Courtesy of the Guardian:
Written by novelist Adam Mansbach after his own daughter Vivien failed to nod off one night, the book, Go the Fuck to Sleep, combines cutesy rhymes with expletive-ridden pleas. Published by small US press Akashic Books, it was originally due out in October. But after a pirated PDF went viral, striking a chord with exhausted parents and catapulting the 32-page book to the top of Amazon.com's bestseller chart – ahead of memoirs by Tina Fey and Steven Tyler – it has now been pulled forward to June.
"The eagles who soar through the sky are at rest / And the creatures who crawl, run and creep. / I know you're not thirsty. That's bullshit. Stop lying. / Lie the fuck down, my darling, and sleep," writes Mansbach in the book, illustrated by Ricardo Cortes. "The cubs and the lions are snoring,/ Wrapped in a big snuggly heap. / How come you can do all this other great shit / But you can't lie the fuck down and sleep?"
Film rights have now been optioned by Fox 2000, and Canongate has snapped up UK rights in the title. It's "definitely not a book to read to your child", said the publisher, but "it will resonate with anyone who has ever spent 20 minutes, 40 minutes, four hours reading 'just one more bedtime story'."
As the father of a child who simply REFUSED to stay in her bed when she was little, I can say that I would have totally bought this book, AND probably read it to her as well.
Of course with my luck she would have told everybody about her sleepy time book, just like the time her mother bought her the book "Where Did I Come From?" when she was four years old, and she proceeded to tell ALL of her little preschool friends where THEY came from.
Boy that was fun meeting with the head of the preschool!
I bought "Where Did I Come From" and "What's Happening to Me" for my kids and all the kids in the neighborhood would come over and read the books. Now my grandchildren have them. They are worn and patched but one of the best book purchases I made in the 70s. Now I will have to purchase "Go the Fuck to Sleep" for my daughter because she has one of those 3 year olds who will not stay in bed. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteOH no, Alaska's not behind the news or anything.
ReplyDeleteHow DO you stay in touch up there?
I dont have kids so I'll probably just wait for the Gennette Cordova memoir to come out: "Weinergate: The real-life story of the 21 year old college student who almost received a twitter pic that nearly brought down the world's most powerful government". Soon to be a major motion picture.
ReplyDeleteO/T but still very, very funny:
SANTORUM!!!
Disgusting and sad that people will actually pay for that book.
ReplyDeleteDon't care for this story at all.
I remember calmly inserting an impromptu "'Fuck off,' said the bunny" into the 8th reading that day of my two year old's favorite book. Didn't appear to bother her, made me feel a lot better.
ReplyDeleteToo funny! I wouldn't have read this to my children, but it sure would have been salve for my tired brain after 12 nonstop hours with two preschoolers! They are now in their 30's with their own little ones, and I may just have to buy a couple of copies!
ReplyDeleteUnrelated: Palin fans take on Wikipedia; try to change facts to match Palin's version of Paul Revere's Ride
ReplyDeletehttp://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/38678_Palin_Fans_Trying_to_Edit_Wikipedia_Paul_Revere_Page
For anyone not familiar with the genius of TIm Minchin - you might like this "Lullaby" as it's in the same vein as the bedtime book ;*) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESFANzZTdYM
ReplyDeleteLove it, although I can remember only one night when my now 8 yr old would not sleep (trust me, I was paid back in spades during the day).
ReplyDeleteThe poetry in this non-bedtime story reminds me, in its cuteness only, of Dawn Apperly's Goodnight, Sleep Tight Little Bunnies. This is truly the best and sweetest bed time book. It is hard to find (look for used on Amazon- may not be in print here). I actually found a Scholastic Canada web page:
http://www.scholastic.ca/titles/goodnightsleeptight/
@5.09 Anonymous
ReplyDeleteLighten up. This is not for kids, this is for adults. Wry and funny and full of weary truth for people with irrepressible kids.
ROTFLOL. I found a youtube video of the author reading the book. I had tears running down my face, I was laughing so hard. I, too, had the Ever Ready Bunny for a daughter. She just kept going, and going, and going.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI6RrDveqm8
I was lucky in that my kids were sleepers but they loved Shel Silverstein and my older sister, an avowed Evangelical, was horrified I read those books to my kids. Now 20 and 22 they demanded their own copies of every one of his books as they reached past 18. She thought they were very dark. Needless to say the books she gave them were dust gatherers and went out at the house sale a couple of years ago.
ReplyDeleteThose who are appalled by this, probably can't understand that laughter is the best way to avoid getting frustrated with a child. Every single night, we would struggle getting our daughter to bed...every single night. We were exhausted parents, both working full-time jobs and more. The book would have been the best medicine, just knowing we weren't the only ones feeling like the worst parents. The youtube video was hilarious.
