Category archive: Bizarre Childrens Book Contest

December 21, 2008

Freaky Tomi Ungerer Books Are Coming Back In Print

From the late 1950's to around 1970 when his self-published collections of erotica kind of pushed his editors over the edge, Tomi Ungerer was an edgy, awesome, dominant influence in the children's book world. Even if the US market couldn't...
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July 20, 2006

First Of All, You're All Winners In Your Own Way

The visions of double random number generators danced in my head as I got to the home office last night, but I ended up just printing all the names of people whose reviews were published, cutting them into long, thin...
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July 19, 2006

And The Contest Winners Are... Still Undetermined

I'm traveling today--meetings--and when I get back tonight, the DT Contest Verification Team and I will do the drawing for the prizes in the Bizarre Book Review contest. I'll post the results later tonight, aight?...
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July 14, 2006

DTBBC: The End, And One Non-Review

And that's all, folks. If I hadn't consumed an entire handtruckful of Diet Coke posting all these Bizarre Children's Book reviews, I'd say I need a drink. [excuse me for a sec... ok, I'm back.] If I missed any reviews--like,...
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DTBBC: A to Z Picture Book

Title: A to Z Picture Book [1974 pb edition, 2002 hb reissue] Author/Illustrator: Gyo Fujikawa [ALA article on her] Reviewed by: Tiffany A mixture of color illustrations and black and white sketches convey flowers, people, items, animals, holidays, actions, and...
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DTBBC: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Title: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Author/Illustrator: Judi Barrett Reviewed by Zac from Baby Roadies Actually quite entertaining, and not nearly as disturbing as the guy who was trying to fire a gun with a stick of dynamite,...
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DTBBC: Uncle Wizzmo's New Used Car

Title: Uncle Wizzmo's New Used Car Author/Illustrator: Rodney Alan Greenblat [site: rodneyfun.com] Reviewed by: Cindy I'm an auntie, not a mom or dad, but I know that the book my nephews got the most joy out of as littles was...
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July 13, 2006

DTBBC: Goops and How To Be Them

Title: Goops and How To Be Them: A Manual of Manners for Polite Infants [J. B. Lipincott Company, 1900] Author/Illustrator: Gelett Burgess Reviewed by: JJ Daddy Baby Momma When seeing Mr. Yuk caused all my repressed childhood terrors to surface,...
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DTBBC: Yummy Yucky

Title: Yummy Yucky Author/Illustrator: Leslie Patricelli Reviewed by Shauna R. [her oldtimey blog] Have you ever met a parent, perhaps one of your own, who was obsessed with not "giving the kids ideas?" Maybe little Bobby is on his way...
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DTBBC: Thomas' Snowsuit

Title: Thomas' Snowsuit Author/Illustrator: Robert Munsch, Michael Martchenko Reviewed by: Laura Here's my review... I'm surprised I haven't seen more Robert Munsch titles in the Bizarre Children's Book reviews. Mr. Munsch writes some seriously whacked-out stuff. We've all read "Love...
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DTBBC: The Little King, The Little Queen, The Little Monster

Book: The Little King, The Little Queen, The Little Monster Story and illustrations: Ruth Krauss [wikipedia] Reviewed by: Jennifer What makes the book "The Little King, The Little Queen, the Little Monster (and other stories you can make up yourself)"...
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DTBBC: "In the end, the big bunnies win."

Title: Guess How Much I Love You Author/Illustrator: Sam McBratney, Anita Jeram Reviewed by: Kelli On the surface, this seems like a sweet little book about two rabbits declaring their love for each other. But, why does the Big...
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DTBBC: Maybe My Baby

Title: Maybe My Baby Author: Irene O'Book (O'Really?) Photos: Paula Hible Reviewed by: Matt I can't remember exactly where we got this book; I think maybe the hospital gave it to us. Basically, it features (poorly-lit) photos of babies in...
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July 12, 2006

DTBBC: Go Go Go Grabote

Title: Go Go Go Grabote Author/Illustrator: Nicole Claveloux (A Harlin Quist Book 1973) Reviewer: Geoff I was looking around my kid's overwhelming book collection, thinking about which ones might be deemed Bizarre. The first to come to mind are the...
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DTBBC: Flanimals

Title: Flanimals and More Flanimals Author: Ricky Gervais Illustrator: Rob Steen Reviewer: Julie My four year old son just loves Flanimals, by Ricky Gervais, of The Office fame. He has to show this book to every grup who visits our...
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DTBBC: Mister Dog

Title: Mister Dog Author/Illustrator: Margaret Wise Brown, Garth Williams Reviewed by: Mark You would think that a book entitled Mister Dog that had a dog with a bowtie and straw hat smoking a pipe on its cover would be about...
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DTBBC: Who Cares About Disabled People?

