A tour of Curious Pages and their "Recommended Inappropriate Books for Kids"

Wizard of Oz, as illustrated by Arnost Karasek, 1962, Scarecrow
see the original post on Curious Pages

Wizard of Oz, as illustrated by Arnost Karasek, 1962, Scarecrow
see the original post on Curious Pages

"Ever ever wonder what the Tin Woodman would look like if rendered by Paul Klee?" (Curious Pages quote)

Art Seiden illus. for Pinocchio
see the original post on Curious Pages

"Why children will like it: Fistfights, abject poverty and woodworking." (Curious Pages quote)

In Henry's Backyard - The Races of Mankind, Mel Crawford,
book based on UPA animated short Brotherhood of Man
see the original post on Curious Pages

My First Nursery Book by Franciszka Themerson, 1947
see guest post by Carson Ellis on Curious Pages

My First Nursery Book by Franciszka Themerson, 1947
see guest post by Carson Ellis on Curious Pages

The Themerson book was actually republished this year!

Captain Jeff and the Squeeze Box by Ruth K. Todt and R.D. Richardson, 1940
see the original post on Curious Pages

"Why children will like it: Primitive prosthesis, nightmare fodder, sailors, Linda’s all powerful hand." (Curious Pages quote)

A Head for Happy, Helen Sewell, 1931
see the original post on Curious Pages

"A Head for Happy tells the tale of a girl named Letty and her quest to find a head for her doll, Happy. She travels the world on a surreal, picaresque journey from New York to, with a few detours, the island of Guam, where a coconut makes for the perfect head." (Curious Pages quote)

Munro Leaf, Grammar Can Be Fun, 1934
see the original post on Curious Pages

"Why children will like it: Abe Lincoln, wobbly necks, a big spider." (Curious Pages quote)

Munro Leaf, Robert Francis Weatherbee, 1935
see the original post on Curious Pages

span style="font-style: italic;">The Gay Mother Goose by Francoise, 1938
see the original post on Curious Pages

Ennio Di Majo, illus. for Piccoletto by Renato Rascel, 1958
from the wonderful Winter Blast! post on Curious Pages

Harry McNaught, The Road to Oz, 1951
from Winter Blast! on Curious Pages

The Nightingale, H. C. Andersen (in Hebrew) and Amos Hetz, no date listed, cover
see the original post on Curious Pages

The Nightingale, H. C. Andersen (in Hebrew) and Amos Hetz, no date listed
see the original post on Curious Pages

update: commenter Gali-Dana informed me this is The Snow Book by Vitaly Bianki, illustrated by Nickolaj Tyrsa
from Winter Blast! on Curious Pages

Sam Berman - Pixie Pete's Christmas Party, 1957
from Winter Blast! on Curious Pages

Den Rode Kuffert by Elin Bing
see the original post on Curious Pages

"OK, so these guys live in the woods, and they have this red suitcase full of cleaning supplies. And they're in love." (Curious Pages quote)

A commenter sent this extract from 'The Danish Encyklopaedia' on 'Bamses Billedbog' (Teddy's Picture Book): "...The big, round, dominating Teddy with his limited intellect, his best friend the wise & poetic Chicken and their mutual 'smallest' friend Duckling live in the woods. Their social hierarchy is inspired by the way children play. In this hybrid universe of realism and fantasy Teddy shows stories from his picture book and introduces his grown-up friends: Aske, Luna og Viola... 'Bamses Billedbog' is with it's 144 episodes (1994) Danish TV's longest series to date..."

Carson Ellis turned me on to the incredibly fun blog Curious Pages. Lane Smith and Bob Shea, who have themselves created quite a few children's books, describe their site perfectly: "Looking for books about teddy bears or rainbows or feelings? You're at the wrong place. Here we celebrate the offbeat, the abstract, the unusual, the surreal, the macabre, the inappropriate, the subversive and the funky."

I have as much fun reading their summaries (note this post title) as I do looking at the illustrations. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.