Meghan Markle’s children’s book The Bench has made it to the top 5 on Amazon bestsellers.
The 40-page book, which has an average rating of 4 stars online, received overpouring reviews branding it everything from ‘semi-literate vanity project’ to ‘beautiful keepsake.’
It was inspired by a poem Meghan wrote about Prince Harry’s first Father’s Day after their son Archie was born.
The $18.42 (£12.99) book explores ‘the special relationship between father and son, as seen through a mother’s eyes.’
It is illustrated with photos of a family including one of the Duchess of Sussex cradling a newborn baby in a possible nod to their daughter Lilibet.
Even though the book had a rough start that saw it just number 100 on Amazon yesterday, it has made a huge leap to number five on the UK Children’s Books list.
It is expected to jump again as it has already reached number 1 in the ‘Fiction about Value and Virtues for Children’ subcategory on the website.
People were quick to share their thoughts about the book, and it seems they have mixed reactions. Some readers said they ‘really wanted to like’ it but were left disappointed.
One review wrote on Amazon: “I really wanted to like this book, to believe the Publishers had selected it on merit. There isn’t a lot of positives to be found. It’s not engaging and cannot justify its classification as a children’s book. It’s a sentimental with a somewhat sanctimonious overtone.”
Others pointed out that the book is marketed as a children’s book but seemingly addressed to parents.
“This is your bench/Where you’ll witness great joy/From here you will rest/See the growth of our boy,” one line goes.
“It’s a nice poem but it’s not at all suitable for the age range it’s being advertised for,” a reviewer wrote on Amazon.
“The average child won’t appreciate or understand this. It would be a better gift for someone who’s a father rather than gifting this to a child. It’s also very expensive considering the value for money derived. It’s incredibly short.”
But the book also received positive comments, with one person writing: “The poem throughout is lovely Don’t really understand the negative reviews, it’s a beautiful book and clearly meant more for a Father or parent to read and give them a smile.point 316 |
My children loved looking at the pictures and pointing out ‘daddy’, but it made my husband tear up.point 86 | ”point 89 | 1
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