Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed facts for kids
The book Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under my Bed! (ISBN: 0-9767269-0-4) is a children's picture book that came out in 2005. It was written by Katharine DeBrecht. The book uses funny drawings, called caricatures, of well-known politicians like Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy. Its goal is to share ideas that are part of conservative values. The company World Ahead Publishing released the book.
Contents
About the Book's Reception
The book was first talked about by U.S. News & World Report. They described it as a "picture book for kid conservatives." Many people had strong feelings about the book, depending on their own political views.
How the Book Became Popular
A famous radio host named Rush Limbaugh spoke highly of the book. After he praised it on his show, the book's sales on Amazon.com went up a lot. At one point, it was almost as popular as the newest Harry Potter book in children's books.
However, the book also became quite controversial. The TV show The Daily Show made fun of it. They also joked about another book called Why Mommy is a Democrat. The show suggested that young children might not understand politics well. They also thought kids could be too easily influenced by such books.
Responses to the Book
Philippe Reines, who worked for Senator Hillary Clinton, reacted to the media coverage. Hillary Clinton was one of the politicians shown in a funny way in the book. Reines joked, "Can’t wait for the sequel, Help! Mom! I Can’t Read This Book Because Republicans Have Cut Literacy Programs!"
Katharine DeBrecht, the author, replied to this. She said it was interesting that Hillary's press secretary would ask for more government help while criticizing her book. DeBrecht felt that Hillary thought it takes a whole community to teach a child to read. Reines later suggested that the book's sales must have been low, even though there was proof that it was selling well.
International Attention
Newspapers and news channels in other countries also talked about the book. Media in the United Kingdom, Australia, and India all covered the story.
By the end of 2005, The New York Times announced something important. They said that Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under my Bed! was one of the most talked-about books online that year. The book was also featured in Publishers Weekly, a magazine for the book industry.
