Ten Stinky Babies by Ellen Olson-Brown, Illustrations by Joy Allen (Tricycle Press)
Ten stinky babies,
Start the day on time
One had his diaper changed
And then there were nine.
And so forth. This counting book is full of pictures of adorable babies. Or rather, adorable babies who just pooped. Aww?
ABC Dentist by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Liz Murphy (Blue Apple Books)
Plaque.
Plaque is an almost invisible white,
Sticky coating on teeth that is caused
By eating sugar and sticky foods.
If not cleaned off, plaque can cause
Cavities and gum disease.
And if you thought that was exciting, wait til you hear the part about saliva!
Inside the Slidy Diner by Laurel Snyder, Illustrations by Jaime Zollars (Tricycle Press)
Ethelmae wears a hairnet to keep
The sticks and pins from falling into the fryer.
She smells like rotten grill grease.
When she scratches her back with the spatula,
Flies stick to her icky sweater.
Yes, we know that children delight in gross things, but when a book activates a parent's gag reflex (with its description of a diner where “the chocolate milk isn’t really chocolate” and the greasy booths slide into the street), a line has been crossed.
Mazes Around the World by Mary D. Lankford, Illustrated by Karen Dugan (Harper Collins)
The Klaas Voogds Maze is built of fourteen different varieties of hedge shrubs, including the tecomaria and the hibiscus, which flower year-round.
British water mazes! Swedish stone mazes! Religious mazes! Woven mazes! Maize mazes! How to say “maze” in Portugese! Talk about a niche market…
The Grey Boy by Lluis Farre, Illustrated by Gusti (Winged Chariot Press)
It seemed that Joshua would stay grey forever
Both inside and out.
His family could already imagine what he’d be like
When he grew up, sitting a grey office,
Wearing a grey suit and tie and filling the world
With grey children.
This is the story of a boy who’s born grey in a world of colorful people, and is incapable of feeling anything… until he watches his hamster almost choke to death. Sweet dreams, kiddos!
For more creepy and bizarre picture books, click here.