Children's Books That Are Not For Children (WTF?)
Image from: pixabay.com(CC0)
Ok, so today I wanted to make an entry for @erodedthoughts contest, but one comment of his reminded me of a silly children's book I once saw on a Facebook video. So I searched for it on Youtube and there seemed to be more like this on the market.
Have an example of what high levels of creativity we're talking about:
Do You Want To Play With My Balls?
Seriously! A children's book that talks about blue balls, wet balls, hairy balls...
I remember when I first saw this video I was laughing, but after a while I started thinking: Who the heck came up with all that and made a whole book about it? It's kind of brilliant and gross at the same time. I don't think a child would get the kinky messages behind it, but the fact that I do makes me not want to read it to a child. Does this mean that my "perverted" way of interpreting messages resembles the way an "illiterate" to sexual education and innuendos child would interpret such stories?
And this was not the only one. Here are a few more samples:
Suzy Likes To Look At Balls
Yes, because balls are so popular a topic to write about when it comes to children's books!
"Hugh Hefner's balls were big and bold, the finest balls around... Then one day Hugh got old, now his balls drag on the ground" [That's before Hugh passed]
Put Tony's Nuts In Your Mouth!
No, thanks! I don't want your hot and salty nuts!
Brenda's Beaver Needs a Barber
"That girl's beaver needs a makeover... it really needs it now"
Come Swing With Us!
"Tim and Kate are swingers... They really love to swing" As you can imagine the rest of the book goes on with how they like to swing and with whom...
Spank the Monkey Lends a Hand
Aaaw! A helpful little monkey that goes around in town and gives a hand to every man who needs him!
A Child's First Book of Trump
@trumpman! Here is the perfect book for your children (when you have some)! Although it doesn't speak so highly of poor Americus Trumpus. (It's easy to spot the anti-trump speech in it)
Jokes aside, I don't think anyone would read such books to their children. I mean they make a light, cheap, indescent piece of reading for adults. They are good enough to have you giggling, BUT they are certainly no kids' material!
I would like to call in some help for a more professional approach. @abigail-dantes, @erh.germany would you "condemn" these publications if they were to be read to children? Do you think that because adults can read between the lines, an "innocent" (basically sexually un-educated) child's mind would get the same meaning that an adult gets?
The rest of you who happen to actually read this post, what are your thoughts?
Thank you so much for your time!
Until my next post,
Steem on and keep smiling, people!
I just stumbled across this article of yours as I was scrolling my steemworld.
That's some adult giggle-crap, I would say. No adult could read it without having some Hintergedanke (associated thoughts on sex) to his child.
I've read hundreds of books to my son when he as young and I never came across a book like the ones you showed here.
Western "modern" societies seem as prude as they have been for hundreds of years. Sexuality never can be taught through books anyway. And also not through education but only through witnessing tenderness between adults, childbearing and breastfeeding (as a result of sexuality) and the swinging intimacy between couples/parents that is understood by children by osmosis.
The slightly pornographic undercurrent those above books deliver is just ridiculous and also speak of prudence. If I wouldn't have been contaminated by my society (movies, books, images, advertisement) I wouldn't understand the underlying messages and would innocently read the stories to my kid. As I do I wouldn't touch that books.
There are a lot of gorgeous children books out there. You should make a post about them:)
A book is just a medium, the use we make of it defines whether it's good or bad. I just wouldn't want to see it accidentally find a place in a children's library (mostly because the illustrations would easily have an adult confused).
As I said, I laughed at first, but my mind went to make all kind of scenarios. But I do want to believe they are nothing but a joke and we should just be a little careful when going out to buy books as presents or when someone tries to "equip" a children's library.
For me there no debate here, these books are not for children, they are a parody, illustrated in children’s book fashion (badly as well). The debate for me is... is it OK to make these jokes?!
A few years ago the Peter and Jane Ladybird Keyword series (used in the 70s to teach children how to read in the UK) was used to create a parody to address adult issues that is quite funny and less offensive but also not for kids. It has been a huge success as they makes very popular gifts.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/12/ladybird-books-introduce-peter-and-jane-to-hipsters-and-hangovers
In any case thanks for sharing this. It is an eye opener. I specialise in children’s picturebooks and I had never seen anything quite like this! :)
Oh! Thank you for the input! :)
I just get a bit "sensitive" when it comes to sexual innuendos and children. Sarcasm, just like those books you showed us, is less harmful (IMO).
If I ever have children I am definitely getting these books. Except for the anti-trump one!
I was pretty sure about that! Auntie Ruth will get you those for Easter, if she can find them :Ρ
Bwahahaha. :-D I still remember how we used to innocently study such stories when we were kids without knowing the second meaning of it. As adults we are now far more knowledgeable. That means we have so many options to choose from. We can select any meaning which we like. :-D And that's always the one which is controversial in nature.
