The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy by Tim Burton Faber $112 Much like his films Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood, Tim Burton's illustrated poems might look as if they're for children, but the themes are definitely adult. Oyster Boy is born to surprised parents who lament their bad luck. When the stress of having such a strange child leads to trouble in the marital bed, their doctor suggests oysters. With a slithery gulp, Oyster Boy is down his father's throat. Then, there's Stick Boy, who falls in love with Match Girl. But the flame of their passion glows too hot and Stick Boy is incinerated. The 23 tales are amusing and tragic, but even when the fate of the macabre characters is grim, Burton's humour shines through. In Robot Boy, a woman gives birth to a mechanical child, after having an affair with a microwave oven.