you say spongebob, what about cptn Underpants!

[Whosemom]

I was reading the thread on Spongebob and thinking of my kids well loved book series Captain Underpants. Anyone else enduring this? Its designed to look like a 5th grader (a stupid 5th grader) wrote it. My biggest beef with it is that the words are spelled fonnetically (see isn't that annoying). But besides that, its just annoying. The Super hero wears a cape and underpants. The bad guy is a turd. I understand at a certain stage, there's just nothing like bodily function inspired humor, so I let them read it. But I have banned them from reading it out loud in my presesnce.

 

[hollyb]

Good for you ban everything you think is wrong or bad. Come on Captain Underpants is a kids book. This can't be a serious thread. oy vey!

 

[allison443]

My kids read these. These books go under the category of "at least they're reading" and "it's better than nothing."

 

[PMart]

My 9 year old DD loves Captain Underpants and Spongebob and I must admit I do too! LOL I think the Captian Underpants books are hilarious!!!



PMart

 

[Whosemom]

hollyb you don't read very carefully or something. I let them read the stupid things. I just don't care to participate.

For what its worth, my kids devour books, as do I. And alot of them we share, or at least share what's happening in our little temporary alternate universe. But my gory murder mysteries, I tell them are just not age appropriate for them. And Captain Underpants is not age appropriate for me.

And no, I didn't mean to start a particularly serious thread. Note the smiley. Did you go slam the folks who don't care for SpongeBob? "Good for you" having a knee jerk reaction to the word banned!

So stick a feather in your hat and smile, smile, smile.

 

[dijid]

My DS thought these were hilarious. Nothing like a character named "Wedgie Woman" to get to the heart of a young boy! But I'm with you - these are not for me. I didn't ban them, but I also didn't encourage him to finish out the whole series.

My kids read these. These books go under the category of "at least they're reading" and "it's better than nothing."

I used to think that until I read the book "Deconstructing Penguins" in which the author says in response to that something along the lines of you would never let your child eat candy all the time and then say, "Well, at least they're eating." It made me stop and pause. And now I make sure that there's some halfway decent lit mixed in with the Junie B's and Captain Underpants and Scooby Doo and all those other series my kids love.

 

[mwehttam]

My wife is a elementary school Library Media Specialist and thinks these books are great. Her hardest task is to get boys interested in reading. These type of silly books, while not classics, do get boys to read and in the long run, isn't that the most important thing?

As a side not, she enjoys the characters so much, she call our DS (7 months old today) "Professor Poopie Pants", a reoccurring character, when he does the things that babies do!

-Matt

 

[Whosemom]

Matt, get your wife to help me with this one - LOL- my kindergartner has informed me that since he has indeed finished the K series, he now only reads chapter books. (insert snobby sniff here). He'll flip through a book that IS at his level, state, "There are no chapters here" and toss it down. I think I'm going to sneak in after bed time and insert chapter headings every few pages in his books. LOL

 

[mwehttam]

Matt, get your wife to help me with this one - LOL- my kindergartner has informed me that since he has indeed finished the K series, he now only reads chapter books. (insert snobby sniff here). He'll flip through a book that IS at his level, state, "There are no chapters here" and toss it down. I think I'm going to sneak in after bed time and insert chapter headings every few pages in his books. LOL

Not a problem. And this is not a problem that you should be worried about! Being a boy and reading above his level is always a good thing, no matter how many "snobby sniffs" he give you!

I will ask her tonight and let you know what she thinks.

-Matt

 

[Whosemom]

Yea, but, that's just the thing - he's NOT reading above his level. He just wants to be like the big sisters. My concern is that if he refuses to read the beginner books over the summer, he will lose ground.

He's so funny. He sits there with a book in his lap and runs his finger down the page, and then turns it. And even when I tell him lights out for bed time, he'll say "just let me finish this chapter, Mom." I don't know wether he's bothering to pick out a word or two on a page or what, because when he's doing this, doncha know, he doesn't FEEL like sharing his story.

I'm sure it will all work out in the end, because he's interested. But if your DW knows of any super simple chapter book series, I'd appreciate her input! And I'm talking mostly one syllabul (sp?) words. He did just make it through Cat in the Hat with just a little help. But he wants to read on his own. For kid three its all about being big.

 

[mwehttam]

Yea, but, that's just the thing - he's NOT reading above his level. He just wants to be like the big sisters. My concern is that if he refuses to read the beginner books over the summer, he will lose ground.

He's so funny. He sits there with a book in his lap and runs his finger down the page, and then turns it. And even when I tell him lights out for bed time, he'll say "just let me finish this chapter, Mom." I don't know wether he's bothering to pick out a word or two on a page or what, because when he's doing this, doncha know, he doesn't FEEL like sharing his story.

I'm sure it will all work out in the end, because he's interested. But if your DW knows of any super simple chapter book series, I'd appreciate her input! And I'm talking mostly one syllabul (sp?) words. He did just make it through Cat in the Hat with just a little help. But he wants to read on his own. For kid three its all about being big.

I get it now! I am a little slow, lol. When my DS gets older I will be in for this too.

I will check with her and let you know. She is really good at getting her kids to read. One little girl last year told her mom that she wanted to be a Librarian because she was turned on to reading by my wife. My wife apologized to the mother if this ruined any plans on the daughter becoming a doctor.

-Matt