

Post-apocalyptic cannibalism; middle class families bordering on the dysfunctional; terrorist attacks; brutal scalping parties massacring natives across 19th century America.
It doesn’t take a school librarian to work out why these synopses are rarely preceded with “Once Upon A Time” - adult themes, quite wisely, are restricted to adult books.
Nonetheless, it's not stopped one artist from raffishly whipping up a series of book cover designs that brilliantly turn some of the most contentious and critically-heralded novels of our time into kiddie-friendly fodder.
Assembled for his Tumblr Misguided Paeans, designer Jerry Puryear utilised works from classic authors such as Cormac McCarthy, translating the nerve-tinged terror of Blood Meridian into a fun looking cowboy read, while ignoring the post-apocalyptic wastelands of The Road and focusing on the father-son 'adventure'.
Other unlikely treats include Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections, Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, and Michael Chabon’s Wonder Boys; some even boasting inset images to further hammer home the absurd accessibility of children's book art.
And they all lived happily ever after. Okay, we're lying.
(Images: Jerry Puryear)
Most newsletters are rubbish. Ours isn't.
Get exclusive shortlists, celebrity interviews and the best deals on the products you care about, straight to your inbox.

As Content Director of Shortlist, Marc likes nothing more than to compile endless lists of an evening by candlelight. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.