Six for Sunday – Bookish Hates

#SixforSunday is hosted by Steph at A Little But A Lot. Each week she gives a book-themed prompt for a list of six and this week that prompt is

Bookish Hates

This is a tough one. I’m not sure I’d say hate, but these are certainly things I’m not keen on. In no particular order:

• Didactic picture books. I don’t mind a book with a message as such, I just hate it being put across too obviously or with too much sentimentality. I read one recently where I loved the illustrations (seriously beautiful, colourful things) and I enjoyed the story…until the last page. Then vom. For some picture books with messages that aren’t rammed down your throat, try Steve Anthony’s Mr Panda series or I Don’t Want to be a Pea by Ann Bonwill and Simon Rickerty.
• Bad rhyme. Again usually in picture books. I just hate clunky rhythm or words and phrases that have been shoe-horned in in an attempt to maintain the rhyme. Dodgy, repetitive or just poorly flowing – ugh! For picture books with great rhyme, there’s always the great Julia Donaldson, the classic Hairy Maclary books by Linley Dodd or try the Ten Little… series by Mike Brownlow and Simon Rickerty (who I promise has not commissioned this post!)
• Celebrity authors. So, this could be a blog post in itself. Yes, if a celeb gets a parent whose own relationship with reading isn’t great or who are intimidated by bookshops to read, buy or borrow books for their kids – I’m all for it. If their popularity gets kids reading and talking about books, brilliant. I just love it when they’re a springboard rather than an end point. And I think it’s sad the amount of hype, space and promotion they get which could be given to actual authors who need it. I tried to think of exceptions to the rule to recommend but I couldn’t. Are there any celeb authors you rate?
• Romance. Im just not a fan. There’s nothing wrong with it, if you enjoy it that’s great, but it’s not for me. Though I think there’s maybe no greater love stories than I Love You Stick Insect by Chris Naylor-ballesteros and Tadpole’s Promise by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross.
• Happy endings. Not to be confused with hopeful endings. I love a hopeful ending, I just hate it when everything is perfectly tied up and fixed. I like a bit of misery/anguish/grief/bleakness in a book! I think there’s a lot of MG authors doing hopeful over happy incredibly well at the moment – Kiran Millwood-Hargrave, Abi Elphinstone, Kieran Larwood…
• Charles Dickens. We just don’t get on!

What are your bookish hates? Do we agree, or disagree, on any?

Have you taken part in #SixforSunday?