# Which highly praised children’s books leave you cold? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396 "2011-03-29T17:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/101 "2011-04-04T00:33:49Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Will is foreordained, but he doesn’t have much character at all, I admit. Still I found that easier to deal with than Harry as a golden child. Will is handed everything, never struggles, never doubts, knows everything, and is immortal. Harry is impetuous, less than brilliant, impatient, brave, foolish, hard-headed, loyal, and credulous. I don’t consider Harry Potter one of the great characters in children’s lit, but he’s quite a bit better than some. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/102 "2011-04-04T02:33:53Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Will is handed everything, never struggles, never doubts, knows everything, and is immortal. Harry is impetuous, less than brilliant, impatient, brave, foolish, hard-headed, loyal, and credulous. I don’t consider Harry Potter one of the great characters in children’s lit, but he’s quite a bit better than some. Never struggles? Wow, that surprises me: I remember **The Dark Is Rising** as being one of the grimmer children’s books, during for example the protracted scene in which it appears he and everyone else will freeze to death. Hmm. Maybe it’s that he suffers, although he doesn’t struggle. But even that isn’t true, I don’t think: I think there are some vivid scenes of him struggling against the mind-magic of the dark. Anyway, I really like TDIR much more than Harry Potter. De gustibus. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/103 "2011-04-04T02:40:21Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Ooh, **Artemis Fowl**. I really wanted to like it, but it was mediocre. > > Which reminds me–I don’t think **Harry Potter** has been mentioned yet. I’ve read the whole series, so it’s not that I despise them; they’re reasonably diverting. But I really don’t get the love for them. I’ve read so much children’s fantasy that I think is shit-tons better (including, incidentally, The Dark is Rising 🙂 ). I think the adoration for it makes a lot more sense if you characterize it as Malory Towers with Magic than children’s fantasy novel. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/104 "2011-04-04T02:41:01Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Never struggles? Wow, that surprises me: I remember **The Dark Is Rising** as being one of the grimmer children’s books, during for example the protracted scene in which it appears he and everyone else will freeze to death. > > Hmm. Maybe it’s that he suffers, although he doesn’t struggle. But even that isn’t true, I don’t think: I think there are some vivid scenes of him struggling against the mind-magic of the dark. > > Anyway, I really like TDIR much more than Harry Potter. De gustibus. And rereading a summary of TDIR, there’s a lot wrong with your description. He makes plenty of mistakes–using his power frivolously, giving important items to agents of the dark, etc. It’s also not clear that he’s immortal. He’s not a terribly proactive character, but he’s no Charlie Bucket either. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/105 "2011-04-04T03:01:45Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Anyway, I really like TDIR much more than Harry Potter. De gustibus. Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/106 "2011-04-04T03:31:46Z")
Well, what I really didn’t like about the Harry Potter series was its repetitive, totally boring nature. that’s how I responded to it. I thought his foster family in the first book was hlarious. missed them in the next book. and I hate books where all the adults are dumb and rely on the children to save the day. I skimmed through most of the series (for work at the library & book store) but found it incredibly boring. On the other hand, I find Frodo’s trek through Mordor to be incredibly moving. We’re all different. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/107 "2011-04-04T04:06:19Z")
If you skimmed through most of the series, though, that’s not really a fair shake. I’m not telling you that you need to go out and read them properly if you’re not interested, but my feeling about “I skimmed them and found them boring” is the same way I feel about movie reviewers who pan a movie that they didn’t bother to finish watching. You know? ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/108 "2011-04-04T04:15:43Z")
MsWhatsit - I read all of the first Harry Potter book when it first came out. was bored by the 2nd . only skimmed the rest to be familiar with them for the students/customers. I have a stack of eight books by my head, 10 on hold at the library, and many on my shelves of all sorts that I want to read or reread. Life’s too short to finish a book I find boring just because it’s popular. I read enough to form an intelligent opinion, I think. They didn’t grab me. Also, I’m not writing a book report or written review, so, again that’s my take on them. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/109 "2011-04-04T04:19:05Z")
OK, fair enough. I just felt it was a bit strange for you to say that you found the series repetitive and boring when you didn’t read the series, you read one book. This is making me sound like some kind of crazy Harry Potter fangirl. I swear I’m not, honestly! I didn’t really like the first book either! I think I should go to bed now. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/110 "2011-04-04T04:27:53Z")
