My wife picked up a copy of our dearly loved little monkey from a children’s resale show recently and we excitedly gathered around for the initial read. They sat perfectly still, ears listening to every word, eyes memorizing the smallest detail of the illustrations. We read together the story of George Taking a Job. Window washing a tall skyscraper was eye-opening. Reading about George imagining furniture looking like wild animals was exhilarating. But when he fell out of the window and ended up in the hospital I was surprised and shocked as I turned the page…
George experiments with knock-out gas and has his first drug trip?!?!?!
I was stunned, but played it cool and quickly turned the page. The advantage was mine since my kids had never heard this story before, so they could not tell if I was skipping any words. But they could not contain their glee at seeing the picture on the next page…
George had to be resuscitated in the shower?!
I don’t know when this book was written, or what lessons about curiosity this is supposed to teach. But, curiously enough, when we got to the George Takes a Job episode on Netflix…George never went to the hospital. I’m telling you no lies.
In preparation for this post, I also decided to do a little research. Wikipedia just lays it out there matter of fact.
“He recovers in the hospital, but tampers with a bottle of ether and is overcome by the fumes. The man with the yellow hat and a nurse waken him with a cold shower.”
What surprised me more though, were the reviews on Amazon. Only ONE person mentioned this little episode of getting high. While other people had problems with the book presenting curiosity as a negative thing. Wait, what?! Or maybe they just had their hands on the newly edited version. Here are some reviews:
“It is a great family read!”
“The illustrations seem to say more than the words.”
“My 2 year old sister likes them too.”
And fittingly, “I was hooked.”
Not surprising though is that the first edition of this book is number 23 on the list of most valuable first editions of children’s literature. It is worth anywhere between $1,400 and $2,400 probably for what other things it contained that have since been redacted…
Lee, I really enjoy reading about your insights into family life. I grew up in an era where most of the dad’s where like those portrayed by the “Old Man” character in the movie “A Christmas
Story”. Men were men. Men were providers. Although they taught you things, it was on their own terms. I’m not saying that there weren’t any fathers’ who cared about their kids. It was just different then. It is an encouragement to hear from you and get a glimpse into how dads are thinking today.
Having been born at the tail end of the 50′s, “Curious George Takes a Job” was read to me as a child. In actuality, I heard that story more than once, both at home and at school during story time. I guess I never thought about how someone who grew up in a different era may view this story.
Today, the portion of the book which illustrates George’s brush with death due to his curiosity over a forbidden drug, is viewed as a joke. I have seen T-shirts with that image of “George” lying flat on his back next to the bottle of ether. It’s a joke, because getting “wasted” today is portrayed as a good time and no big deal. Kids who grow up in our world today are being exposed to recreational drugs and drinking as a family activity. Especially the drinking. Why would they or their parents for that matter, think it was odd for young George to “try out” something that the kids have seen their parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. do at most family gathering?
You will be shocked. I have been at family gatherings where 2 year olds have been given their first taste of beer from Grandpa’s can and everyone laughs and coos like the child just took their first step. I’ve seen teenage nieces and nephews being offered “jello shots” and 17 year old cousins with a “hard lemonade” in their hands. This is like a right of passage, The adults are raising miniature party animals. Needless to say, I did not participate in this family activity.
If anything, it gave me more reason to teach my kids valuable lessons about the pitfalls of the “partying” lifestyle. They were probably sick of hearing my “lessons” on the subject. But they heard them. Many times. Especially after family gatherings.
Which brings me to my take on Curious George and the ether situation. As we sat wide eyed , with legs crossed in a circle around the teacher hearing these words being read, we actually felt afraid when George reached for that bottle. As kids, we were warned again and again not to touch things like this. None of us, except the truly undisciplined, would dream of taking anything off of a shelf in a hospital! We would not touch things on dad’s work table, or in the garage, or in mom’s utility closet. We certainly were not allowed to go into the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. My Mom and Dad called it the medicine cabinet for a reason.Because there were things in there children should not touch. Again and again we were warned about the dangers of “drugs”. No one took ‘drugs” at our house unless they were sick. A bottle of beer never sat on our refrigerator shelves unless dad bought a “6 pack’ so he could offer one to a visiting guest. And even then, the beer was diminished to a “5 pack” and was dumped down the sink, I also learned by example, not just warning.
In school, the teacher used the “George vs ether” scene to reiterate what we were being taught at home. The thought of even touching George’s forbidden bottle sent shivers up our 2nd grade spines, When George was revived in the shower, we all sighed in relief. Our friend would live to entertain us another day.
I’m sorry that Curious George has become a cultural casualty. His curiosity doesn’t offer a teaching session now, but a high five salute followed by a loud “DUDE!” This is why us older folks sometimes lament over what this world has become since we were kids.
Lee, you are a kinder and gentler Dad. By not reading this story to Ella and Pax again you are demonstrating a reinforcement of right values on top of what you are already teaching them by example about such things. I don’t blame you at all for not wanting them to see the illustration of George “passed out”. There is too much of that kind of thing today that the world accepts and finds funny. You are doing a great job as a dad! Your kids are truly reaping the benefit of your discernment. And they are blessed to have a mom that stays at home with them too! You and Erica are making an important statement in this generation.
Thanks Cheri, I agree, it could have been used to teach that taking medicine off the shelf is dangerous. If only they wouldn’t have included that picture of George with wings
I appreciate your kind words. I never want to make myself sound better than I am on this blog. I fail constantly as a dad. Parenting is tough stuff!
Wow. It’s Curious George. He does crazy crap like sniff ether.
My daughter has this volume as well, as she’s a very big George fan. We have read this so many times and have never given pause to the content. This book was written during a different time, and yet the lessons are the same.
My daughter has yet to give recreational drugs a try. I think. She’s 11.
I think kids are smarter these days. Given an upbringing rich with parental involvement and opportunities to question and receive answers that are neither fraught with fear or overdone with gooey awe-shucks sentimentality, they will make it relatively unscathed . . .
Good post.
Yes, I doubt this book will play a huge role in anyone’s choices of participating in drugs. I was just shocked the first time I read it, and that it went into such great detail (the stars and loops and flying…) I look forward to the day when I can have honest conversations with my kids about this stuff. Maybe when they’re, you know, like both potty trained at least?
that’s crazy! kinda makes me curious what else was left out. are you gonna try to sell the book?
ha ha! no. we’ll keep it around. Mine is not a first edition so it’s only worth like, 50 cents. It does make you wonder what else we were read when we were younger, doesn’t it?