A Bad Case of Stripes
Published May 1st 2004 by Scholastic Paperbacks (first published January 1st 1998), Paperback 32 pages
"What we have here is a bad case of stripes. One of the worst I've ever seen!"
Camilla Cream loves lima beans, but she never eats them. Why? Because the other kids in her school don't like them. And Camilla Cream is very, very worried about what other people think of her. In fact, she's so worried that she's about to break out in...a bad case of stripes!
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
My daughter is in 1st grade (age 6) and is TERRIFIED of this book. I realize it is very, very popular but my daughter has a great imagination and now she is very scared of eating orange, green, and blue foods. She pretty much only eats pink/red and white foods now.
We got this book as a gift from my father when she was 4 and it scared her. We asked her preschool class to put it behind other books so she wouldn't see it in the book area (if she did see it, she wouldn't go near it). In kindergarten we warned her teacher and it wasn't an issue. Now in 1st grade I have warned her new teacher however I know it is in the classroom and she is scared of it. Today the principal read the first half during lunchtime and she covered her ears but could not block the sound. She is dreading lunchtime tomorrow when he will finish the book (and go through the part where the girl is all stripes).
(She ended up eating lunch in the school office that day so she wouldn't have to hear the story.)
SO if you have a sensitive child like I do, I urge some caution with this book. Never mind the author's intended message, some kids will be freaked out by the possibility of foods causing them to change colors and may suffer anxiety for months, or years, to come.
Rating: really liked it
“A Bad Case of Stripes” is a story about how peer pressure literally can affect a person. David Shannon, author of the popular “David” series, has created a surreal yet enchanting tale that will gain attention from both kids and adults.
“A Bad Case of Stripes” has one of the most creative illustrations I have ever seen. David Shannon takes care in making each character as colorful as they can be and masterfully illustrates Camilla’s odd situation by adding vivid colors to each transformation that Camilla takes on. Also, the moral of the story about being yourself is greatly defined here when Camilla goes through more awkward transformations when she does not admit that she loves lima beans. The story teaches people that no matter what anyone says about you, you should always be yourself no matter what.
“A Bad Case of Stripes” is truly a book that can not be missed and the story’s heroine, Camilla, clearly defines the meaning of peer pressure sometimes having positive or negative influences on people. Of course, I would strongly advise parents to read this book first before they show it to children ages five or younger since it contains many frightening images that would not be suitable for children.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
Rating: really liked it
I know that this is popular and I get what the book is trying to say about not worrying about what other people think, but I was freaking terrified of this book when I was a kid. In fact, I'm still creeped out to this day. The visuals and some of the stuff that happened to the main character was just terrifying.
It's not a bad book, it really isn't, but it scared the crap out of me and I will not go anywhere
NEAR that book. So a big round of applause to you who love this book, cuz I sure as hell didn't.
Rating: really liked it
A Bad Case of Stripes is being used in our classroom to discuss self-identity, bullying, and respect. Camilla’s treatment by her classmates is not nice. The book prompts students to think about what can be done to develop stronger sense of self-worth and positive communication. Our world is filled with so many competitive demands, it’s important to treat children like royalty and empower them with praise for they won’t feel like they’re being counted out. Always remember that children are living, breathing human beings who have needs to be respected, accepted, appreciated, to feel important and secure.
Rating: really liked it
Nice message, creepy as hell.
Rating: really liked it
Only if being yourself and eating what you wanted were that easy. I remember my mom use to send me to school with traditional food and I use to sweat and feel anxious before opening my little care bear lunch box. Alas, a 6-year-old in 2021 presenting as different is so woke!
The little girl eats lima beans and she ends up getting stripes and made fun of at school. The only cure, be yourself.
No matter how much you try, being different isn't easy for everyone. The book came along with a great message, my 4-year-old liked it, but probably didn't love it. I think older kids can appreciate the book a bit more.
My tryphobia kicked on the page where she becomes a pill bottle.
Overall, it wasn't bad.
Rating: really liked it
This is a story about peer pressure and not having enough confidence in yourself to stand up for something you like or want. This book has beautiful art drawings in it and a great way of telling the story. Nice colors and funny characters.
This book is in the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up challenge I am doing.
