Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
As a child I never much liked the Cat in the Hat, he just took way too much license with those nice kids, but it wasn't until I had kids of my own that my eyes were opened to the madness that occasionally calls children's books home. While the reasons for my new found discomfort with Hop on Pop might be readily apparent, there are far darker visions lurking in the webbed corners of our social strata, waiting to disturb our tender youth.
Mollie just mentioned one in another conversation, Love You Forever, for ages 4-8, about an obsessive mother that is still sneaking into bed with her son when he has moved away and has a home of his own.
A Sisyphus family example is Rainbow Fish, for ages 1-3, about a colorful fish that allows other fish to pull his scales off in hopes of being liked. Each of the little Sisyphuses rejected this book in their own, special way.
So here is the deal. Nominate a book below or "like" the nomination(s) you agree top all of the others. The title(s) with the most likes at the end are the creepiest children's books ever. The only rule is nothing written before 1900. The moderns simply would be outgunned by the original Brothers Grimm, for example.
I'll count up and declare a "winner" in 24 hours.
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Jul '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Love You Forever, for ages 4-8, about an obsessive mother that is still sneaking into bed with her son when he has moved away and has a home of his own.
Jul '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Rainbow Fish, for ages 1-3, about a colorful fish that allows other fish to pull his scales off in hopes of being liked.
Edited on Sep 8, 2011 at 3:10pmJul '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
The Giving Tree, for ages 4-8, from the Amazon.com review: Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk.
Edited on Sep 8, 2011 at 3:11pmRe: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Hold on! *throws challenge flag*
First of all, there's no way Rainbow Fish can be for kids age 1-3. That book was such a classic that I remember reading it myself- and I couldn't read until I was older than 3.
Jul '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Ethan Safron: Hold on! *throws challenge flag*
First of all, there's no way Rainbow Fish can be for kids age 1-3. That book was such a classic that I remember reading it myself- and I couldn't read until I was older than 3. · Sep 8 at 3:08pm
Looking at the Amazon entry, I find this is the board book edition, which came into the Sisyphus household about 16 years ago. The one year olds reading this book stopped reading altogether, I'm sure.
Jun '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Can I put in about a dozen votes for I'll Love You Forever? Everyone I've ever introduced that book to has been completely creeped out.
Jun '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Dec '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
It's not necessarily creepy, but the Ten Button Book was the most frustrating thing ever brought into my house for the kids. Great idea to give a toddler something the parent has to go boyscout on and untangle every fifteen minutes.
Dec '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
http://www.amazon.com/Scary-Stories-Tell-Dark-Collected/dp/0064401707
"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark"
The illustrations are part of what really sells this book as pure terror. Anyone else remember reading it as a child?
Mar '11
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Anything by Judy Blume. Rainbow fish is a commie parable.
Jun '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
I generally like Dr. Seuss, but Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! just about drove me crazy. Not necessarily creepy, but infinitely irritating.
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
I'm an alumni interviewer for my alma mater, and a couple years ago I gave an interview with a young man who, when asked what he likes to do in his spare time, said that he enjoys cuddling with his mom in her bed. "Oh!" I responded, "is she ill?"
"No, I just really like to snuggle with her. We're very close."
Creeped me out. He didn't get a good review from me.
Apr '11
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Sisyphus--can't think of an especially creepy nomination at the moment, but love the post/thread. I'll enjoy reading the results!
Edited on Sep 8, 2011 at 9:03pmAug '11
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
I thought I heard somewhere that Marvin K. Mooney was a parable about Richard Nixon. So says one of my teacher friends (who is now a rebellious home educator).
Aug '11
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Anyway, a dozen votes (Chicago style) for The Giving Tree. Or as I like to call it: The Co-dependent Tree.
For all those who loathe The Giving Tree, this is necessary viewing.
Jun '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Diane Ellis, Ed.
I'm an alumni interviewer for my alma mater, and a couple years ago I gave an interview with a young man who, when asked what he likes to do in his spare time, said that he enjoys cuddling with his mom in her bed. "Oh!" I responded, "is she ill?"
"No, I just really like to snuggle with her. We're very close."
Creeped me out. He didn't get a good review from me. · Sep 8 at 8:01pm
That's one of the most disturbing things I've heard... ever.
Apr '11
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
I'll agree with "I'll love you forever". Not sure how it ended up in our house, but I hope it has found its way to a landfill by now. Has anybody ever interviewed the author to find out what he was thinking when he penned that piece of weirdness?
Sep '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Anything written in the NYT by Paul Krugman.
Sep '10
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
Diane Ellis, Ed.
I'm an alumni interviewer for my alma mater, and a couple years ago I gave an interview with a young man who, when asked what he likes to do in his spare time, said that he enjoys cuddling with his mom in her bed. "Oh!" I responded, "is she ill?"
"No, I just really like to snuggle with her. We're very close."
Creeped me out. He didn't get a good review from me. · Sep 8 at 8:01pm
I hope his name wasn't Norman.
Jan '11
Re: Creepiest Children's Book Ever Poll
The giving tree is a beautiful story. It's an allegory about parenthood, and if you find it disturbing, I think you're reading way too much into it.
Speaking of reading too much into things, though. I always found the Mr. Brown and Mr. Black storyline in Hop on Pop to have some homosexual undertones which are very odd.