Annie Ashworth & Meg Sanders Hodder and Stoughton, £12.99
Accompanying a new BBC2 series, this book takes a sardonic look at raising kids in the 21st Century. The authors’ approach is summed up by the tagline on the cover – ‘The race to compete with other bl**dy parents’. And this book certainly demonstrates what many middle class mums and dads will do to ensure their child is given a superior start in life, whether it’s ensuring you have the latest state-of-theart buggy for your baby or sneaking a peak at another child’s homework to compare with your offspring’s effort. An effort is made to direct the book at both dads and mums, although with the frequency of ‘you and him’ type comments, Ashworth and Sanders seem to assume their core readership will be female. But there’s still plenty here to amuse everyone, with the anecdotes from parents certain to ring a few bells. The book also scores highly for its up-to-date references, although the suggestion that parents are expected to be “Nigella Lawson in the kitchen and John Prescott in the bedroom” prompts some rather disturbing images!
Verdict: ★ ★★
Likely to elicit a few smiles of recognition from any parent.
