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Conservative Kid's Book Challenges Harry Potter for #1 Amazon Spot
Yahoo News ^ | 9/22/05

Posted on 09/22/2005 6:49:46 PM PDT by shining_city

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 22, 2005 -- An unlikely children's book has stepped forward to challenge "Harry Potter" for the #1 ranking on Amazon.com's bestseller list, and its portrayal of left-wing icons Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy as cartoon villains has provoked a firestorm of controversy in the process.

"Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed" (Kids Ahead; hardcover $15.95; ISBN 0976726904) by Katharine DeBrecht soared to #6 in Amazon's overall rankings on Wednesday afternoon after being praised by talk radio king Rush Limbaugh on his national radio show. The illustrated book ranked second only to J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" in Amazon's children's book category, and was also ranked as #8 overall on Barnes & Noble's site.

Should the book go on to topple "Harry Potter" for the top spot, it would be a major upset by a most unlikely underdog. Not only have the leading publications in the publishing industry such as Publisher's Weekly and The New York Times Book Review ignored the book, it has also been fiercely denounced by liberal pundits and bloggers. The average customer review for "Liberals Under My Bed" on Amazon stood at only one star out of five earlier this week as liberals flocked to the site to criticize the controversial book. But its fortunes dramatically reversed as word of the book spread in conservative circles.

"Our hat is off here to Katharine DeBrecht, the author of 'Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed,'" Limbaugh proclaimed to his audience, adding that left-wing critics were upset about DeBrecht's book because of its accurate parody of the liberal movement. "I'm telling you, the liberals cringe -- they go ape! -- when you dare be honest about them. They call it an attack!" Limbaugh added.

Limbaugh recounted that Ron Reagan — whom he playfully referred to as an MSNBC "quasi-host" — scolded DeBrecht on his cable television show, and that Alan Colmes, the liberal co-host of "Hannity & Colmes," claimed her book existed for the purpose of brainwashing. Limbaugh went on to note that the popular Democratic Underground website named DeBrecht to its "Top 10 Conservative Idiots" list, and that the highly trafficked left-wing blog Daily Kos likened her book to Nazi propaganda.

"Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed" -- which features full-color illustrations by award winning artist Jim Hummel -- tells of two brothers who open a lemonade stand. Their plans to save up their hard-earned profits to buy a swing set go awry when a Ted Kennedy character taxes away their proceeds and a pants-suit clad Hillary Clinton look-alike outlaws sugary drinks. The book is being hailed by traditional values advocates as an alternative to liberal books such as "Rainbow Fish" (where a fish is hectored into giving away his beautiful scales so that all the fish look the same) and "King & King" (where two princes marry each other and adopt a little girl), which are often found in our nation's classrooms.

About Kids Ahead: Kids Ahead is an imprint of Los Angeles-based World Ahead Publishing, the West Coast's premier publisher of conservative and libertarian books. To learn more, visit www.worldahead.com .

Contact Information: To interview author Katharine DeBrecht, contact Special Guests at (630) 848-0750.

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TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alancolmes; booksales; harrypotter; helpmom; hillaryclinton; liberalsunderbed; rushlimbaugh; tedkennedy
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I heard Rush talking about this book yesterday. His comment about Ron Reagan was too funny.
1 posted on 09/22/2005 6:49:52 PM PDT by shining_city
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To: shining_city

I don't care which side, there's a special place in Hell for people who try to warp kids with politics.


2 posted on 09/22/2005 6:54:06 PM PDT by AlexandriaDuke
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I read about this on FR yesterday or the day before... I will definately be buying several copies.

ps: I'm 42 and almost done reading HP book 4 and have enjoyed all of them and plan on reading them all. My daughter loves them all. She will be reading this book to.


3 posted on 09/22/2005 6:54:47 PM PDT by VastRWCon
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To: shining_city
it has also been fiercely denounced by liberal pundits and bloggers.

Major understatement of the week. Why is it that they aren't permitted to be made fun of, like everyone else is from time to time? Are they a master race, beyond the reach of human criticism?

4 posted on 09/22/2005 6:55:24 PM PDT by KStorm (My Mental Hazmat Suit is not for sale, in case anyone's asking.)
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To: AlexandriaDuke
I don't care which side, there's a special place in Hell for people who try to warp kids with politics.

Get a sense of humor. I doubt many children actually read it but if they do, so what?

5 posted on 09/22/2005 6:57:41 PM PDT by bkepley
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To: AlexandriaDuke
I disagree.

I think children need to be told the truth, in an age appropriate way.

Since they are being bombarded with pro-homosexual crap in GRADE SCHOOL now, this book provides a humorous WONDERFUL opportunity to put a few conservative values on the table for young ones to ponder.

