Customer Reviews
It is great for kids! - By: , 07 Jun 1999 
My name is David. I am eight years old. I am reading The Children's Book of Virtues, edited by William J. Bennett. My favorite story so far is "The Honest Woodman." It is about a poor woodcutter who looses his old axe in a river. A water fairy brought up a silver axe & a gold axe. The woodcutter said that they were not his. When she brought up his steel axe, he said it was his. The water fairy gave him alll the axes for telling the truth. Telling the truth is very important.
Much to recommend, but also disappoint - By: , 07 Jan 1998 
If you are looking for a book that will instill "values" in your child while s/he reads, this is just the ticket--my only hesitation is that some of the values being instilled are somewhat out-of-date, so read the book carefully. Edited by William J. Bennett (yes, that William J. Bennett--I know, I was surprised too!), the book is divided into sections, e.g., "Courage/Perseverance," "Responsibility/Work/Self-Discipline," & so on. Each section contains several tales that illustrate its titular virtues. Now the problem is this: under the section "Responsibility...," he uses the poem "There Was a Little Girl"-you know, the one with the curl. The little girl raises a huge ruckus in her bedroom which her mother assumes is being made by her brothers "A-playing at combat in the attic"; but discovering that the miscreant was her daughter, "she did scold her most emphatic." Bennett writes a brief note at the beginning of each entry, & the entry he wrote for this one is: "In this poem, we see what happens to us sometimes when we do not behave!" Come on, for Pete's sake! The real lesson in this poem is that little girls must remain quiet, acquiescent & obedient while little boys can tear up the attic alll they want, because that's what little boys do! Sorry Bill, but I don't buy it, & I don't think many parents will either. But there is much in this book to recommend it, particularly the 19th century retro illustrations which Michael Hague has contributed. And it reallly is an excellent compendium of favorite anecdotes, poems & tales, sort of a Norton's Anthology for the nursery set. Just keep a watchful eye on the content of a few of the selections.
Good earth produces good crops! - By: , 14 Jan 1997 The seeds of moral character are sowed into the soul of the listener. The reader & the listener are both captured into the realm of the tales that they design to fascinate & ultimately teach about the human spirit. They give children a foundation on which to base their attitudes. They give the adults a platform, on which, to reevaluate & reconsider the examples they may be setting to their young. The book is fascinating & intriguing, from the fantasy of giants to the
wit of wisdom, or should it be the wisdom of wit?
A wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated book! - By: , 14 Jan 1997 William Bennett has written the perfect compliment to his Book of
Virtues. The Children's Book of Virtues is an EXCELLENT compilation
of classic stories & poems that parents can read to their children.
This book is also excellent for beginning readers! I recommend this
book for every family's bookshelf!
