A nasty storyteller
Shockhead Peter is quite a frightening figure. His long, unwashed hair stands on end as if an electric current has passed through it. His blue eyes stare emptily ahead. He has let his fingernails grow to a terrible length, and they are as black as soot. There is a no more menacing guide through a book of stories for children than Struwwelpeter.
A German classic
First published in Germany in 1845, Struwwelpeter has become one of the most popular and influential books of children's short stories ever written. Its content, style and illustrations have influenced many modern storytellers, artists and filmmakers including Roald Dahl and Tim Burton. Written in simple rhyming verse, Struwwelpeter was a sellout when it first appeared in bookshops in the German city of Frankfurt.
By 1917, Struwwelpeter had seen more than 400 editions published in Germany alone, with the first English translation appearing in 1848. The popular American novelist Mark Twain (1835 - 1910) did his own version for US readers called Slovenly Peter.
The boy with the frightening haircut was quickly on a mission to show what happened to badly behaved children no matter where they lived. There was no escape from his clutches. Doctor / Author