While kids’ books are meant to be about cute animals with carefully integrated educational messages thrown in for good measure, some tales have pushed the envelope – intentionally and accidentally – and in turn created quite a stir.
Here are some subversive story books that come to mind.
You Have to F*king Eat is the highly anticipated sequel to Go the F**k to Sleep*.
All My Friends Are Dead (2010) A dark comedic picture book about that showcases the downside of being everything from a carton of milk to a pot plant. This simplistic storybook is laugh-out-loud funny and is a fantastic primer for exploring the inevitable.
And Tango Makes Three (2005) And Tango Makes Three created a whole lot of hullabaloo when it was first released in 2005. The book tells the touching true tale of two male penguins, Roy and Silo who lived in Central Park Zoo and liked to do everything together – including build a nest. But when the pair of tuxedo clad males failed to fill that nest with an egg a zookeeper intervened and gave them an egg that needed care – that is how Tango was born. Roy and Silo doted on Tango and she became the first penguin chick lucky enough to have two daddies. Despite the happily ever after ending many challenged the book for its homosexual themes, age appropriateness and central motif about what really makes a family. While celebrated by liberal groups worldwide Tango Makes Three has made the American Library Associations ‘most challenged’ list between 2006 and 2012.
If You Give a Kid a Cookie, Will He Shut the Fk Up? (2011)** This parody for adults poses one of life’s most asked questions from parents who just want a freaking moments peace!
The Long Journey of Mister Poop (2007) This picture book (errrrrm… yuck!) is about exactly what you think it is about. A tale where the main character is the main character embodies the form of human excrement and attempts to explain how the digestive system works in a colourful kid-friendly way.
Toddlers are Aholes: It’s Not Your Fault (2014)** A hysterical profanity laden handbook for parents that reminds them that while their child might be at their peak cuteness they also can also be shrieking, food throwing, unreasonable, irrational A-holes and mum and dad should never-ever-ever-EVER blame themselves.
Where Willy Went (2005) This book is for all of those parents who don’t think the simplistic ‘stork’ answer will cut it when their kid finally wonders, ‘Where do babies come from?’. The brightly painted picture book tells the tale of Willy the sperm and his race to win the egg prize. For the prudish reader this book prompts questions about age appropriateness but it’s generally a pretty cute yarn.
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