Children won't digest feeble tales of vegetarian wolves



Encouraging children to read more is a great idea, and as Christmas fades and school looms ahead it’s impossible to ignore the fact they have too many toys already.

As the Tory philosopher Roger Scruton has said: ‘Like a hydra-headed monster for every toy that is culled, a hundred new ones spring up in place of it. By my calculations every western child must have received by the age of reason (supposing he ever reaches it), 50 times his own weight of non-biodegradable, aesthetically poisonous and morally corrupting rubbish - all delivered with the best of intentions.’

It’s so much better to give books instead. But care must be taken. Not all the ‘classics’ on sale are quite how we might remember them.

Children's favourite: The BBC's TV adaptation of the ever-popular Gruffalo storybook delighted audiences this Christmas

In Tempar's version of Little Red Riding Hood (The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood by Agnese Baruzzi and Sandro Natalin) the Wolf is shooed away, makes friends with Little Red Riding Hood, and becomes a vegetarian. In the Usbourne Illustrated Fairy Tales the wolf discovers healthy eating and lives on boiled carrots.

In the original, by the Brothers Grimm, the fate of the wolf is perfectly clear. For those who can't get hold of some kind of Samizdat copy (mine comes from the Folio Society), it says: ‘Red Riding Hood brought some big stones and they filled the wolf with them, so that when he woke up and tried to spring away he couldn't move and fell down dead.’

When it comes to Jack and the Beanstalk one can no longer rely on the ogre saying: ‘Fee, fi, fo, fum.’ The phrase originated from Shakespeare's King Lear. You can't even assume Jack kills the ogre. In the Macmillan version by Nick Sharrat and Stephen Tucker he just gets buried in a compost heap.

What is so staggering is the sheer audacity of the people who come up with these new versions. It's like the trendy Anglican clerics who took it upon themselves in the early 1960s to knock out an ‘improved’ version of the King James Bible. Yet just as we allow our local vicars to get away with using the enfeebled modernised Bible, so we let bookshops get away with flogging emaciated versions of children's classics.

Among the new stories out now there is also much dumbing down. Random House included in their literary cannon for this season: Big pants, Burpy and Bumface, and Father Christmas needs a wee. Is there no hope?

Creative: Writer Julia Donaldson has written many great books



Fortunately there is a lot of good stuff out there if you look for it. There are the modern classics by writers like Julia Donaldson, whose Gruffalo is enjoying its tenth anniversary.

But rather than coast on past glories, she is now offering Tabby McTat published by Alison Green books. It is the story of a cat and its owner - a busker - who get separated and find their way back together. Last year's classic Stick Man from the same team is still a great hit with my own children.

Judith Kerr's bestsellers include The Tiger Who Came To Tea which has become a great industry with spin off cups and saucers. Then we have Lynley Dodd whose Hairy Maclary series are among New Zealand finest exports. The Horrid Henry series by Francesca Simon and published by Orion goes from strength to strength too.

There are also some old favourites which are well illustrated in new versions with all the lavish flaps and bright colours now expected. Jim, one of Hilaire Belloc's Cautionary Tales, has been printed without the grisly wording being changed (although some rather good health and safety notices for the zoo have been added.)

Most beautiful book of the year must surely go to Miki by Stephen Mackey. The book has some of the prettiest pictures of polar bears, penguins and whales I have ever seen in a children's book. It will take your child to another time and place, and give them a really magical feeling. If you want your child to be introduced to beautiful things – and what parent doesn’t - buy them this book.

Three cheers for Hodder for re-releasing The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn by David McKee. Have enough young children seen the cult TV series to make them appreciate this book? CBeebies should certainly be re-showing this regularly, rather than producing more shows where small creatures talk in whimsical gobbledegook.

Mr Benn is an ordinary bloke who lives in an ordinary British street, who has the most extraordinary adventures. It’s a book to widen your child's imagination and make them feel that anything is possible.

There is some inspired stuff out there and some authentic tales. But scan the stories carefully before your children turn the pages.