This book won the Caldecott Medal for the best illustrated children's book of 1981. The book contains twenty one-page fables, facing a one page illustration of the key moment in each fable. The illustrations bring the morals of these tales to life in ways that will keep your children laughing. That will make the lessons more memorable, as well as more entertaining. The fables are uneven in the relevance and importance of their messages. I graded the book down one star for the several fables that are more irreverent than relevant. You can obtain more benefit for your child if you selectively read the fables to emphasize the more important ones.
For an example of a weaker one consider The Pelican and the Crane. This is a story about a crane who invites a pelican to tea. The pelican is horribly uncouth and messy. The pelican complains that "no one ever calls me." The moral is stated as "when one is a social failure, the reasons are as clear as day." The narrower moral is about being inconsiderate, but that is never quite spelled out. So even the weaker fables can be tightened up with a little parental explanation.
I thought that the following stories were comparable in quality to Aesop's Fables:
The Crocodile in the Bedroom ("Without a doubt, there is such a thing as too much order."; The Ducks and the Fox ("At times, a change of routine can be most healthful."); King Lion and the Beetle ("It is the high and mighty who have the longest distance to fall."); The Lobster and the Crab ("Even the taking of small risks will add excitement to life."); The Hen and the Apple Tree ("It is always difficult to pose as something one is not."); The Baboon's Umbrella ("Advice from friends is like the weather. Some of it is good; some of it is bad."); The Frogs at the Rainbow's End ("The biggest hopes may lead to the greatest disappointments."); The Camel Dancer ("Satisfaction will come to those who please themselves."); Madame Rhinoceros and Her Dress ("Nothing is harder to resist than a bit of flattery."); The Pig at the Candy Store ("A locked door is very likely to discourage temptation."); and The Mouse at the Seashore ("All the miles of hard road are worth a moment of true happiness.").
In most cases, other lessons can be drawn from the same fables. I suggest that you and your child discuss what else you noticed in the stories. You can then add experiences that each of you have had during the day, and discuss the meaning of each.
Remember that only those who wish to experience the most misery and injury themselves prefer to learn only from their own mistakes.
Remember to look on the funny side of life's hard lessons!
