Winky War!

A while back I read a very interesting post on the Chronicle Books blog, about a children's book series by Rotraut Suzanne Berner about the four seasons. Apparently the books are bestsellers in 13 countries, but had trouble finding a home in the largest children's book market (yes, that would be the U.S.) because there is (shudder) nudity in one of the books. The salacious scene takes place in a gallery and you can see a small painting of a naked lady, and if you look really, really, really hard, you can find a teeny tiny sculpture of a naked man, and yes, his teeny tiny naked winky.

Can you see it? No? Well it's there, trust me. 'Cuz those trained naked-winky-detectors sure found it! The U.S. publisher Boyds Mills Press had initially requested that the winky be air-brushed out, but the artist refused, so apparently Boyds Mills initially dumped the four-book series. But this week the publisher has relented, due to the outcry it caused in Germany. Anyway, thankfully Chronicle will be publishing an omnibus edition of the four books for Fall 2008, so if you're interested, I'd recommend getting the Chronicle edition myself.

Ah...but the story doesn't end there! You see, this week Quill & Quire picked up the news, and posted it on their wonderful blog. The most fascinating part of this post isn't the news itself – it's all the heated comments from a wide variety of people, all passionate about children, war and, well – winkies. Seriously, can someone please explain to me how the discussion of a tiny penis always seems to end with the discussion of war? Could there perhaps be a connection there somewhere, hmmmmm??

Quite frankly, I just don't understand what all the fuss is about. I thought our pal Maurice dealt with this issue years ago.

Comments

[donna]

Tiny penises frighten the poor Merkins... as do women's vaginas.

Tits, however, are very popular for some reason....

[Jens]

Well, here another story. The Belgian illustrator Ingrid Godon made the drawings of Cressida Cowell's childrens book 'What Shall We Do With The Boo Hoo Baby?'. For the US market it was improper to draw the udder of the cows. So she put the cows always in the margin of the pages (or half hidden behind a door etc.).

[Imani]

Well. Reading those comments was like stepping into another dimension. I was happy to return to the safe haven of book lusting and teeny tiny winkies.

Jens, tell me you made that udder story up. Please?

[Ellen]

Sadly hilarious. I think children would be more disturbed to see eunuchs. Cows udders?! Well I understand, that could lead to thinking of barns and that could lead to thinking of square dancing and dancing always leads too...

Gee whiz, silly censors

[Beth]

Much ado about nothing, huh?

[Lyn Hopper]

As a librarian in the U.S., I never cease to be amazed at what will set people off. Down with the authoritarians!

[melanie]

Wow. But we can read Everyone Poops with piles of dung on every page, right? Scary.

[Tim]

The moral of this story: never underestimate the idiocy of the American public. (I am an American, and I have no idea what the problem is.)

[Heather T.]

Sigh. There are so many other things people could be worrying about! LOL