When is a Kim Kardashian selfie book NOT the strangest piece of book news in a given week?
When Penguin Publishing releasing a special Charlie and the Chocolate Factory cover in honor of that book's 50th anniversary... and it looks like this:
Meant to evoke spoiled character Veruca Salt, the photo is drawing criticism across the Internet for seemingly being at odds with the story's tone and plot.
The Guardian has referred to this as the worst book cover in history, writing:
"No Charlie Bucket? No gloopy chocolate or shiny golden ticket? Penguin's new cover reimagines Dahl's classic as 1960s Wyndhamesque horror, robotic alien children stranded in a stark asylum."
Penguin claims the cover "looks at the children at the center of the story and highlights the way Roald Dahl's writing manages to embrace both the light and the dark aspects of life," but others don't agree.
The company's Facebook page is littered with comment that echo the sentiments of the following:
"Regardless of whether you think the cover has a sexualized child on it, there is nothing about it that would intrigue a child or even an adult to read the story. Can you imagine a man trying to read this in public? I may as well be a cover for Valley of the Dolls or Lolita."
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY COVER?
Among other really terrible publishing ideas...
Yes, Kris Jenner is releasing a cookbook. Will you buy it?
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