pretty stories and funny pictures
were you entertained (or traumatized?) by this classic german book when you were a kid?
my favorites/most feared stories were pauline and the matches, (they changed her name to harriet in my copy). the last picture of the kitties crying around the pile of her ashes always brought a tear to my eye. and naughty little suck-a-thumb hit a little too close to home when i was a little suck-a-thumb myself…i found this animation that somebody made of suck-a-thumb, take a peek at it here if you want to be creeped out.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Well, I read about Struwwelpeter in another book ages ago, only they called it Slovenly Peter. I had to wait for the internet to come around before I actually saw it, though! It’s a total freakout!
This kind of reminds me of my grandmother’s old My Book House series, which I grew up with:
http://www.childscapes.com/jpegs/allnew/7437%20my%20bookhouse.jpg
It had beautiful old-fashioned illustrations and many, many strange and obscure folktales, including a Czech folktale about two sisters named Katinka and Dobrunka. One sister was very good and virtuous and beautiful and one was ugly and evil. Isn’t that always the way?
February 20th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Yes, and I think this is why I love scary movies!!
-Andre’a
February 20th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
This book left quite an impression on me when I was a child. My favourite Struwwelpeter story is the one with the wild Hunter, where the rabbit ends up chasing the hunter and he jumps into a well out of desperation.
I also purchased the Anti-Struwwelpeter book recently, which is an anti-authoritarian version of the original and quite funny. I think it’s only published in German though.
But my all time favourite children’s book has to be Max and Moritz by Wilhelm Busch. It’s also an illustrated book with rhymes — quite hilarious.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_and_Moritz
February 21st, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Dear Hannah,
I love your clothes and your style. Then I discovered your blog and I have been reading your posts. You know that Struwwelpeter is one of my favourite children book? In Italy it’s transalated in Pierino Porcospino. I have always been reading this book and also my daughter now. I have another book in which Struwwelpeter decide to become a good and clean boy and asks her mother to cut his hair and long dirty nails, to be cleaned with a hard brush and to wear a popeline shirt. It is quite funny. When I have the time if you like I can scan some pages for you. Unfortunately the illustrations are not the same.
When I was a kid a was scared by the suck-a-thumb story (nice video, thanks) and I always feared big scissors since then.
My favourites were Paulinchen and the cats, as my name is Paola, and the story of the boy who doesn’t what to eat the soup and eventually dies.
Thank you for posting about this.
February 21st, 2008 at 4:25 pm
i looooved this book when I was little. It scared me of course, but in the good way. I recently picked up a new copy.
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:19 am
i had to click on the link didnt I and now I am totally creeped out by that animation lol. Having never heard of this book I had no idea such things were ever written. Im like a kid again, totally scared but have to look into it more.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I’m not familiar with this book but I wanted to share this with you today:
the pacific palisades women’s club patio party table setting, 1970 at…
http://cathyofcalifornia.typepad.com/cathy_of_california/
Cheers,
Heidi
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Hi!
I love, love, love your clothing! I’m on a babyweight-losing diet right now and I can’t wait to fit back into my Made With Love By Hannah skirts. (My reward for reaching my goal weight is going to be more of your skirts!)
Anyway, did you see the “Take Your Daughter to Work” episode of The Office? If I’m not mistaken, that’s the book Dwight was going to read the kids before Michael came in and nixed the idea. Actually, I think he was going to read Little Suck-A-Thumb.
March 4th, 2008 at 10:19 am
there wasa play based on this book that showed in ny for awhile. i can’t remember the name of it but my husband and i loved it. so much better than happy happy broadway.
March 11th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I recall this story VIVIDLY from my childhood! My Gran used to bring me home the coolest books. No Enid Blyton for me! Funnily enough I was telling someone about this book from my past involving a boy having his thumbs cut off only last week. (weird how that happens) However, I was never concerned as a child as I was not a thumbsucker.