Of Bears and Penguins

"But our fish said, "No! No!
Make that cat go away!
Tell that Cat in the Hat
You do NOT want to play." ~ The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss

So I have some issues.
By now we've all seen the advertising for the monstrosity that is "The Cat in the Hat" movie. The New York Times panned it, as did the Dallas Morning News.

Beware gentle friends, there is a book that has come out to promote the film, and it is titled something like, "Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat, the Movie." This is not in fact the well known children's book, but a mockery of all things Seussian. Missing are the colorful, witty rhymes of the good doctor, and in their place is the rather drippy plot of the movie.

Personally, I find the image of Mike Myers in a furry cat costume rather frightening. But maybe that's just me.

My Mom is leading a full fledged boycott of all things related to the movie, which she terms a "sacrilege to children's literature" and I quite agree.

Further sacrilege
Did anyone else ever read Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth?

It is a true story of the Gilbreth family. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreth were motion study experts, well known in their field, who also happened to have 12 children.

It is a classic, and one of my favorite books. Every time I read it, it makes me laugh so hard I cry.

My school had parents who volunteered to come in and read to the elementary school classes. For the first half of sixth grade, my entire class eagerly waited for Thursday afternoons when Mrs. Sheetz would come and read to us. She read us Cheaper by the Dozen, and we were thoroughly caught up with the Gilbreth family. Our teacher even started using phrases from the book, saying "That is Eskimo," when one of us stepped out of line. The ultimate threat to us was, "If you don't behave, Mrs. Sheetz won't come." Oh, that really got us. When she said that, we all went ape, going so far as to kick classmates under desks if they looked cross-eyed.

This Christmas, there is a movie coming out with Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt entitled "Cheaper by the Dozen". But is not the classic tale set in the 1920's. No, it is simply borrowing the title and none of the story. While I really like both Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt, the public would be better served if the movie were not named after the book. They have no similarity past the title. It would be nicer if it were called "Funny movie in which Steve and Bonnie play the parents of 12 children set in modern day America."

I just find it disappointing. Why would you use the title of a perfectly nice story?

Can Hollywood please stop trampling on good books? Please? Anyone?