6 posted on 09/22/2005 6:58:14 PM PDT by Republic (Michael Schiavo murdered Terri Schindler.)
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To: AlexandriaDuke
I disagree.

I think children need to be told the truth, in an age appropriate way.

Since they are being bombarded with pro-homosexual crap in GRADE SCHOOL now, this book provides a humorous WONDERFUL opportunity to put a few conservative values on the table for young ones to ponder.

7 posted on 09/22/2005 6:58:22 PM PDT by Republic (Michael Schiavo murdered Terri Schindler.)
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To: AlexandriaDuke
"I don't care which side, there's a special place in Hell for people who try to warp kids with politics."

Do you mean warp them like the public schools and their teachers union minions do?

Or do you mean warp them like the mass media does?

All that is happening here is a little balance being thrown onto the scales...and believe me...it is a very little balance against all the weight of the left side.

8 posted on 09/22/2005 6:59:33 PM PDT by Artemis Webb
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Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: shining_city

Oh, I love the title of that book! It sounds like a must buy for my nieces and nephews this Christmas.


10 posted on 09/22/2005 7:02:10 PM PDT by Peach (South Carolina is praying for our Gulf coast citizens.)
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To: AlexandriaDuke
I don't care which side, there's a special place in Hell for people who try to warp kids with politics.

What is the purpose of "childhood"? If you say anything other than the development of a responsible adult, then you might have your priorities mixed up...

11 posted on 09/22/2005 7:04:49 PM PDT by Charles H. (The_r0nin) (Hwæt! Lãr biþ mæst hord, soþlïce!)
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To: AlexandriaDuke

Maybe so, but the Left started it, and are the worst offenders. Some of their propoganda aimed at children, like "Heather had Two Mommies" has actually been placed in public schools!


12 posted on 09/22/2005 7:07:19 PM PDT by Aetius
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To: shining_city

["Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed" -- which features full-color illustrations by award winning artist Jim Hummel -- tells of two brothers who open a lemonade stand. Their plans to save up their hard-earned profits to buy a swing set go awry when a Ted Kennedy character taxes away their proceeds and a pants-suit clad Hillary Clinton look-alike outlaws sugary drinks.]



GOOD!

We're finally starting to get our kids to read more non-fiction.


13 posted on 09/22/2005 7:08:29 PM PDT by spinestein (Forget the Golden Rule. Remember the Brazen Rule.)
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To: All
Why can't kids just read Phantom Tollbooth like I did.
14 posted on 09/22/2005 7:09:11 PM PDT by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: AlexandriaDuke

I kinda agree - but it will be bought for ADULTS more than for kids anyway.


15 posted on 09/22/2005 7:10:00 PM PDT by hombre_sincero (www.sigmaitsys.com)
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To: AlexandriaDuke
Forget 'warping kids with politics', how about 'instructing kids with the truth'.

This book will be on my kids' Christmas list.

16 posted on 09/22/2005 7:11:02 PM PDT by keithtoo (Howard Dean is a Rove plant, Rove is a NeoCon plant, NeoCons are Trilateralist plants....)
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To: shining_city
Should the book go on to topple "Harry Potter" for the top spot, it would be a major upset by a most unlikely underdog...

How long has Rowling's book been number one? How many millions of copies has she sold? I doubt that this book will come anywhere near to that.

17 posted on 09/22/2005 7:11:19 PM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: frankjr
I really question whether "Rainbow Fish" should really be considered liberal propaganda.

The real problem with "Rainbow" was not that he had the beautiful scales, but that he was so stuck up - arrogant about it.

That said, I never cared for the book (or video) very much. Not because I thought it was indoctrinating my kids, but just because it seemed so childish without having much redemptive about it. I'd give it two stars.

18 posted on 09/22/2005 7:17:46 PM PDT by Martin Tell (Red States [should act like they] Rule)
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To: Republic
Since they are being bombarded with pro-homosexual crap in GRADE SCHOOL now, this book provides a humorous WONDERFUL opportunity to put a few conservative values on the table for young ones to ponder.

There's also another difference. The fact that kids must hear that nonsense in the public schools isn't analogous to having the book read to them. Parents can choose whether to buy the book or not; they can choose to read it or not. It's a little harder to choose curriculum for your children if they're in the public school system. I worry about those who trust public school educators over parents.

Most adults are probably buying this book for themselves, anyway.
19 posted on 09/22/2005 7:17:47 PM PDT by Das Outsider (Contact your Congressman and Senators today about the Able Danger investigation.)
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To: Non-Sequitur

We'll know how much kids really like it when we see how many are lined up at midnight dressed as the main characters when the author's next book is published.


20 posted on 09/22/2005 7:19:11 PM PDT by edweena
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