Is there such a thing as horror for kids?
Apparently there is. Seems kids as much as adults like a little of the scary in their lives. Maybe not as much as adults, but a taste of it is apparently appealing. Earlier I reviewed the new Tales of the Haunted Mansion series (now on Volume 3) and found the wist of the macabre to be eerily present. But now Disney publishing as put out two new books for kids with a little bit of a creepy vibe.
In Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy, Drew Daywalt introduces us to Roderick a kid who finds excuses not to go to bed. He’ll do anything to stay awake just a little longer. So his parents buy him a doll to help him sleep – Sleepy, part bear, part moose. Except Sleepy is a little creepy. Scott Campbell’s art just has this haunting quality about it and Sleepy’s creepy eyes are just buggy. And what parent buys their child a doll who can talk and walk and ask for water? What doll drinks water? It kind of reminded me of a more friendly Talking Tina from Twilight Zone. It ends with Roderick finally being so tired he falls asleep. The folks at Disney let me see a preview copy so it won’t actually come out until 9/11.
Title: Sleepy the Goodnight Buddy
Author: Drew Daywalt; illustrations by Scott Campbell
Cost: $16.99
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Ages: 3-5
Genre: Picture book, young reader
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates is another different children’s book. With art and story by Ryan Higgins, it is a cute if not slightly disturbing book about a dinosaur named Penelope Rex who goes to school and eats her classmates. In all fairness she did spit them back out. But you can imagine that might not be the best way to make friends. Penelope finally understands why her classmates might not appreciate her eating them when the class goldfish, Walter, bites her finger and it freaks her out! The book is actually really funny and as always, the artwork is top notch. Ryan’s work is detailed and charming. And even though the story is about a dinosaur who eats her classmates, it’s hard not to empathize with Penelope. She is a dinosaur after all.
Title: We Don’t Eat Our Classmates
Author: Ryan Higgins
Cost: $17.99
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Ages: 3-5
Genre: Picture book, young reader
Both of these books are worthwhile and good stories! They may be a little different, but they are fun reads. If you have a child who likes a story a little bit creepy, a little bit weird, or just a little bit different, these will make fun bedtime stories.
Disney Nerds 