Sarah, a west London mother, says she will remove David Walliams books from her children's bedtime routine after learning of recent concerns, planning to replace them with other authors before her kids notice. Her children, who have long enjoyed Walliams’ whimsical characters and illustrations, have even dressed up as them for World Book Day. Independent bookshops report they have already stopped stocking his titles amid the controversy. The piece explores how parents are responding to the growing scrutiny of the author’s work.
Parents take action while independent bookshops say they had already stopped stocking his titles In Sarah’s house, David Walliams has been a bedtime staple for years. Her children, aged eight, six and four, have dressed up as his characters for World Book Day – they love the over-the-top, unusual names and illustrations.Now, all the books are going. “I’ll probably take them away and replace them with other authors,” says Sarah, a mother in west London. “Sooner rather than later, so they don’t realise.” If any of her children ask why, she will tell them “that his choices aren’t great and that I think we should be reading other books”. Continue reading...
