Over the last week or two BookBairn did something unthinkable. She stopped reading. No interest in book post. No bedtime stories. No pulli...

TV Characters in Books

Wednesday, June 28, 2017 BookBairn 14 Comments

Over the last week or two BookBairn did something unthinkable. She stopped reading. No interest in book post. No bedtime stories. No pulling books off the shelves. No finding her sprawled out reading books. No babyled reading. No book mess. I was distraught.

But fortunately reading has resumed! I can only assume it was a phase. Now she wakes up and the first thing she wants to do is read a book. She drags them across the house to find me to read them to her. She makes a huge book mess! Phew!

And who do we have to thank for this return to reading? That blasted Peppa Pig. I'm generally not one for TV character books but I've got to give this one it's dues because it reignited her interest in reading. I've never bought any TV character books because quite honestly I do not like them. I find them boring. The illustrations are straight out of the TV show and the storylines are too. When you've watched them over and over the last thing you want to do is read them over and over. But we have acquired some as part of the Puffin Summer Reading #ByBook project last year and as gifts. BookBairn often chooses them from the library too because she recognises the characters and likes them.

So I don't like them. But I do see their value. And how valuable they have been to me this week. My lovely best friend and mama-extraordinaire from '3's a crowd' put it better than I could:

"I like TV character books in general as they allow them to tell a story on characters they're so familiar with, rather than when they're on tv; allowing them to be mini storytellers and develop pre reading skills. However, I don't enjoy them as much as non tv character books as they don't allow you to learn about a character from scratch through the words and pictures of a talented author/illustrator - one of the most magical things that books can do."

So yes, all books have their place. Personally if I'm going to read a book over and over again I'd prefer it was one that I enjoyed. But at the end of the day BookBairn chooses what we read and after my recent experience I'm just glad that we are reading. No matter what it is we are reading. Character books have their place on our shelves too.

Our favourites are undoubtedly Peppa Pig, Hey Duggee and Bing. I also like that BookBairn an extend her enjoyment of these stories using apps. The Peppa Pig book we have here has a great app 'Peppa Goes Around the World' is brilliant as the story is read aloud to her and she can make the characters do things before they move on to the next page. Hey Duggee's 'Sandcastle Badge' app is also well used in our house.

Do you have any favourite character books? And how do you feel about them?

Love Mummy and BookBairn xx

*DISCLAIMER We were sent both the Hey Duggee and the Peppa Pig book from the publisher and won the Bing book in an online competition. We have read several others from the library. I purchased the apps myself.





14 comments:

  1. Since Michael Bond sadly passed away today I have to declare a love of Paddington Bear. When he first wobbled on to the tv screens in 1975, but those wonderful stories had been around for a decade and a half, charming and informing.

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    1. I saw that, such a shame! And I know how much you love Paddington. But he was a book first so not sure he really falls into the same category as Peppa!

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  2. Peter Rabbit has got to be up there for me but again the books were there before the TV programmes. In what format did Peppa Pig first appear?
    ....and double-phew that BookBairn has recovered from her wobble.

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    1. Peppa is a TV creation. And love Peter Rabbit! I've grown to like the new TV show of it too, and the ten minutes peace I get when it's on!

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  3. I find that the quality of the writing in TV character books is generally poor. And I hate Peppa Pig so I feel your pain. But if it sparks interest in books, maybe we shouldn't complain.
    #readwithme

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    1. I'm just happy to have a wee reader again! But I agree with you!

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  4. Peppa Pig was always a favourite here too, that and In the Night Garden, great ways to get kids reading! #readwithme

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    1. Whatever works! Peppa is not my favourite but BookBairn likes her so we will have to put up with her for a while longer.

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  5. Totally with you on this! I always hated TV character books. The stories just don't work as well on paper as they do on screen and just seemed uninspiring next to 'proper' kids' books. But my kids enjoyed them, so we read them!

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    1. Absolutely agree! There's much to be admired in the illustration and story telling on TV but it doesn't always translate into a book.

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  6. I've never been a huge fan of TV characters who appear in books although Peppa was a favourite here for quite a while! I never bought any of Peppa's books though. From the other angle we have enjoyed some great TV adaptations of some of our favourite picture books including Old Bear, Charlie and Lola and the older Paddington stories that I watched as a child!

    So glad that Book Bairn has got her reading mojo back!

    #readwithme

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    1. "Reading mojo!" I love that!! And yes I love a TV adaption of books! The Gruffalo is BookBairn's favourite! But I like The Help best as my favourite adaptation!

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  7. I'm with you on the character books, they're not my favourite and sometimes they distract my boys from other books in the library! But, I am a fan of any books that can get kids reading so they definitely have an important role.
    #readwithme

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    1. It seems most of us are on the same wave-length. Our library distraction lies in the colouring table and the Very Hungry Caterpillar toys - hahaha!

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