Struwwelpeter, or Pretty Stories and Funny Pictures

First published in Germany in 1844, Struwwelpeter ("shock-headed Peter")is a wonderful, horrible book about naughty children and the outlandish consequences of their bad behavior. Written and illustrated by Heinrich Hoffmann, it includes ten rhyming tales with hilarious, alarming illustrations, including "The Dreadful Story about Harriet and the Matches," "The Story of Little Suck-a-Thumb," "The Story of Fidgety Philip," and more. You can read these as cautionary tales with your kids, but they'll probably laugh more than they learn. And so will you