Good Night MsWhatsit, Goodnight Moon. I’m off to bed too. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/111 "2011-04-04T06:24:20Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > MsWhatsit - I read all of the first Harry Potter book when it first came out. was bored by the 2nd . only skimmed the rest to be familiar with them for the students/customers. I have a stack of eight books by my head, 10 on hold at the library, and many on my shelves of all sorts that I want to read or reread. Life’s too short to finish a book I find boring just because it’s popular. I read enough to form an intelligent opinion, I think. They didn’t grab me. > Also, I’m not writing a book report or written review, so, again that’s my take on them. The second is a bit too much like the first. The later ones get far more complex and deep. Personally I’d be embarrassed to offer any opinion (particularly a dismissive opinion) on anything I hadn’t read. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/112 "2011-04-04T13:33:38Z")
Okay fine. I will not be dismissive of Harry Potter on these boards any more. Though I honestly tried (for my jobs) to read the “deeper” books, they each still struck me after reading a chapter por so as make-up-as-you-go-along and they were really nothing special to me. But since I have not read every word of the doorstoppers I will refrain from commenting on them. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/113 "2011-04-04T13:57:16Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > The second is a bit too much like the first. The later ones get far more complex and deep. Personally I’d be embarrassed to offer any opinion (particularly a dismissive opinion) on anything I hadn’t read. I disagree. I haven’t read all of the Twilight books, but I sure do have an opinion after reading just the first one. You shouldn’t have to drink the whole cup of coffee if the first sip reveals there was sour milk involved. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/114 "2011-04-04T14:52:25Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I disagree. I haven’t read all of the Twilight books, but I sure do have an opinion after reading just the first one. > > You shouldn’t have to drink the whole cup of coffee if the first sip reveals there was sour milk involved. Agreed: I trash Wheel of Time whenever it comes up, based on reading 77 pages (I remember the exact page count for some reason). However, I always qualify my hatred of the series by saying that it might get better after its terrible beginning. There’s no particular reason for me to continue reading a book (or even worse a series) once I’ve formed the opinion that I find it unpleasant. Obviously my opinion won’t be as informed as that of someone that read the entire thing, but by nature of the exercise the folks that read the entire thing will tend to have higher opinions of the book or series. That doesn’t mean the book/series is any good, just that people who like it are likelier to finish it. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/115 "2011-04-04T23:22:50Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > You shouldn’t have to drink the whole cup of coffee if the first sip reveals there was sour milk involved. Books aren’t cups of coffee. They aren’t homogenous. Plenty of great authors wrote some bad books. If you just read those, you would nonetheless think it appropriate to dismiss their body of work? Even when those who have read them say there are other books that are better? Sounds like a good way to make a fool of yourself to me. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/116 "2011-04-04T23:45:55Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Books aren’t cups of coffee. They aren’t homogenous. Plenty of great authors wrote some bad books. If you just read those, you would nonetheless think it appropriate to dismiss their body of work? Even when those who have read them say there are other books that are better? Sounds like a good way to make a fool of yourself to me. My current to-read list on Goodreads is 660 books. I’m not exactly hurting for things to read, so yeah. For the most part, an author is going to get one chance with me. I think it would be silly to glance at a book cover and then announce I don’t like author X, but if I’ve read all or part of a book? Yes, I get to say, “I don’t like author X.” Life is too short to read the entire oeuvre of every author before deciding if you like them. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/117 "2011-04-05T02:44:06Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I think it would be silly to glance at a book cover and then announce I don’t like author X, but if I’ve read all or part of a book? Yes, I get to say, “I don’t like author X.” And I get to say I think your opinion is worth three fourths of f\*ck all and that I would be embarrassed to express it if I was in your position. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/118 "2011-04-05T03:01:37Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > And I get to say I think your opinion is worth three fourths of f\*ck all and that I would be embarrassed to express it if I was in your position. You can’t discount my writing until you read all of my posts. They aren’t homogenous, you know. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/119 "2011-04-05T03:28:16Z")
“Madeline” is a strange book. It’s not as much about Madeline as I thought. My kid loves it though. Of course, her name’s Madeline. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396/120 "2011-04-05T04:41:46Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > You can’t discount my writing until you read all of my posts. They aren’t homogenous, you know. I agree and I don’t. I was commenting on your statement that I quoted, and I stand by my view about that statement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-highly-praised-children-s-books-leave-you-cold/576396.md?page=7)