A Famous Ridley Scott Horror Movie Is Being Turned Into A Children's Book
When you think of your favorite children's books, you might fondly recall getting lost in a Dr. Seuss adventure or your parents reading you "Goodnight, Moon." "Treasure Island" might come to mind, or if you're an Brit like myself, perhaps a delightful bedtime adventure with the "Famous Five." Well, it seems the next generation can look forward to something altogether more unsettling because Ridley Scott's seminal 1979 effort "Alien" is now being made into a children's book.
Yes, as per Entertainment Weekly, Ellen Ripley and her fellow Nostromo crew will be the focus of a Little Golden Book — you know, Penguin Random House's compact hardbacks for kids, which have been running since 1942 and seem to have the license to pretty much every IP under the sun. "A is for Alien: An ABC Book," is the latest edition to the extensive lineup, and will, according to EW, "teach young readers the alphabet with illustrations of horrifying sci-fi creatures." Finally.
Set for release on July 9, 2024, "A is for Alien" will ensure your little one is fully primed for the age of IP reigning supreme, which will no doubt make Disney, the company that owns the "Alien" franchise, and its boss Bob Iger, very happy. In fact, all Studio CEOs should rejoice at this news, especially cartoon villain David Zaslav, who's been championing the primacy of IP in recent years. Now, rather than growing up with cherished memories of "The Gruffalo," kids will look back fondly on bedtimes spent with the Xenomorph. That should tie in nicely with the approaching wave of "Alien" media, including the "Alien" TV show and the "Alien: Awakening" movie, which now looks to be called "Alien: Romulus" and is set to debut in August, 2024.
H is for 'Huh?'
To be fair, "Alien" is far from the first Hollywood property to get the Little Golden Book treatment. As my son moved from his dinosaur and diggers era fully into his IP age, I spent many a bedtime reading him the origin of Spider-Man, Miles, and Ghost Spider from the pages of a Little Golden. He's also fully versed in the events of Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" thanks to Penguin's little storybooks. We might not have picked up that Beyoncé Little Golden but don't think I didn't see it on the Barnes & Noble stands, like some grim portent of an age where books become nothing but vessels through which to funnel our childrens' minds towards mass cultural products.
"A is for Alien" is far from the first time Hollywood has tried to hook the kids into properties originally aimed at older audiences, then. But it does seem like an odd choice seeing as Ridley Scott's space horror really doesn't seem to lend itself in any way to teaching children their ABCs. The official website for the book contains this description:
"In space no one can hear you giggle as you read this Little Golden Book featuring the characters from the classic movie Alien! Follow Ripley and the rest of the Nostromo crew on a space adventure that introduces the alphabet from A to Z. With fun illustrations, this light-hearted reimagining of the iconic movie Alien will delight fans young and old, as well as Little Golden Book collectors throughout the universe."
Jolly good, then.
Horror for Kids
"A is for Alien" certainly seems like a bewildering development, but not only is it one in a long line of childrens' books based on adult IP, it's also carrying on a grand tradition of horror for kids. Think about "Where the Wild Things Are," which has an undeniably sinister undertone that got it banned in several southern US states for its supposed depiction of "witchcraft/supernatural elements." Furthermore, what kid hasn't descended upon the Scholastic book fair ready to make off with as many "Goosebumps" books as they can carry?
In that sense, the Alien book for kids isn't entirely without precedent. That said, I can't imagine famous grump Ridley Scott, who was pissed he wasn't asked back to direct "Aliens," signed off on the enterprise. Neither was he required to, as Disney is very much calling the shots here. Otherwise, maybe it'll be good to have kids witness one of the all-time great heroines of cinema in their early years. "Alien" may have helped establish Sigourney Weaver as a star, but Weaver certainly helped define the film with her excellent portrayal of the Nostoromo's warrant officer that very much paved the way for future female action stars.
To be sure, there's nothing wrong with exposing kids to that kind of thing. Still, "A is for Alien" is an ABC storybook, so how much can Ripley's heroism possibly feature? If you simply can't wait to find out, and prepare to introduce another IP to your child in the process, the book is available for pre-order now.