Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue is a children's book written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
It tells the tale of Pierre, a boy who doesn't care about anything, even the possibility of being eaten alive.
The book was adapted into a musical short in Really Rosie, written and performed by Carole King.
This book contains examples of:
- Annoyingly Repetitive Child: Downplayed — Pierre's parents are annoyed by him saying, "I don't care!", but it's not just because of the repetitiveness — it's also because the things he doesn't care about include annoying things like being told not to pour syrup in his hair.
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Broken Aesop: Sort of. Even though he emerged unscathed from the lion's stomach, being eaten by the lion at all was enough to convince Pierre to care. But will it convince young readers? - Catchphrase: "I don't care." is Pierre's signature one.
- Don't Make Me Destroy You: The Lion, confused by Pierre's lack of fear, tries to talk Pierre into running lest the lion eat him. Pierre didn't care.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The book has five chapters and a prologue.
- Getting Eaten Is Harmless: Pierre is eaten (one assumes swallowed whole), but a doctor shakes the lion upside-down until he falls out, whereupon he appears to be none the worse for the experience.
- Odd Friendship: Doubly so. Not only does Pierre's family became friends with a lion, but the lion who swallowed Pierre whole.
- Spoiled Brat: Pierre. (Pierre didn't care.)
- Swallowed Whole: Pierre, to the Lion. Pierre didn't care, at first.