Rating: really liked it
This book is awful. It teaches awful things like one can be punished by being dehumanized, doctors will hurt you, being different will cause bullying, and being sick or having a disease is shameful, and that no one can save you. It's actually quite bizarre and psychologically disturbing even for an adult (not to mention the graphic illustrations). My 4 year old son was TRAUMATIZED by this book. Would not sleep at night, crying fits of terror of turning into something non-human, begging to pray to God to protect him. He literally would not go to school where this book was stored. Even after the school removed the book we dealt with the aftermath for months. If your child is young enough to not truly process the meaning behind this book or old enough to be able to rationalize it then they will probably like it. But if they fall in that in-between stage (3-6) then I would stay far away from it.
Rating: really liked it
What an absolutely wonderful book! Such an original idea that teaches such a simple lesson! And the illustrations were so detailed! This is definitely one I'll be adding to our library when I get the chance. Probably a level 3 or 4 reading level at least, but something a parent would enjoy reading to a kid of any age. Camilla is scared what people will think of her on her first day of school, but it turns out she doesn't need to worry because she comes down with a case of the stripes, her whole body looking like a brightly colored rainbow. Halfway through reading this with my children I felt like the kid in the back of the class that's going "Ooh! Ohh! I know what's gonna happen!" as I frantically wave my hand. (Why do I get an image of Horshack and the sweathogs when I say that, and jeez, did that date me?) Anyway, we loved this book, and highly recommend it.
Rating: really liked it
This is a fun and colorful, very colorful!, book with a great message about not being afraid to be true to yourself and not caring so much about what other people think of you. It uses humor in a way that’s fun for kids, and the moral is clear but doesn’t overpower the story. The story seemed to end slightly too abruptly to me, but overall it was very enjoyable.
Rating: really liked it
Wow. The artwork for this is really nice, but the message is what really struck me as amazing. The story is basically about how conformity destroys your individuality. In simpler terms, not doing something you really love because everyone thinks it's weird (like eating lima beans) turns you into something you're not (like a striped girl with a tail and tree trunk legs). Such a great story.
Rating: really liked it
Shannon's illustrations are BEAUTIFUL. Just look at that detail and colors!
Also, the message is simple but powerful: stay true to yourself. If I ever had a motto, that probably would be it, haha!
Interestingly, Camilla Cream's stripes on the front cover (as well as the six colors on the back cover) look a lot like an LGBT pride flag (though the order of the colors is slightly different), which adds a significant layer of meaning to the book's message :)
Rating: really liked it
Summary: Camilla Cream likes lima beans, but when she gets made fun of for liking them, she gets embarrassed and tells her family that she no longer wants to eat them. She then breaks out with stripes. The doctors however cannot find anything wrong with her so her mother still makes her go to school. Camilla’s classmates discover that whenever they yell out colors or designs she turns into whatever they have yelled out. Camilla discovers the only cure to actually eat what others make fun of her for, the lima beans, and when she does she turns back into regular old Camilla.
Response: I loved the message in this book and think it would be great for those third and fourth graders who are beginning to feel pressure from their peers. The story gives the message that is it okay to be an individual and important to do so.
Rating: really liked it
I didn't really care for this one. I think the message was conveyed in an over-the-top manner. As I've seen in the reviews, many kids got scared of the story and even the illustrations, and I can see why.
Rating: really liked it
Maybe you need to be a child or a parent to appreciate this book. Maybe I didn't appreciate it because I am neither. Then again, maybe I just didn't appreciate it, despite the love it seems to get from so many others (seriously, I was a little surprised to see all the five-star ratings), because it's not my cup of tea (or bowl of lima beans), and that's okay, too.
Moving on, this is the story of a young girl, Camilla, who loves lima beans but pretends she doesn't so the other kids don't make fun of her. She cares so much about what others think, she wakes up one day with stripes on her body. Things get worse and worse (think Dali), and finally a random old lady suggests Camilla eat lima beans, and everything snaps back to normal.
So I guess the moral is to let your freak flag fly. It's a good moral, but the telling of the story wasn't so good to me. Here's what stood out for me:
First of all, it seems like how Camilla looks is caused by what people say, like her condition is suggestible. That makes sense, since she cares so much about what others think. But how did it start? There was no mention of stripes until she woke up striped.
Secondly, some of the basic storytelling just doesn't sit right. Camilla doesn't want to ask her dad for lima beans because she's already been laughed at. If she's at home with her parents, who's going to laugh at her? And the old lady ... how did she know about the lima beans? HOW DID SHE KNOW???
I will say this, at least ... I did like the illustrations. I wonder if that's what everyone loves.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a freak flag to fly.