Title: Who Cares About Disabled People? Author: No one had the guts to claim authorship, though a copyright is held by M. Twinn. Illustrator: Pam Adams Reviewed by: AJ at Thingamababy ISBN: 0-85953-351-4 I picked this book up at...
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July 11, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: Charlie and the Biggest Bunch of Flowers

Title: Charlie and the Biggest Bunch of Flowers Text, Concept, Illustrations: Janet Allison Brown, Fiona Hayes, Samantha Chaffey Reviewed by: Jack Charlie wakes up and realizes today is his mother's birthday. He jumps out his window to find a gift,...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Put Me in the Zoo

Book: Put Me in the Zoo: A Book of Colors Author and illustrator: Robert Lopshire Reviewed by: Sandi I enjoyed this story when I was a kid, so I bought it without blinking when shopping for board books. I didn't...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: No Kiss For Mother

Title: No Kiss For Mother [image: from a copy on ebay] Written and illustrated by: Tomi Ungerer Reviewer: Marya It's been pointed out by one commentator that some of the books reviewed here are unintentionally strange, while others are...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest Is Closed. Long Live The Bizarre Book Contest.

Thanks to everyone who sent in reviews or links to reviews. Any reviews you keep sending in are still welcome, but they won't be eligible for the prize drawing. I'm working to publish the backlog of reviews, which'll probably take...
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July 10, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: Punkfarm

Title: Punkfarm [overbaked flash site] Author/Illustrator: Jarrett J. Krosoczka Reviewed by: Jennifer A bunch of barnyard animals stage a raging rock concert after their farmer goes to sleep. And in the morning, they're partied out. I don��t know if...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Barbapapa's Ark

Title: Barbapapa's Ark Author/Illustrator: Annette Tison and Talus Taylor Reviewed by: Tanya Barbapapa and Barbamama are 2 blobs that hatched out of the earth and they have 7 blobby kids. They can all morph into different shapes (animate and inanimate)....
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DTBBC: Go Go Go Grabote

Title: Go Go Go Grabote Author/Illustrator: Nicole Claveloux (A Harlin Quist Book, 1973) Reviewer: Geoff I was looking around my kid's overwhelming book collection, thinking about which ones might be deemed Bizarre. The first to come to mind are the...
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July 9, 2006

The Bizarre Book Contest: T-26 Hours

If you've been itching to write a review of a headscratchingly bizarre children's book, you have about 26 hours to send it into DT's review contest. Come Monday night, the contest will end--though with the backlog, reviews will still be...
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July 7, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: Tom and Pippo's Day

Title: Tom and Pippo's Day Author/Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury Reviewer: Nina [blog: superha's speculations] Tom and Pippo's Day is one of several books in the Tom and Pippo series by Helen Oxenbury. It's the only book my husband Ben and I...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: The Steamroller

Title: The Steamroller Text: Margaret Wise Brown (published in 1974, 22 years after her death - the copyright is in her sister's name, Roberta Rauch) Illustrations: Evaline Ness [see sample pages] Reviewed by: Eric This book (and the fact...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Baby Animals

Title: Baby Animals Author/Illustrator: Garth Williams Reviewed by: Jason (a.k.a. daddy in a strange land a.k.a. Rice Daddies Jason) Copyright 1952, this one's a "Little Golden Book Classic." Which is fine, for the most part. I mean, who can argue...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Potty Training Special

Title: Too Big for Diapers Photographer: John E. Barrett; Stylist: Danielle Obinger; Art Director: Laurent Linn Title: The Potty Book - for girls Author/Illustrator: Alyssa Satin Capucilli, Dorothy Stott Reviewed by: Jason (a.k.a. daddy in a strange land a.k.a....
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July 6, 2006

4 Days Left To Enter The Bizarre Book Review Contest: And Maybe Win A Javis Davis Custom Crib Bedding Set

The rules and complete prize list is here for the DT Bizarre Children's Book review contest. You have until the end of Monday (July 10) to enter, and to have your name included in the drawing for some truly fabulous...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: The Biggest House in the World

Title: The Biggest House in the World Author/Illustrator: Leo Lionni Review by: Noisette's Maman Cautionary tale within a tale about a small snail who wants to have the biggest shell. He ignores the advice of his father and learns to...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Safety Can Be Fun

Title: Safety Can Be Fun Author / Illustrator: Munro Leaf [ed note: ?! He wrote The Story of Ferdinand!] Reviewed by: Chris As a graphic designer, I purchased this original 1938 book for the illustrations and typography, then discovered...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Open Me... I'm a Dog!

Title: Open Me... I'm a Dog! Author/Illustrator: Art Spiegelman Reviewed by: Heather I bought this book B.C. (before Clara) when I worked at a comic store. It was a gamble since the catalog was very vague on the description, so...
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DT Bizarre Book Exhibition Game: Farmer Duck

Title: Farmer Duck Author/Illustrator: Martin Waddell, Helen Oxenbury Reviewed by: "wildhair" (E.A. Canada) [via amazon reviews] The author has written a children's version of George Orwell's "Animal Farm". The story is the same but with the violence omitted. The duck...
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Johnny, Who Is Our Next Contest Prize Sponsor? Alexander Girard Pillows, Come On Down!

