The Scarecrow's Wedding attracts fierce criticism from parents, but author insists 'it is made clear smoking is bad for you'
Havana row … detail from Axel Scheffler's cover illustration of The Scarecrow's Wedding
Julia Donaldson has said that she would "never encourage smoking in a children's book" after some readers went online to complain about her inclusion of a ne'er-do-well scarecrow character who attempts to impress a lady by blowing smoke rings in her new book, The Scarecrow's Wedding.
"Reginald Rake is a villain who smokes a cigar and it is made clear that smoking is bad for you," said Donaldson, after one parent went on Amazon to claim that the actions of the scarecrow in Donaldson's new book had gone so far as to prompt his three-year-old to ask for a cigar.
The former children's laureate's latest collaboration with Axel Scheffler, The Scarecrow's Wedding, was out last month. It sees Donaldson recount the story of the scarecrow Betty O'Barley, who falls in love with Harry O'Hay. The pair start to plan their perfect wedding, only for the wicked Reginald Rake to make his move on Betty.
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Interview: Julia Donaldson
"Reginald Rake is a villain who smokes a cigar and it is made clear that smoking is bad for you," said Donaldson, after one parent went on Amazon to claim that the actions of the scarecrow in Donaldson's new book had gone so far as to prompt his three-year-old to ask for a cigar.
The former children's laureate's latest collaboration with Axel Scheffler, The Scarecrow's Wedding, was out last month. It sees Donaldson recount the story of the scarecrow Betty O'Barley, who falls in love with Harry O'Hay. The pair start to plan their perfect wedding, only for the wicked Reginald Rake to make his move on Betty.
More
Interview: Julia Donaldson
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