I just looked on Amazon

this is the top review (giving it 1 star)

Top reviews from United Kingdom
Becky Sharp
1.0 out of 5 stars Truly abysmal. Bad grammar, plodding laboured writing with meaning and style sacrificed for rhyme.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 June 2021
Verified Purchase
I love children's books for 4-8 year olds, they can be perfect, precise little
jewels of wit and colour and to fit a whole story with a beginning, middle and
satisfying end in that small number of pages is really a rare skill. A skill
which, unfortunately, Meghan Markle does not seem to possess.

I taught English for some years and this is exactly the sort of dull, uninspired
writing that makes teachers' hearts sink, which just plods from start to finish
with nothing to excite or engage a small child.

To whom is it meant to appeal? It doesn't seem to be aimed at children, and
is apparently based on a poem written by Meghan Markle for Prince Harry-
so not really a children's book at all- just a vanity project by the Duchess,
with Harry strangely respresented by a soldier in a US style army uniform
and forage cap,, even tho Harry left the army long before Archie was born
and was never in the US army.
And what does it even mean? How did life as a father start on a
bench....seriously..???? It just doesn't make sense, has no plot, no story and
nothing to appeal to children except possibly the illustrations which are
pleasant enough in a naive way, but the whole thing comes across as bland
and dull and pointless.

The whole thing is just a bit of a mess.
1,351 people found this helpful

People often give these gifts on a first Fathers / Mothers Day. I got the book "I Love You This Much" on my first Mother's Day. Its in my memory box now but it was a thoughtful gift.

top 2 reviews on amazon in the usa ....

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2021
Verified Purchase
It's a tribute to fatherhood with an inclusive approach; however, definitely not a children's book and not worth the $18.99 - very short, mostly-pictures book of a not-so-stellar poem. Got it for my 5yr old and his father for father's day but it's not a nice enough gift, maybe it will peek someone's interest at the local Goodwill store.
1,289 people found this helpful
Helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars This book is bland. No characters, no story, no substance.
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book is bland. No characters, no story, no substance. This will boring for kids

I read it online actually

I'm not sure exactly how it works, but the NYE Bestseller List isn't based purely on sales, but is at least a partially curated list of books.

Meghan Markle reveals VERY lofty ideas for her new children's book The Bench claiming it could help 'model a new world'.

Hmmm, I don't think so. The ego! :joker::joker:

:joker:

you literally could not make it up Jet

The Duchess of Sussex’s debut children’s book, The Bench, topped The New York Times Bestseller list for children’s picture books.
The way it's being portrayed you'd think it was top of every genre of book out there. :laugh:

Maybe Meghan thinks Harry is the only one to have this unique relationship with his son.....:laugh:

Good for her.

It has since been slammed by critics as a 'vanity project', with The Telegraph's Claire Allfree calling it 'semi-literate'.

Ms Allfree wrote: 'One wonders how any publisher could have thought fit to publish this grammar-defying set of badly rhyming cod homilies, let alone think any child anywhere would want to read it. But that's planet Sussex for you, where even the business of raising a family is all about the brand.'

It was brought out in time to capitalise on Fathers Day, it will sink in a week imo.

Good on the illustrator.

The story sells better without that bit of key information though. I don't read the rags, but i read this forum, and you see a lot people saying how the media are reaching. They certainly are in this case, agreed.

Stunning and successful :flutter:

Beautiful :love:

Stunning AND healthy looking. :love:

I'm pleased it's a success.
That's all that matters.

wow amazon can barely keep up

https://i.ibb.co/dQysTzQ/20210620-225406.jpg

Children's books............of family.life...


Sounds like the best mr or little miss section, in the children's book category list...one for the stragglers to compete in.

Exactly
Anyone would think Meghan was a homeless girl Harry saved from the streets or something :joker:, she was already successful . She just has more exposure that's all.

Kate's book is a number 1 bestseller in photography collections and exhibitions.

Both Duchesses have done well in their specific genres. I don't get why anyone criticises someone for achieving something that they set out to do.

They all do this to try and make you buy....don’t fall for it :laugh:

Basic marketing..