Bad judgment in choice of kids' book cover

Posted by Mark Frauenfelder, September 3, 2008 11:32 AM | permalink

I'm inclined to agree with Andrew Hearst of the Panopticist that this is an unfortunate choice for a children's book cover. A Children’s Book About Animals—and Group Sex

Favorite this! ( 5 )

Older Japanese artist makes music with crispbread and credit-cards

Newer Extraordinary gomi sculptures of robots, remotes and rockets -- Boing Boing Gadgets

Discussion

Take a look at this

#1 posted by justONEguy , September 3, 2008 11:39 AM

Oh dear.

Take a look at this

#2 posted by BuildUupBuzzKill , September 3, 2008 11:48 AM

um yeah except for the fact that i doubt that most children know sexual postitions and would assosiate this cover with a good dog style railing

Take a look at this

#3 posted by dmatos , September 3, 2008 12:02 PM

Not to mention that the cow at the back of the line is female. I guess we can't rule out bovine strap-ons, but if that's the case, where are the straps.

Take a look at this

#4 posted by franko , September 3, 2008 12:15 PM

i'm no expert, but it would seem that from what i know about mammalian anatomy, the angles are all wrong for what you are suggesting, except maybe for the chicken. what pervy minds you have!

Take a look at this

#5 posted by doug117 , September 3, 2008 12:18 PM

C'mon people!
There was nothing sexual intended here and kids won't infer anything other than critters being helpful.

Take a look at this

#6 posted by t3knomanser

, September 3, 2008 12:19 PM

@Dmatos:
It could be a double-ended dildo.

@Franko: That's only because the only one penetrating right now is the rabbit. They'll rearrange a bit as each person in the line gets penetration. You act like you've never been involved in a good chain before.

Take a look at this

#7 posted by vamidus , September 3, 2008 12:20 PM

I used to read a similarly-illustrated book when I was a kid. The book is about how it takes an entire family, including pets, pests and rodents, to pull a giant turnip out of the ground - a great way to teach team work to children.

"The Enormous Turnip" by Alexei Tolstoy

Look it up - it's a great read for your child.

As for the cover - take your mind out of the gutter :) A 6-7yo child's mind will not make that association unless you help it to.

Take a look at this

#8 posted by Chang

, September 3, 2008 12:27 PM

Oh, what child wouldn't love it's other title: "Cow fucks a Dog Fucks a Pig fucks a Bunny fucks a Chicken,"

Take a look at this

#9 posted by melvillain , September 3, 2008 12:29 PM

Much ado about nothing.

Take a look at this

#10 posted by pooklord , September 3, 2008 12:30 PM

It's "pull" not "push".

Take a look at this

#11 posted by monopole , September 3, 2008 12:40 PM

could be worse...could be "Cooking w/ Pooh"
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Pooh-Cookie-Cutters-Adventures/dp/1570822611

Take a look at this

#12 posted by gATO , September 3, 2008 12:43 PM

Pooklord: It's "pull" not "push".

... unless it is an *extremely* coordinated bukkake

Take a look at this

#13 posted by JulianR , September 3, 2008 12:52 PM

Same here. Nothing to fuss about.

Take a look at this

#14 posted by djmaxdare , September 3, 2008 12:59 PM

As a kids' book author/illustrator, I've learned that there's a certain kind of adult that seems to always be on the lookout for this sort of thing. I've even been "congratulated" by some who've thought I'd intentionally slipped something by my publishers.

Take a look at this

#15 posted by JJR1971 , September 3, 2008 1:09 PM

Innocent kids book remains innocent kids book.

Some adults remain dirty minded as ever.
(Including yours truly though I wouldn't have immediately cued into it without the suggestion by Boing Boing).

Take a look at this

#16 posted by back seat astronaut , September 3, 2008 1:09 PM

Looks like we have a consensus! Perhaps the moral of the story here is to take at least a few hours off between watching porn and reading books to your kids.

Take a look at this

#17 posted by seyo , September 3, 2008 1:40 PM

Looks like a reference to "Getting Pooh Unstuck." Hehehe, "Pooh," "unstuck," get it?

Take a look at this

#18 posted by John H. , September 3, 2008 1:51 PM

I hate to say it, but I'm also with those who find nothing wrong with it. It's almost as bad as people who obsess about finding every possible sexual implication to X work of fiction, or assume long cylindrical shapes must be phallic.

Take a look at this

#19 posted by gobo

, September 3, 2008 3:00 PM

I dunno, the pig's enjoying himself a great deal. *fans self*

Take a look at this

#20 posted by semiotix , September 3, 2008 3:23 PM

They're gonna find out about it somewhere.

Take a look at this

#21 posted by SoulDaYondah , September 3, 2008 4:14 PM

I guess Sarah Palin would ban this one.

http://www.librarian.net/stax/2366/sarah-palin-vp-nominee/

Take a look at this

#22 posted by Torley , September 3, 2008 4:23 PM

I can't think of a more appropriate cover for this, given the title.

Hey, on the bright side, at least there's no cartoon human in the mix — that'd be bestiality!

Take a look at this

#23 posted by ThreeFJeff , September 3, 2008 4:52 PM

I don't know about the rest of you, but I see an amazing Photoshop Phriday installment lurking in that cover.

Take a look at this

#24 posted by dagfooyo , September 3, 2008 5:21 PM

Of course there's nothing wrong with it, as far as kids are concerned. But it's still good for a chuckle. Like all the unintentional goatse images that get posted.

Incidentally, if you're looking for a startling example of how differently kids and adults see things, check out this image:

http://www.frenblog.com/illusion/dolphin-illusion/

Take a look at this

#25 posted by Nur , September 3, 2008 7:23 PM

#16 "Looks like we have a consensus! Perhaps the moral of the story here is to take at least a few hours off between watching porn and reading books to your kids"

Tasks which NEVER go together :p.

It's a good moral of the story, I wonder if that's the moral of "One Two Three Pull", has anyone read the book?

Take a look at this

#26 posted by bazza , September 3, 2008 8:25 PM

seriously - this is a non issue, adults forcing a sexualised view of the world on kids will result in kids seeing it that way - but the illustration is innocent - don't make it into something smutty when it isn't

Take a look at this

#27 posted by Kay the Complainer , September 3, 2008 8:35 PM

Yeah, Bazza, you're RIGHT...kids never get the sexual subtext of stuff. That doesn't mean that those of us who do can't giggle at it.

Take a look at this

#28 posted by minamisan , September 3, 2008 11:12 PM

it looks like a classic tug-o-war to me. i did it a hundred times in elementary school. and now you're telling me i was having anal sex all that time and didn't notice??

Take a look at this

#29 posted by Trnck , September 3, 2008 11:15 PM

wow... it's great!

Take a look at this

#30 posted by soupisgoodfood , September 4, 2008 1:09 AM

"Bad judgment in choice of kids' book cover".

Only if you mind is in the gutter at lot?

Take a look at this

#31 posted by globule23 , September 4, 2008 1:10 AM

I am with a mind mostly sweet, often sick and sometimes perverted. I only got the sweet part this time. mAybe I am getting old.

Take a look at this

#32 posted by Kieran O'Neill , September 4, 2008 2:15 AM