoo??….noooo….dizzy dizzy wiz wiz?? That’s IT!!!”
And then was the publisher like “YES! We must start marketing IMMEDIATELY!!”
I just don’t get it. There are millions of children’s books. MILLIONS. If you’re going to put one out there than there needs to be something that makes it different and enticing, but this one doesn’t even speak a language.
It’s just a little frustrating to read it 30 times a day and stare at my son like, “really??? REALLY??? This is funny to you? Because I could write this….in fact why DIDN’T I write this!?!” I’m an idiot for not thinking of chooky chooky chick chick.
But Cathy Maclennon is brilliant because she puts my son in stitches with laughter every time I read it to him because even though *I* don’t understand it…she’s definitely speaking HIS language.
Now it’s your turn!
Choose a prompt, post it on your blog, and come back and sign Mr. Linky. Be sure to sign up with the actual post URL and not just your basic blog URL (click on the title of your post for that URL). For good comment karma try to comment on the three blogs above your name!!
The Prompts:
1.) Describe what you would change about yourself if you could.
2.) Book Review! What children’s book do you hate reading to your child?
3.) What do you predict will happen this decade? (You can be funny or serious if you like).
4.) Choose the 7th picture you took from last January and write a poem.
5.) Write about a heated argument you had with your parents (real or fictitious).
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t have a poetic rhyming bone in my body since my boys were born and I could write something like that. YIKES!
That’s just as bad as my horrible nightmare book! “Hokey Pokey Elmo” if I ever run into that red shag monster I’ll shoot him right in the face! Think that will scare the kids? =)
Wait until he moves on the the Richard Scarry stuff. After reading and hearing “Baking the bread” 4,197,234 times, you’ll understand.
I can certainly see why a kid would like that book-it makes no sense and yet it has catchy rhyming “words.” It’s definitely different. I could never write pure nonsense like this, I’m too analytical and not that creative!
And you know what? They grow up to be pretty good cooks, too! Ella Numera Una is home this week, and guess who’s doing dinner? When she goes back to school on Tuesday, whatever will I do? :)
You got that one right, she is brilliant. Too bad we didn’t come up with that idea.
Why do all the good ideas have to be taken?
Hey, at least he’s interested in books, right? Or, at least that one … it’s a start. Green Eggs and Ham was a favorite of mine, even though I’d never, ever eat either of those.
This reminds me of a book my mom read to us when we were kids, only I think it taught you about numbers, Chicky Chicky Boom Boom or something like that……
These are definitely the kind I don’t get too. A lot of kid’s books drive me nuts, but then I guess they aren’t written for me.
Long time reader, first time participant in the workshop. Really enjoy your blog, Kat.
Reminds me of Chicka chicka boom boom.. My girls request that one all the time. Ive actually started to remember it and kinda sing it as I read it. Oh how I’ve learned to loath that book :)
Somehow I keep missing the writing prompts early enough to actually particpate maybe next week. The Giving Tree is my favorite bokk to read to the kids (well it was they are all teenagers now)
Why not just run around the room going “Chick!Chick! Blat! Smack!” In other words, just act natur– I mean, crazy.
Kids are so easily entertained. And I love that he wants it read over and over and over again.
Here’s an idea: Why not write a blog post in the way you would read a children’s book? That’s got to be entertaining.
You said it exactly … she knows what the little ones like and what cracks them up. Yes … it is PAINFUL for us big people. But seeing a child develop a love for reading (of any kind) is good … and having your kid laugh — also good.
I feel the same way whenever my son gets entranced by worthless movie tie-in books. I die a little inside knowing the good books out there … but whatever gets him excited about reading gets me excited.
Ummm…what is that slop he’s eating?
That book would drive me nuts, I think I’d throw it out or donate to some poor soul who needs a book.
Ok, um, really?! Yup a childrens book, for sure. Only a child could appreciate it. I say tell him to learn to read his own dang self he wants to read something like that! There that will motivate him! (just kidding)
I actually used to sing (surprise!) the books that rhymed to make them more tolerable for me(and more entertaining for them). Go ahead sing with me: ♪I like to eat them in a box, I like to eat them with a fox, on a train, in the rain♪
Ugh, how do these things get published, and what do our children actually learn from these books? Well except a sense of humor…if it can be called that!
I wonder if the book’s whole purpose is to make you look stupid, which of course would make children laugh? I mean, it’s not everyday you hear an adult saying:
Chicky chicky chook chook chick chick chick
Chicky chicky chook chook peck peck pick
What really gets me though is that I can maybe see how chick chick chick and peck peck pick go together, and I can even see how maybe diz diz wiz and diz diz weeeee might go together, but what is up with the mish mish mush and mish mash matter. Matter? That doesn’t go with anything!!!!
You’re right though. Even though I’ve never read it or even heard of it, just that little bit has made me decide that it is a terrible book. It’s just a bunch of words. Who knew you could make money of random words (that don’t even go together).
