The Stupids

The Stupids Step Out  
Author(s) Harry Allard
Illustrator James Marshall
Country United States
Language English
Genre(s) Children's novel
Publisher Houghton Mifflin
Publication date April 17, 1974
Media type Print (Hardcover)
Pages 32 pp
ISBN 0395185130
OCLC Number 000763716
Followed by The Stupids Have a Ball

The Stupids are a fictional family which appear in a series of books written by Harry Allard and James Marshall. The Stupids draw their humor from the fact that they are incompetent to the point of confusing the most simple concepts and tasks.

Controversy

The Stupids series of books rank number 26 on the American Library Association's list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000. [1] Challengers of the books claim that they describe families in a derogatory manner and may encourage children to be disobedient. They also claim that they promote low self-esteem and negative behavior.

Books in the series

Film version

In 1996, a film version was released starring Tom Arnold, directed by John Landis; It was a box office disappointment. The film details the family's pursuit of their trash, which they believe to be stolen, and the "conspiracy" they uncover in the process.