Hacker News Reader

I loved Richard Scarry when I was little, although I think it instilled in me a belief that the world was in a constant state of chaos. (maybe that’s accurate.)

My toddler is now obsessed with them and demands “CARS AND TRUCKS”, “SITE” or “HOUSE” every night at bedtime.

View on HN

'Chaos' is a great observation. I only had a couple of Scarry books as a child but there was something dynamic about them compared to most children's books and I think it was the frenetic and chaotic nature of them. There was always a pickle barrel spilling over, or oranges rolling across a road.

I didn't even know what a pickle barrel was, but it obviously made a mess when someone crashed into it.

Mr Frumble the apple man has dumped his load of apples on the road by mistake. Lowly thought he had the only apple (n.b. Lowly worm is driving his apple shaped car) on the road, but my isn’t he mistaken!

The overwhelming & pervasive chaos in all the illustrations kinda bugs me. I wonder if it puts the wrong ideas in a kid's head. Or else I'm just lamous.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com