Children's Books That Never Were, Part 1

Today is the first post of a series I'm planning called "Children's Books That Never Were." However, instead of me writing all of the posts, I'd like some (or more) of you in the blogosphere to add your own offerings. If you decide to add to the collection, please post your link in the comments section.



From the editor:

Dear Ms. Flack,

I am intrigued with your proposal for a picture-book series about an insatiably inquisitive platypus named Angus. However, I’m not sure that the American public is ready for monotremes in children’s literature. H. A. Rey had a similar problem over at Houghton Mifflin when his “Querulous George” books originally featured an echidna that the Man in the Yellow Hat illegally imported from New Guinea. Rey's editors decided that a tailless monkey illegally imported from Kenya would be less controversial.

I’m returning your manuscript for Angus Lost, as well as your proposed cover for the book. I’d be happy to take a look at the manuscript again with a different animal featured in the series. What about something as simple as a dog? Have you thought about the possibility of making Angus a Chihuahua or a Shar Pei?

Sincerely,
Garrulous MacKenzie
Assistant to the Lead Editor
Children’s Division
Furrier, Stress & Gyros