ReplyDeleteOh dear god,I'm not alone? The just turned four-year-old in our house finally falls grudgingly to sleep between 11:30 and midnight every night. I get up at 4:30. Arrrrgghhh! I want to stick pins in my eyes and suffocate myself to me out of my misery. Whoever sent that link for Tim Minchin is demented, but I shall be forever grateful. It will be my very own lullaby tonight.
ReplyDeleteI had that on my FB page a few weeks ago. I laughed so hard I WOKE my sleeping kids LOL...I wish I had a close friend about to have a baby because I would so love to give that book as a (joke!) gift.
ReplyDelete5:09, Are you a parent? We have all been there.
ReplyDeleteAnon@5:09a.m., you're on the wrong blog...
ReplyDeleteMy mom gave me the book "Being Born" when I was about 6 (50 years ago). I gave it to my daughter after she saw horses being bred at our farm when she was 5 and read it with her so she'd be able to ask me anything she wanted.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite kids book is "Just Go To Bed". Hell, I still use that phrase and she's 22!
Anon at 5:09. chill Winston. It's not a kiddy book. If you'd read the whole post you'd know that.
I should get this book.
ReplyDeleteMy almost-84-year-old Alzheimers-afflicted husband occasionally refuses to stay in bed and go to sleep too.
He doesn't move as fast as a 4 year old, but he's as stubborn as one. The part that's especially WTF/GETBACKTOBED! is keeping him indoors...
I've pre-ordered three of these books for friends of mine who have eyebags down to their knees trying to get their extremely sly and energetic offspring to sleep.
ReplyDeleteI howled when I heard it read. Finally, a good night book for the truly adult.
Anonymous @ 5:36 AM, you haven't seen the worst of it:
ReplyDeletePalin fanatics did to Conservapedia what they couldn't do to Wikipedia http://t.co/6YccUFH via @dailydish
What really irritates me about this revision of history according to Palin, the RWNJs whine and sneer when WE use a Wiki, no matter how well-sourced the Wiki entry is.
My son had trouble sleeping from age two on (he suffered from it his whole life). I used to have to count sheep for him. One sheep, two sheep...slower mommy, softer. One....sheep....two....sheep. This book would make him laugh.
ReplyDeleteThat audio version is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteMy inner child loves this! I think I'll order this as a birthday present for my 28 year old son so he can read it to his 3 year old daughter. The 5 Little Monkeys is getting really boring since he's recycled thru every scenario one can image. I too, am tired of reading 'Shake my Sillies Out' to her and inventing new stanzas because Miss Sleepyhead is soooo stubborn when it comes time for bed. My outer child will be laughing her arse off when he opens it! Humor is well read in our family.
ReplyDeleteWhere did I come from. LOL Ah the joys of having liberal parents. My children are now past the "go the fuck to sleep" stage but I am so getting this book.
ReplyDeleteOh dog, the youtube video had me LOL...
ReplyDeleteLuckily, I never had that problem but I sympathize with those who do.
: )
O.M.G., that is so frickin' funny, words fail to express.
ReplyDeleteWhile my darlings are now 13, 10, and 10, I still plan to own five copies- one for myself, one for each child should any of them become parents, and one for a good friend who has yet to become a mum.
Instant reminiscence of those exhausting, frustrating but sweet, deeply missed days.
Thanks a million for posting this, Gryphen. I already sent this link to hubby. Can't wait to watch the youtube and send that around, as well.
My son was the hardest child to get to sleep, we tried everything, rocking him while walking, reading to him, singing lullabyes. Once he finally fell asleep, my loud snoring due to sleep apnea from my obesity problem would wake him up, and it would become a big ordeal.
ReplyDeleteFinally we came up with the ultimate solution. We took him on New Jersey State Police Hellicopter rides, the whooshing sound of the propellers and the rocking motion did the trick.
My wife and I slept peacefully after whisking him from the helliport in our backyard into his crib. I could wake up bright eyed abd bushy tailed, ready to scarf down a half dozen donuts and a xxl coffee, ready to do my job effectively. I swear, this solution is the best, and I highly recommend it.
Chris Christie.
The you tube clip is a riot. I had the same problem with my son, but my girls were pretty good when kept on schedule.
ReplyDeleteI bought the same books for my kids, I always felt they needed to learn, as early as possible, how they came to be, how their bodies grow. When they got older, I got them "Our bodies, ourselves". I bought them all "Of Thee I Sing" last Festivus, and they're 16-23 and loved it!
This satiric book is something all parents can relate to, looking back, it was time well spent even though it felt like torture.