That's right, Bob, as design director at Herman Miller, Alexander Girard practically defined the color palette of mid-century modernist American design. His bold use of color and his sensitivity to the way folk art and indigenous design resonated with...
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July 5, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: Busy Penguins [What, No Penguin Sex??]

Title: Busy Penguins Author/Photographer: John Schindel, Jonathan Chester Reviewed by: Kim This book has beautiful photography, showing all the things penguins do (splashing, dashing, sliding, diving etc.). And I do mean ALL the things... (okay, there's no penguin sex). We...
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Bizarre Book Contest: Click, Clack Moo: Cows that type

Title: CLICK, CLACK MOO: Cows that type Author/Illustrator: Doreen Cronin, Betsy Lewin Reviewed by: Debbie It's ostensibly about cows learning valuable administrative skills. It's REALLY about labor unions and socialism. Synopsis: The cows request blankets for the barn and withhold...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Bridget and the Gray Wolves

Title: Bridget and the Gray Wolves Author/Illustrator: Pija Lindenbaum Reviewed by: Naomi Lately, our two year old has been asking us to tell her stories, and we have been obliging with off the cuff renditions of Goldilocks and Red Riding...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Muha-Zhokotuha (Buzzing Fly)

Title: Muha-Zhokotuha (Buzzing Fly) [ebay search] Author/Illustrator: Korney Chukovsky [wikipedia entry] Reviewed by: Ana & Sergei Here is a Russian must-have, read and learn rhymes and stories collection. I had it as a kid, and my 4-yo recently got it...
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July 3, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: Underwear!

Title: Underwear! Author/Illustrator: Mary Elise Monsell, Lynn Munsinger Reviewed by: Laura Ok, here is my choice for the bizarre book that we have in our collection. It is in storage at the moment because we just moved across the country...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Noisy Nora

Title: Noisy Nora Author/Illustrator: Rosemary Wells Reviewed by: Maya I know this book from my own childhood, but I think this is one I'll be skipping with my babe. Or maybe not. Anyway, it's about a rather neglected child/mouse named...
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July 2, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: Itsudemo Aeru

Title: Itsudemo aeru (We can always meet) [amazon japan] Author/Illustrator: Mariko Kikuta Reviewed by: Bakahage This is a Japanese book that I loved when I lived there (trying to get Mom-in-law to send a copy of it to me...) It...
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July 1, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: Hush, Little Alien

Title: Hush, Little Alien Author/Illustrator:Daniel Kirk "Reviewed" by: Mathowie I don't know if he meant to enter it into the contest, but Matt Haughey posted this picture to his flickr photostream today: My favorite page in Hush, Little Alien...
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June 30, 2006

Prizes And "Rules" For The DT Bizarre Children's Book Contest

So here's the deal--and the prizes. Prizes first, along with a big thanks to the generous providers of said prizes, all of whom you may recognize as current or past advertisers on Daddy Types: a 4-piece custom-made crib set [bumper...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Good Dog, Carl [Yep, Again]

Title:Good Dog, Carl Author/Illustrator: Alexandra Day Reviewed by: Timothy [ed. note: What're the odds? Two reviews of the same book within 30 minutes of each other. So yes, if someone's already reviewed your bizarre book, but you have something else/different...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Good Dog, Carl

Title:Good Dog, Carl Author/Illustrator: Alexandra Day Reviewed by: Jacqueline The Story: Mother leaves baby Madeline home alone to be babysat by the pet Rottweiler, Carl. "Look after the baby, Carl. I'll be back shortly." While the Mother is out of...
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June 29, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: The Adventures of Super Pickle

Title: The Adventures of Super Pickle Author/Illustrator: Dean Walley, Mike Strouth [illustr.], Dick Dudley [paper engineering] Reviewed by: Jared Link: Everything Pop-Up! at RobertSabuda.com As a child I loved this insanely weird pop-up book. It literally disintegrated from use....
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: The Thumbtown Toad

Title: The Thumbtown Toad [alibris] [ebay] Author/Illustrator: George Mendoza, Monika Beisner Reviewed by: Bryan The most bizarre children's book I've ever come across is The Thumbtown Toad by George Mendoza (Prentice-Hall 1971). This book scared the bejeezus out of me...
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DT Bizarre Book Contest: Oh My Baby Bear!

Title: Oh My Baby Bear! Author/Illustrator: Audrey Wood Reviewed by: Shari Baby Bear is dressed, fed, bathed, and put to bed by his parents, but one day they tell him they're too busy, and that he has to do each...
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June 28, 2006

DT Bizarre Book Contest: Little Fur Family

Title: Little Fur Family Author/Illustrator: Margaret Wise Brown, Garth Williams Reviewed by: Eric This may be the strangest children's book I've ever had the pleasure of reading to my 18 month old son 1,000X in a row, by request. It's...
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