Good Books for Bad Children

Mmmm. Subversive children's books. Right up my alley! At the risk of causing a kiddie-book burnin' amongst some of my more unsubversive friends (and I know you're out there, so we're hiding your matches), I just had to amplify this little NBC story, 9 Most Subversive Children's Books Ever Written. Curious? Here's what made the list:

1. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
2. The Red Balloon by Albert Lamorisse
3. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
4. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
5. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
6. Yurtle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss
7. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
8. Curious George by H.A. Rey
9. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

Except for The Lorax (1971) and Click, Clack (2000), these are the books of my childhood. Explains a lot. I could add a string of equally subversive books to the list, like Eloise (or how a precocious 6-year-old rules the Plaza),  Make Way for Ducklings (or how an uppity mama-duck controls traffic in Boston), and The Giving Tree (or how a self-sacrificing tree can spawn generational environmental activism). And all Dr. Seuss books and fairy tales are subversive, right? Nancy Drew? Laura Ingalls? Whoa, yeah.

Obedient, always-follow-the-rules children (or turtles or bulls or inanimate toys) just aren't that interesting, face it. We like our literary and movie  heroes feisty, a little (or a lot) naughty, and to have the ability to think for themselves, whatever the consequences. Their thoughts and actions add spice to ordinary day-to-day living. Adults learn from - and often envy - these characters. Very dangerous stuff.

Must remember to pick up that Click, Clack book for GrandBoy.

Feel free to add to the subversive children's book list (and I'd love to hear from my friends in the UK regarding your favorites).