Q: How to improve children’s books based on revived syndicated characters?
A: Add toilet humor.
This post is revoltingly childish and immature. You’ve been warned.
My grandmother – god love her – bought Tacy some books featuring Strawberry Shortcake. Now I’ll admit that back in the day (circa 1978) I had a Strawberry Shortcake lunchbox. But I never expected her to make an appearance in MY children’s lives.
And yet, here she is. In book format, which makes it somewhat more tolerable, but not by much.
Naturally, Tacy loves the books. And because we encourage reading, we read them to her. But we make it interesting – for her and for us.
Here, our heroine and her little sister meet a new friend:
Our heroine’s dog apparently needs obedience training:
Her cat’s got a bit of a bad attitude as well:
Now the little hussy’s flirting with a boy (and a not very well-mannered one):
Finally, our heroine invites all of these random strangers back to her house for a party with no adult supervision:
Sigh. Whatever happened to the good old days of “Goodnight Moon”?
Technorati tags: Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Poopface, toilet humor
May 22nd, 2006 at 10:37 am
Oh god. We have that same book and I really want to strangle each and every giant-headed character in it. I like your version much better.
May 22nd, 2006 at 10:47 am
Hilarious!
May 22nd, 2006 at 11:47 am
Yeah, Emma has one of these books and everytime I’d read it to her, I’d laugh at the names and the extreme ’syrupy sweetness’ of it all. GAG!!
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:40 pm
am now considering changing blog name to “gingasnot” yeah!
i was a holly hobby gal, myself. (strawberry shortcake–that skank)
May 22nd, 2006 at 4:01 pm
I will never see Strawberry Poopface in the same light again, and for that I thank you.
~Jenny
May 22nd, 2006 at 4:32 pm
I fear the cat is headed for a life in Porn.
May 22nd, 2006 at 5:54 pm
Thank you SO SO SO much for renaming all those insipid characters. In the event that The Bird ever discovers them, I will pass on your sage teachings.
May 22nd, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Hee hee. I like your version better.
May 22nd, 2006 at 9:07 pm
Do you know about the Captain Underpants books? Toilet humor at it’s finest. My boys’ favorite character is named Professor Poopypants.
May 22nd, 2006 at 9:24 pm
LOL…oh Caitlin would love this as one of her current favorite expressions is “Poopoohead” this and “Poopoohead” that.
May 22nd, 2006 at 10:07 pm
I’m a self-proclaimed lover of all things related to the words “poo”, “poop”, “poopies”, etc. Because I am the same age as your daughter. Therefore, I am going to hug this post and laugh until I can’t breathe. Because it’s better than Scrubs.
Poop. Haaaa!
Admit it. It’s funny.
Also, I haven’t slept much lately.
May 22nd, 2006 at 10:28 pm
You’re going straight to Hell for this, I’m sure. Although probably in an exalted position since Strawberry Shortcake is already the work of Satan. I’m sure he’ll commend you for this fine work you’ve done.
May 22nd, 2006 at 10:51 pm
As soon as I read your second sentence I cheered. Ha!!! Sometimes when I get in a rut my writing looks just like that. It’s all, ‘Mr. Poopypants this and Farty McSweatstains that.’
I remember making up stories for the kids I babysat and they would just fall out if I ever said Poop or Fart. One night I didn’t feel like playing the game and I overheard them saying to one another after lights out, “Jessie wasn’t very fun tonight.” Ouch! LOL
May 23rd, 2006 at 5:58 am
That was a hoot! Your version is way better. My son is 2.5 and now makes a face when the camera comes out instead of giving that million dollar smile like he used to – so now when we point the camera at him we shout “Say poo poo pee pee!” Gets a big laugh and a smile – and a darn good picture every time. It’s just fun to say “bad” words.
May 23rd, 2006 at 7:30 am
I can’t believe Strawberry Poopface is making a comeback, like she wasn’t bad enough the first time around! I love what you’ve done with her.
May 23rd, 2006 at 8:36 am
Do the Strawberry Shortcake dolls still have the smell of whatever fruit they represent? That was weird, but Strawberry Poopface is NOT a smell I would like to experience.
May 23rd, 2006 at 9:57 am
Hey Julie — did you know Amalah linked to this post in her Mom’s Daily Dose? You’re going to be much in demand now as a children’s book author and illustrator. (You have been warned!!)
I am not crazy about Strawberry Poopface, but she’s better than some of the other things making comebacks — like the troll dolls and the smurfs. Ugh!
May 23rd, 2006 at 3:14 pm
The child left within me loves all those characters, all the colors, all the dessert-houses. But the stories are SO BORING! My daughter loves those books, but I don’t think she actually listens to the stories. I think she just likes to see the pictures. Maybe your version will get her to listen up.
May 23rd, 2006 at 4:46 pm
Funny! I have boys so no one thinks to buy us any Strawberry Poopface stuff, thank God. But my 4 year old would probably really enjoy your version at least…
May 23rd, 2006 at 6:13 pm
Pustard??? rofl…lololololololol
Friggin’ hyterical!
May 23rd, 2006 at 9:46 pm
Gotta love parenthood… it sheds new light on EVERYTHING.
May 23rd, 2006 at 11:31 pm
Hilarious!!! Snot is always funny. So’s poop. You’ve got the right idea here.
May 24th, 2006 at 5:57 am
I felt like a kid again…just looking at the pictures. I lovvvvved Strawberry Shortcake.
May 24th, 2006 at 6:06 am
Careful what you ask for… Tag! You’re it.
May 24th, 2006 at 6:19 am
Angel puke and Ginger-snot are my favorites. I actually hide these books from my daughter. Of course they are not as bad as the “My Little Pony” books that we somehow lost forever!
September 20th, 2009 at 11:04 am
[...] My dislike of Strawberry Shortcake has been previously documented, obviously before I invested in Photoshop. Love it? Share [...]