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September 9, 2015 by Travis Jonker

Come With Me Down the Picture Book Parody Rabbit Hole

September 9, 2015 by Travis Jonker   3 comments

Only recently I’ve become privy to an entirely new world of children’s literature.

The world of picture book parodies.

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Perhaps like you, I had been familiar some with the more mainstream parodies, like…

Frank

Frankenstein

Goon

Goodnight Goon

…but there’s more. Way more. And some of them get pretty out there.

So let’s have a look.

Pigeon Parody

Don’t Let the Pigeon Question the Rules

Most parody books are out to pull legs. Case in point, Don’t Let the Pigeon Question the Rules – a book that takes an aggressive position against the book it parodies, but with tongue clearly in cheek. I don’t know a better way to describe this book than with the summary available online:

Don’t Let The Pigeon Question The Rules is a humane alternative to the bleak proceduralist vision of Mo Willems’s bestselling totalitarian classics.

Crayons Parody

The Day the Crayons Organized an Autonomous Worker’s Collective

While some point to Click, Clack, Moo as a veiled pro-union indoctrination attempt (or further proof that The 1% always wins), this book tosses the veil in the nearest gutter in favor of clarity. It also highlights the fact that most of these parodies are for adults, not children.

I also enjoy the prestige-pricing audacity evident in the Buy Used cost for this book on Amazon:

Crayons

Hungry Zombie

The Very Hungry Zombie

Eric Carle’s classic is regular fodder for parody attempts, including The Very Hungover Caterpillar, this book, and its companion, The Very Thirsty Vampire.

Mr. Selfie

Mr. Selfie

A modern take on the Mr. Man/Little Miss series.

Where's Karl

Where’s Karl?

Where’s Waldo, but featuring the next person you would expect to find in this type of book, designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Good Morning

Good Morning Brew

There’s an entire Goodnight Moon parodying industry out there, including Goodnight iPad, Goodnight Nanny-Cam, Goodnight Husband, Goodnight Wife, Goodnight Bush, Goodnight Keith Moon, Goodnight Mr. Darcy and others with titles I can’t share here.

Kid in the Crib

The Kid in the Crib

The Cat in the Hat re-imagined as a tale for “beleaguered parents struggling with the anxieties and challenges of parenting in the 21st century.”

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About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paul Czajak says

    September 9, 2015 at 10:47 am

    The Very Hungry Zombie Looks hilarious, so does Crayons. Thanks I’m going to have to read these now.

  2. Laura Purdie Salas says

    September 9, 2015 at 4:14 pm

    Nathan J. Robinson sure gets around! The one I’m putting on reserve is Mr. Selfie, though. Love that cover.

  3. Sondy says

    September 18, 2015 at 11:09 am

    I still have a sticker from ALA in 2012 — with Don’t Let the Republican Drive the Bus featured.

    These are too much fun!

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