Children's Books You Don't Wanna Read To Your Kids

I have an English version of this book, "Slovenly Peter". It's hard to find the English version. I read it as a child, and (since I was a thumb sucker) I scribbled all over the page with the tailor who cut off the child's thumbs! It's a Victorian thing, we don't understand now, but back then scaring children into being 'good' was quite acceptable. I was always fascinated by the illustrations of the child who ate too much and split in two.. his insides were solid and homogenous, like a hot dog. :-)

That's the first thing I thought of kgpelcz

Anyone else immediately think of the office episode where dwight reads this to the kids on take your daughter to work day!?
"The kids don't wanna hear some weirdo book that your Nazi war criminal grandma read to you"

The Tiger Lillies made this into a song called 'Snip Snip' it was entertaining.

....it did stop me sucking my thumb though.

My grandfather had both this Strewelpeter book and Max and Moritz (which I had completely forgotten about until you mentioned it, @Andre. I blame you for tonight's nightmares). I remember that weird childhood fascination with things that are scary - I wasn't really allowed to read it but would sneakily pick it off the shelf and flick through the pictures, knowing it was terrifying but unable to stop looking. *shudder*

I love the Gashlycrumb Tinies and fully intend to share it should I ever have children - a little safe fear is good for you ;)

I discovered this book in a friend's house quite recently. I they were reading it to their 3 year old.
She's also read the The Gashlycrumb Tinies.
A is for Amy who fell down the stairs.
B is for Basil assaulted by bears.

@Jessss: I think you're mixing up the stories, stealing chickens and ending up as the geeses' food in the end is Max and Moritz by Wilhelm Busch.
I wonder how I survived all these books in my child hood staying sane, maybe I didn't...

I used to have that book! I remember one of the stories was about children who stole and ate the baker's chickens, so he threw them into his dough-making machine, made them into bread, and fed them to his remaining chickens.