It must be incredibly easy to get published if you are a children’s author. I am just amazed and appalled at some of the books I’ve read. I told my mother in law years ago that she was not to give my children books without reading them first!
It really is quite funny that you bring this up because I’ve wondered the same thing about books myself. And, not only books, but for instance the Snuggie…I could have thought of that damn thing! I’m nearly freezing my eyes out everytime I sit on the couch, but could I think of that idea? Nooooooo.
Granted, the difference between the Snuggie and the Chucky Chucky Upchuck book is that the Snuggie makes PERFECT sense. It’s amazing.
Hilarious. I have not read that book, but I’ve read similarly mind-numbing books. I’ve thought the same thing–how in the world did they get published?!
PS–is it just me or do those chicks looks strangely similar to creepy shrimp? It’s those googly eyes. Ick!
I think if I ever have kids, I will read all the books to myself first before I read them to my child, and if I don’t like it, the kid will never know the book exsitsed!
Oh I so agree! Every time I read a book like this, I think why don’t I write books I could do a way better job than that! She probably was laughing while she wrote it thinking of all of the parents that would get stuck reading it.
I’m sure the Chicky book follows some long-held educational standard about repetition and how it helps children learn and remember.
Even though my children are far past the ‘read to me’ stage, I can STILL remember some of the lines from books that were their favorites.
So, yes, it does improve memory…dammit.
Oh, for a real treat, read the reviews for Chicky Chicky Chook Chook on Amazon…it got 5 stars! http://www.amazon.com/Chicky-Chook-Cathy-MacLennan/dp/1905417403
Childrens books like that fascinate me for all the wrong reasons and of course thrill my kiddos. And the I end up making stupid noises all day long. The cover was really cute though!
Logan would LOVE that book. Why, I have no idea, but he would. I, myself, have a love/hate relationship with Corduroy. He loves it, and I did too, until I read it 29060394609 times.
thanks for the tip. i won’t be picking that book up. my son still loves, Llama, Llama Red Pajama. that has been his fav since he was a babe. i don’t mind it. it’s fun cuz i get to say, “Llama Drama.” take care.
Have you ever read any of the books put out by the Baby Einstein Company?? My oldest LOVED anything Baby Einstein when he was infant-3. So he accumulated several BE brand books. And they ARE TERRIBLE. Good pictures but horribly uncreative writing, no alliteration, no storyline of any sort, and just plain weird. Excerpt from “What does Violet see?”:
‘Violet sees three sparrows hopping along the riverbed.
The sparrows chirp to one another in little bursts.
They shake and ruffle their brown feathers.
Violet wishes she could hold a sparrow in her hand.
Violet takes a picture.’
WTF? For toddlers?
I forgot to add, it sounds like coffee house poetry.
LOL plus you paid for that irritation :o
Ugh that sounds dreadful! I was going to write about my hatred for winnie the pooh and the creatures of 100 acre woods but my boss sent me into a tizzy and I had to blog about that instead… Maybe next week i’ll go into the complexity of my relationship with pooh and his asinine friends…
It amazes me that with simple, dumb little books like this, more people aren’t authors. HELL! My almost 4 year old can write this crap and make it sound good!
The Name of this book alone says it all!!! LOL!!!
xoxox
Ms. Wanda
Amen! There are so many books that make me decide, “Well it must be who they know cuz it sure ain’t what they know.” Yikes.
ha ha! I always think to myself – Why couldn’t I come up with that! It seriously cannot be that hard to do.
What a horrid book! I am so glad my kids are grown and can read for themselves!
That is just awful. I hate it and I’ve never read it!
This is really cracking Bossy up! Sister mercy, it’s like the time Bossy’s dad bought a pair of flip-flops and then walked around the house pointing to his enormous feet saying, “Geesh, not much arch support.”
That was a lot of fun…even if I had to relive my horrid poetry-writing days.
my kids have so many books that I think what was the publisher thinking….I totally can relate to what you are saying. BTW I actually managed to play along this week.
You’ve got to love the books that have somehow wormed their way into our house and small, feeble minds decide to love. I feel for you. Fortunately, I’ve never heard of that book ;)
At least your child doesn’t walk up to the librarian and demand all the “potty” books. And when asked if she’s learning to use the potty, looks at the poor woman haughtily and announces that she’s been potty trained forEVER and just likes reading about the potty.
Yeah… that’s my girl!
Ummmm . . . i kinda cheated. Didn’t really follow the prompt although my post DOES tell something that’s going to happen this decade!
I really should start reading to my children more. However, if this book is any indicator of children’s literature today then maybe I should rethink the whole reading more thing.
hiya will be doing the rounds today…yesterday had only a little time to post up my linky…ahhhh but for good reason….i went to make myself look beautiful :) am so happy with my new look will post pics soon ppl! anyway off to see the posts or i’ll carry on rambling!
Wow. I suppose could publish the children’s book I wrote in 4th grade if I wanted to. ;)