You are absolutely right @ruth-girl that these are not for the kids. Their minds should get nurtured from the basic level. There is a time for everything that should happen in a particular order. Hope this be followed. :-)
I never came across such readings in my childhood, I evolved into an insane woman by reading "harmless" stories :P
But that does not mean we should have little ones read such stuff...
These are the types of books the police expect to find at Pedobear's house. They may be written as a joke but I hope some serious eyes are on the writer if these are even remotely pushed as children's books to the public.
As I said in another comment here, there are adult comics as well (hentai, manara) but you can easily tell who they are destined for by their style. These books wouold easily pass for children's books, especially the first one.
Yes, I could see a grandma not thinking anything of buying these at a yardsale for the grandkids just based on art style.
I would hope a parent, would not buy these books for a young child. It is amazing what is out there that children can be exposed too. It is a constant cycle of checking. There are a lot of friends and family that we know that let their 6 to 17 year old kids online with no monitoring or very little of it. I worry so much at what they are seeing and being exposed too. It is crazy.
In my children's high school they discuss television shows that are rated for mature adults. They are not discussing them because they are linked to a lesson, just to discuss it. It is crazy what people feel is acceptable today.
I have 8-year-old students that have watched porn. When their parents discovered it they tried to explain that these are not shows appropriate for their age. It is hard to always keep an eye on them, there are just so many stimuli around and so many sources of information.
I can only guess that they discuss such programmes in your children's school because these programmes are there and they cannot pretend that they don't exist. Ok, I know we can't be blind to what is going on around us, but is the discussion fruitful? I mean are they doing it in attempt to evaluate the quality of such programmes and reach to a conclusion on whether viewers should watch them? What does such a programme have to offer to you and what possible damage can it do?
I just remembered this picture, I once saw it under the phrase: The world has ruined my childhood
Yes I agree, our son has done some inappropriate things on the internet and our answer was no more internet. Probably a little drastic but if he had done it to someone else he would have gone to jail. I am what they call a helicopter mom, I hover a lot. Sometimes I wonder if it is a disadvantage?
As for the teacher, no she was discussing it like you would with your best friend. There was no meaning other then she wanted to talk about it. My problem with that is they were 13 and that is my place to discuss it with them, not a teacher. I could understand if it was related to a topic they were discussing in class or a kid asked her about it. The show was basically soft porn with dialogue. It was not a good topic for a classroom, especially when it was a math class. Plus, they were her students, not her best friends.
I grew up with those pictures too. The woman that raised me was, well not a parent. I had no curfew past 8. I had no structure, no discipline, I was the kid watching porn at 10 and no one cared or stopped me. I started drinking at 8, she gave it to me. She bought alcohol for me and my friends. I quite school, etc. It is not a life I recommend to anyone. There is a lot more that happen, that she let happen. I guess that is why I am the way I am. Sometimes I wish I did not worry so much.
I see. In that case, no! This is not a topic to discuss in class. I think sexuality is something you should discuss with the same-sex parent at first. Then it is healthy to bring your questions to a class of peers and discuss it under the supervission of a properly educated teacher. It's too bad there is no organised sexual education in schools. I mean, we are taught about reproduction and certain STDs, but nothing more than that, no mention of the purpose it serves, the behavioral changes, the teenager's psychology, hormones. There is not a "spherical" approach on the matter, we discuss the very basics just for the sake of curriculum.
If you 've had that kind of past, then it's perfectly normal to be a bit over-protective, but you sound like the healthy over-protective kind of mum. You 've just been to the other side, know what it's like, seen the harm it can do on you and don't want your children experience anything similar. Ok, we should let children learn and "investigate" in their own, respect their personality and will. But limits should be set, rules and justification should be given. I'm not a parent yet, but I can tell it's a hard task, an experiment you have no idea how is going to turn out no matter how "right" you do everything...
There is no good health classes here either. A lot of parents here do not talk to their kids about sex and just let them go off and do whatever they want. It is very hard to compete with that and your kids hate you for it, until they become adults and realize you were right in what you did.
It is a constant struggle if you are doing the right thing and what might work for one, will usually not work for the other. I have learned that the hard way. I don't know if you are planning on becoming a parent, but you understand a lot of it and you seem to know how you would, so you sound like you will be a great mom.
It's hard, because it is still a taboo topic and people don't discuss it within the family, which should not be the case. Sex is everywhere, from commercials and magazines to films and songs.
It's not on my plans to be one soon, but I work with children and since I'm getting close to my 30s a lot of things in my perspective have changed. Thanks for the encouraging words! :)
You're welcome :) To be close to my 30's again.......dreaming lol
χαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχ
χαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαχ
ruth-girl εχω πεσει στα πατωματα και χτυπιεμαι απο τα γελια....ω θεε μου.....χαχαχαχαχαχαααχαχαχαχαχαχαα
που τα βρηκες αυτα τα βιβλια ???...αληθεια υπαρχουν ?????
