海角大神

The late children鈥檚 book legend Maurice Sendak gave it a memorable review in a January appearance on 鈥�The Colbert Report鈥�: 鈥淭he sad thing is, I like it,鈥� Sendak told TV host Stephen Colbert about Colbert鈥檚 planned children鈥檚 book.

And now Colbert鈥檚 picture book, 鈥淚 Am A Pole (And So Can You!),鈥� is a reality, having debuted earlier this month and currently holding the number one spot on the Hardcover Advice and Miscellaneous section of . (And that quote from Sendak is splashed across the top of the cover.)

The book was first introduced to the 鈥淐olbert鈥� viewing audience when Colbert was interviewing Sendak in a two-part special and mentioned his interest in breaking into children鈥檚 books. Colbert had already written one original work, 鈥淚 Am America (And So Can You!),鈥� a book for adults. Colbert said the idea of introducing 鈥淧ole鈥� into the discussion with Sendak arose during interview preparation.

鈥淢y character鈥檚 motivation for the [book] was his wanting to get into writing celebrity books, which we knew was something loathed by Mr. Sendak,鈥� he told .

But Sendak鈥檚 reaction was unexpected.

鈥淚 knew when he laughed throughout and said he liked it, it could be a real thing,鈥� Colbert said.

Parents, beware. Colbert's book is a parody of a children鈥檚 book than the real thing. Among other adventures, the pole of the title, which is going through an identity crisis, briefly moonlights as a stripper pole.

And of course, most of the jokes would go over kids鈥� heads, including 鈥淚 wished I was the North Pole, and marked the home of Santa, or even just a Gallup poll, calling voters in Atlanta鈥� and 鈥淚 tried and failed at other things, that I shouldn鈥檛 talk about. Like that summer with the phone poles, getting totally strung out.鈥�

But young adults and adults, especially those who are fans of the late-night host, will undoubtedly appreciate the humor, and Colbert himself makes a cameo near the end with a tongue-in-cheek verse. 鈥淔or people it seems easy to find a role that suits you most,鈥� the pole laments. 鈥淟ike a job of true importance, such as late night TV host.鈥� (The text is placed next to pictures of an astronaut, a doctor, a member of the military, and President Barack Obama.)

The inside flap on the picture book advertises 鈥渟equels,鈥� including 鈥淧ole Eats His Vegetables,鈥� 鈥淧ole Meets Another Pole,鈥� 鈥淧ole Meets the Other Pole鈥檚 New Boyfriend,鈥� 鈥淗ow the Pole Stole Christmas,鈥� and 鈥淧ole Learns About Copyright Infringement.鈥�

A Boston Globe said the rhyming was clunky and the illustrations were basic, but that that was beside the point, calling it 鈥渄eliberately bad.鈥�

鈥淭he design? So-so at best,鈥� wrote reviewer Chelsey Philpot, who is a book review editor at School Library Journal. 鈥淭he relation of image to text? The pictures deliver the humor鈥�. Overall, is it terrible? Does a Wild Thing like a rumpus? But it delivers some laughs, and Colbert鈥檚 fans especially will love the twisted humor.鈥�

Colbert's book aimed at adults, "America Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't," is due for release in October.

Molly Driscoll is a Monitor contributor.