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Originally Posted by hulk
That said... It's rather baffling as to why it's included. Of all the places, the author chose a scrotum. Very likely aware of the reaction that would appear.
No matter how absurd, the loons will appear, it's inevitable. A few days or weeks and it'll be forgotten. At least, until the next book comes up, and mentions labia or something.
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It's probably there to introduce young boys to the word scrotum.
Let them know they have one, that it's ok, normal, painful to be bit in one, just generally get them thinking and talking about the grown-up notion of sex organs. Pass them from the frank & beans phase...in so far that's possible for young boys
Judy Bloom used similar techniques to bring her young female audience into the knowledge of their bodies and periods and stuff of that nature. I'd say that's one of the roles of children's literature, especially since the 70's. I wouldn't denigrate that function to a publicity stunt, personally.