χαχαχαχαχαχαχαχαααχαχαααχα....να 'σαι καλα....γελαω θεουλη μου αν και κατανοω αυτο που λες και εχεις και απολυτο δικιο,συμφωνω οτι ειναι απαραδεκτα για παιδια και πρεπει καποια να υπηρεσια να επιληφθει του θεματος.....φυσικα δε γελαω με το μεχρι που μπορει να φτασει το διεστραμμενο μυαλο αυτου που τα εγραψε αυτα και τι πιθανα αποτελεσματα μπορει να εχει... upvote με χερια και ποδια!!!!
Ασε ασε, υπαρχουν κι ειναι απο τη μια να γελας κ απο την αλλη να απορεις: το εκαναν για πλακα η απο διαστροφη;
Θελω να ελπιζω το πρωτο.
Το περιεργο ειναι πως αν ψαξεις θα βρεις αρκετα, το ενα recommended video φερνει το αλλο κι αν μετα μπεις κ στο google οι επιλογες αυξανονται...
εχει καμμια ωρα που σου απαντησα..στο διαστημα αυτο και με αφορμη το post σου εψαξα στο google και βρηκα πολυ υλικο...
..θελω ειλικρινα να σε ευχαριστησω που μου εδωσες την πληροφορια αυτη και την μοιραστηκες μαζι μας....ειναι και ενα ειδος καταγγελιας... και ειναι κατι που γονεις και μελλοντικοι γονεις πρεπει να γνωριζουμε..
...το ζητημα ειναι οτι μου κοπηκε το γελιο... ενω γελασα στην αρχη οταν το εψαξα καλυτερα ειδα οτι δεν ειναι τοσο για γελια το ζητημα..
...δε ξερω αληθεια αν ειναι για παιδια τα βιβλια,δεν εχω βρει καποια πληροφορια για αυτο...
..το σιγουρο ειναι οτι αυτα τα βιβλια θεωρω οτι ανηκουν στην σφαιρα της πορνογραφιας,την αγγιζουν επικινδυνα και σιγουρα ειναι αδυνατον να πιστεψω οτι ο οποιοσδηποτε γονιος θα διαβαζε κατι τετοιο στο παιδι του...ειναι επιεικως απαραδεκτα...μπορει ναι να προκαλουν το γελιο αρχικα στην πορεια ομως αλλαζει το πραγμα..
...και στην τελικη ακομα και για ενηλικες να ειναι τα βιβλια παλι δημιουργουν ερωτηματικα..
Σε εβαλα σε σκεψεις ε? Κι εγω σαν πρωτη αντιδραση ηταν να το δω χιουμοριστικα. Αλλα απο το αστειο στο σοβαρο δεν ειναι κ πολυ μεγαλη η αποσταση. Και τα hentai αν το σκεφτεις ειναι animation, μονο που που δεν θα τα εβαζε κανεις να τα δει το παιδι του. Με την ιδια λογικη κι αυτα τα "παραμυθια" δεν νομιζω οτι θα επρεπε να τα δωσουμε σε παιδια.
Καποιοι ισως με πουν πουριτανη, οπισθοδρομικη και υπερβολικη, αλλα σιγουρα δεν ειναι βιβλια που θα μου αρεσε να δω στο ραφι του βιβλιοπωλειου διπλα απο αλλα κανονικα παραμυθια :)
I'm sure there's someone out there that would read them to their kids while trying not to burst out laughing. And there might be some kids that get it... There are innuendos in most kids movies that the kids don't get, but when it gets that insane, it might be a bit far.
Yes, you will probably see parents that consider this funny and harmless since the kids are unable to tell what these stories mean, but still... I wouldn't like to read it to any kid.
I think perhaps they were just created as oddities to perhaps sell. Not sure they were really intended for kids, so much as parents with eclectic senses of humor.
Who knows... I just like to believe that they were simply made from people who wanted to play jokes on adults, not some pervert.
"Children" is a very broad term....
I agree on that the term is vast and there is always the personal factor that determines whether a person is still a "child"
As far as those books are concerned, judging from the layout and images they look like any other nursery and early primary school stories you expect to see in a library or bookstore. And as I worte in a greek comment here, I wouldn't wish to see those books in the same shelf with "normal" children's books.
They are probably fun for an adult to read (I myself have made up worse rhymes than those at a young age), but I wouldn't give them to a child.
I like to see people's opinions on this, because it is a really controversial topic...
I understand.
There is nothing wrong with discussing things... All sorts of things!
:)
SUzy likes to look at balls and do you want to look at my balls are the funniest of all 😂😂. I don’t think they actually sell it to children or do they ?
I don't know about children, but they definitely sell them though! :P