STRUWWELPETER
Or Shaggy
Peter
Or, Merry Stories & Funny
Pictures.
It was my
birthday on the 1st of September and as I'm sure
you all know my passions are; my wonderful husband
Peter, then books and music, not forgetting my huge
family and all the pets.
So you can
imagine my delight when I open the wrapping paper
and there is a scruffy board book called
"Struwwelpeter" oh my goodness, I was so
happy.
The book was written first in 1845
and my copy was reprinted in the early 1900's
having no date or Author just Blackie who were the
publishers.
I hope to put all the
pictures and stories between this web site and
Diddilydeedot's Dreamland.
They are not
the nicest of stories I must admit, but if your
good and kind then I'm sure you will be alright.
The
gentleman who wrote the book is,
well, I shall let Wiki tell you;
Der
Struwwelpeter (1845) is a popular German children's
book by Heinrich
Hoffmann. It comprises ten illustrated and rhymed
stories, mostly about
children. Each has a clear moral
that demonstrates the disastrous consequences of
misbehavior in an
exaggerated way. The title of the first story
provides the title of the
whole book. Literally translated, Struwwel-Peter
means Shaggy-Peter.
Hoffmann, a Frankfurt psychiatrist, wanted
to buy a picture book for his son for Christmas in
1844. Not impressed by what the stores had to
offer, he instead bought a notebook and wrote his
own stories and pictures. Hoffmann was persuaded by
friends to publish the book anonymously as Lustige
Geschichten und drollige Bilder mit 15 schön
kolorierten Tafeln für Kinder von 3-6 Jahren
 (Funny Stories and Whimsical Pictures with
15 Beautifully Coloured
Panels for Children Aged 3 to 6) in 1845.
It was not until the third
edition in 1858 that the book was published under
the title Struwwelpeter.
The book became
very popular among children throughout Europe, and,
writes author and researcher Penni Cotton, the
pictures and characters
showed a great deal of originality and
directness.
Struwwelpeter has
been translated into several languages. The first
English translation appeared in 1848. Mark Twain's
English translation of the book is called "Slovenly
Peter." This
is the book cover, a bit scruffy but I don't think
it would have
bothered our Struwwelpeter very much, just look at
those finger nails.
(I hope he never tried to pick his nose!
In 2006,
Fantagraphics Books published the first completely
digital version of Struwwelpeter, reinterpreted and
illustrated by Bob Staake.
Posted 07:40
|
This is the beginning of the trials and tribulations of Struwwelpeter. a story every week.