What is your favorite "children's" book for adult life lessons? Why?

2015-05-04T09:49:22-04:00

What "children's" book have you discovered to have some critical messages that apply to adults? I collect these sorts of books because I can use them to teach children - as well as adults from time to time, about important character traits that I would hope we as human beings would exhibit. My favorite of all is Dr. Seuss' "Hooray for Diffendoofer Day." Why? because it screams that EDUCATION and teaching people to THINK is more important that indoctrination and simply teaching people to pass tests. I love this message. What is your favorite such book and why?

Response by MSgt Michael Durkee made May 4 at 2015 9:53 AM

2015-05-04T09:53:27-04:00

My all time favorite, Green Eggs and Ham. Simply put, at least try something new before being adamantly opposed :)

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2015 9:56 AM

2015-05-04T09:56:38-04:00

I like Charlotte's Web.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made May 4 at 2015 10:09 AM

2015-05-04T10:09:46-04:00

The Prydain Chronicles based in Welsh mythology tells the story of a boy growing into a man and a /leader.
https://boredandliterate.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/the-chronicles-of-prydain

The Chronicles of Prydain

by Lloyd Alexander I loved these books as a kid. I don't always regress towards children's books, but sometimes I tire of more "adult" fare, or I just need to go back and enjoy something I'v...

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2015 10:17 AM

2015-05-04T10:17:54-04:00

The Butter Battle, by Dr Suess. Just because people do things differently doesn't mean they are wrong.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2015 10:33 AM

2015-05-04T10:33:57-04:00

"The Sneetches and Other Stories"

In particular, the story of The Sneetches has stuck with me since I first watched the television adaptation as a very young child. I don't know if I was really sure what I was watching or understood the lesson, but It comes to mind now and again. It's a great way to show and reinforce in children that discrimination is an evil that victemizes not only others, but ultimately hurts yourself as well. It teaches one to watch out for con-men who can exploit you, but also not to let superficial differences get in the way of friendship and harmony.

Dr. Seuss is all OVER this forum, and for good reason.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sneetches_and_Other_Stories

The Sneetches and Other Stories - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Sneetches and Other Stories is a collection of stories by American author Dr. Seuss, published in 1961. It is composed of four separate stories, "The Sneetches", "The Zax", "Too Many Daves", and "What Was I Scared Of?". Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children."[1] It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library...

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2015 11:41 AM

2015-05-04T11:41:41-04:00

These are my favorite..
.Go The Fuck to Sleep - because sometimes you just need to rest to tackle life, even if you don't want to.
Number The Stars - a great story about sacrificing for others.
Oh The Places You'll Go - encouragement to follow your dreams and reach goals & to expect failure along the way, but it's ok because it makes you better.
Oh The Think You Can Think- because you can imagine and bring to fruition anything you set your mind to.
Dig by differs - being a little bit different is good.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 4 at 2015 11:48 AM

2015-05-04T11:48:34-04:00

I would have to say it was Robin Hood. This book taught me that no matter how much you may have others have less and deserve the help, any help, you can give them. Look out for the little guy.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made May 4 at 2015 7:10 PM

2015-05-04T19:10:50-04:00

I like the Three Little Pigs. It taught me to adapt and overcome obstacles.

The Story of the Three Little Pigs

England

Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhyme
And monkeys chewed tobacco,
And hens took snuff to make them tough,
And ducks went quack, quack, quack, O!

There was an old sow with three little pigs, and as she had not enough to keep them, she sent them out to seek their fortune. The first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to him, "Please, man, give me that straw to build me a house." Which the man did, and the little pig built a house with it.

Presently came along a wolf, and knocked at the door, and said, "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

To which the pig answered, "No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

The wolf then answered to that, "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in." So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig.

The second little pig met a man with a bundle of furze [sticks], and said, "Please, man, give me that furze to build a house." Which the man did, and the pig built his house.

Then along came the wolf, and said, "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

"No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

"Then I'll puff, and I'll huff, and I'll blow your house in." So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and at last he blew the house down, and he ate up the little pig.

The third little pig met a man with a load of bricks, and said, "Please, man, give me those bricks to build a house with." So the man gave him the bricks, and he built his house with them.

So the wolf came, as he did to the other little pigs, and said, "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

"No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."

Well, he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed and he puffed, and he puffed and huffed; but he could not get the house down. When he found that he could not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow the house down, he said, "Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of turnips."

"Where?" said the little pig.

"Oh, in Mr. Smith's home field, and if you will be ready tomorrow morning I will call for you, and we will go together and get some for dinner."

"Very well," said the little pig, "I will be ready. What time do you mean to go?"

"Oh, at six o'clock."

Well, the little pig got up at five, and got the turnips before the wolf came (which he did about six) and who said, "Little pig, are you ready?"

The little pig said, "Ready! I have been and come back again, and got a nice potful for dinner."

The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that he would be up to the little pig somehow or other, so he said, "Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple tree."

"Where?" said the pig.

"Down at Merry Garden," replied the wolf, "and if you will not deceive me I will come for you, at five o'clock tomorrow and get some apples."

Well, the little pig bustled up the next morning at four o'clock, and went off for the apples, hoping to get back before the wolf came; but he had further to go, and had to climb the tree, so that just as he was coming down from it, he saw the wolf coming, which, as you may suppose, frightened him very much.

When the wolf came up he said, "Little pig, what! Are you here before me? Are they nice apples?"

"Yes, very," said the little pig. "I will throw you down one." And he threw it so far, that, while the wolf was gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and ran home.

The next day the wolf came again, and said to the little pig, "Little pig, there is a fair at Shanklin this afternoon. Will you go?"

"Oh yes," said the pig, "I will go. What time shall you be ready?"

"At three," said the wolf. So the little pig went off before the time as usual, and got to the fair, and bought a butter churn, which he was going home with, when he saw the wolf coming. Then he could not tell what to do. So he got into the churn to hide, and by so doing turned it around, and it rolled down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened the wolf so much, that he ran home without going to the fair. He went to the pig's house, and told him how frightened he had been by a great round thing which came down the hill past him.

Then the little pig said, "Ha, I frightened you, then. I had been to the fair and bought a butter churn, and when I saw you, I got into it, and rolled down the hill."

Then the wolf was very angry indeed, and declared he would eat up the little pig, and that he would get down the chimney after him. When the little pig saw what he was about, he hung on the pot full of water, and made up a blazing fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, took off the cover, and in fell the wolf; so the little pig put on the cover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate him for supper, and lived happily ever afterwards.

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0124.html#halliwell

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2015 7:28 PM

2015-05-04T19:28:24-04:00

I always encourage my children to read non-fiction. However, that matters less to me than the fact that they are reading something.

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made May 4 at 2015 7:56 PM

2015-05-04T19:56:27-04:00

"The Giving Tree", from Shel Silverstein, explains the gift of giving.
(btw: Before his children's books and song writing, Shel drew cartoons for Pacific
"Stars and Stripes."

Response by CH (CPT) Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2015 10:18 PM

2015-05-04T22:18:57-04:00

Anything in the Redwall series would get my vote, but perhaps the best was Outcast of Redwall for really looking into themes of redemption, what it costs to care, and how (and by what) we are defined.