My mum loves Noddy. She watched it on TV when she was a kid. We found this at the local thrift store along with a bunch of other British books. It was a good day for thrifting.
I kind of love this book for a bunch of reasons. First off, the vocabulary is very, very British. I'm often translating things for my daughter who otherwise has no exposure to some of the terms. Secondly, everyone is always angry with Noddy. He isn't a mean little toy; he's just forgetful, unobservant, and thoughtless. They're pretty unlikely characteristics for a hero.
Lastly, the stories are often not quite resolved. The resolution is implied, but they don't walk you through to the conclusion. And sometimes the conclusion isn't really very happy. Noddy always pays the price for his failings. It's a weird series of morality tales about absent mindedness. Which is rough. And Noddy is the beloved main character, too, so they set you up to really love him and then watch his inevitable downfall.
My daughter loves it for the characters and the bubbly drawings, though. Narrative be damned!
If you asked me why I hate Disney so much and yet give Noddy a pass, I wouldn't have much of an answer for you. Maybe just because it's British.
