#256 of 1001 · April 13, 2021

Here’s an oddball classic that revels in playful wickedness: Shrek! by William Steig. The title character, born to monstrous parents in a dank hole in the ground, sets out to make his way in the world, crossing paths with a clairvoyant witch, a menacing forest dragon, sentient lightning and thunder, a listless donkey, a pugnacious knight, and a hideous princess. Steig relates his story with an impish amorality. Each encounter drives home the central theme—Shrek is horrible and he loves it. All throughout, the language embraces a maximalist aesthetic, with ostentatiously elaborate vocabulary and wordplay. #shrek #witch #dragon #donkey #knight #princess #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks