Children's literature and weird fiction: a marriage made in…

The Call of Cthulhu for beginning readers

By H.P. Lovecraft, translated (if that's the word)and illustrated by R. J. Ivankovic

What Dread Zeppelin does for Led Zeppelin, Elvis, and reggae, this book does for H.P. Lovecraft and Dr. Seuss. This book could not exist without H.P. Lovecraft's iconic story, but it is actually better than the original story. Ivankovic has transformed Lovecraft's tale of horror into an eerily perfect imitation of Dr. Seuss' instantly recognizable illustrations and verse. Even the size and shape of the book are perfect for a Dr. Seuss book. I said perfect before, but this book, more than a decade in the making, could not be a better marriage of these two artists. The only defects, if it is a defect, is that the book will be incredibly funny to anyone who has read the original story. I think small children will enjoy it a lot, but just imagine what they will think when they, later in life, read Lovecraft's story. Well, order this book now. If you like weird fiction and have read The Call of Cthulhu, you owe it to yourself to buy this book. And if you know a child into the weird, scary, and peculiar, you will be the world's greatest uncle/aunt/friend if you buy them this book.

And if you have not listened to Dread Zeppelin, it is not too late. Do it now!

Publisher: Chaosium, hardback, $20

http://www.chaosium.com/hpls-call-of-cthulhu-for-beginning-readers/ 

Addendum: you know how sometimes you buy something and when you get it you think "oh. I thought it would be cooler."? Well, rest assured, The Call of Cthulhu for beginning readers is not going to do that to you. What I thought when I opened it was "oh my God, it looks even more exactly like a real Dr. Seuss book than I thought it would!" And I started thinking of who I know needs a copy.