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4.37 AVERAGE
4.37 AVERAGE
My son received this book as a gift when he was baptized (at six months old). I read the book to him as he grew and now that he's nearly 4, he really does grasp the concept of this book and sits silently as we read the answers to these questions.
Take time to sit back and really focus on what and who is important in your life. Make sure to share this book with those people.
"...there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side."
Take time to sit back and really focus on what and who is important in your life. Make sure to share this book with those people.
"...there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side."
A wonderful and thought provoking picture book of a Tolstoy story.
"What is the best time to do things?" "Who is the most important one?" 'What is the right thing to do?" Thought provoking and great for the first day of school to remind kids to live in the present, pay attention to others and do the right thing.
challenging
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
The book is based on a story by Leo Tolstoy and, not surprisingly, it therefore has some depth. However, the author unnecessarily altered the story, presumably to make it more accessible to children. This shows a lack of appreciation for a child's ability to appreciate more serious and somewhat darker themes, and replacing an enemy who wishes to harm with a panda in need of help also completely circumvents the message of the virtue of loving one's enemies. As for my daughter's reaction to the story, she was certain she knew the answers to two of the three questions from the very beginning. "I know, I know already! The most important thing is God and the most important thing to do is to love each other." Good answers, and better ones, I think, than the book itself gave (although the latter was similar to the help the one your with answer).
I was thrilled to see a children's book based on the work of a great writer, but I was disappointed that it did not do as much as it could have.
Great illustrations.
I was thrilled to see a children's book based on the work of a great writer, but I was disappointed that it did not do as much as it could have.
Great illustrations.
A boy looks for the answers to 3 questions- When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?
The questions are based on a story written by Tolstoy. You would think that a complicated philosophy question that many adults struggle with would not translate to a younger audience. But Muth's story and illustrations are simple and beautiful.
The questions are based on a story written by Tolstoy. You would think that a complicated philosophy question that many adults struggle with would not translate to a younger audience. But Muth's story and illustrations are simple and beautiful.
This book was featured in a think-aloud strategy session for inferencing in the book Mosaic of Thought, in English, of course. I had my Spanish IV students read it as part of a carousel reading day in part because of it's message and in part because it models the superlative construction, a structure we were studying at that time.
This beautifully illustrated book is a rendition for children of Tolstoy's 'The Three Questions'. I came across it in the shop where I work and knew immediately that I could have some excellent schoolwork with the grandchildren using this book. Then, even better, I looked online and found that somebody else had developed a unit of work for school children, and I was delighted to be able to use it for our study.
We did this study over several weeks, and we also did art and craft activities about the three animal friends - a heron, a monkey, and a dog (Borzoi), so this unit was multi-faceted. The children got a lot out of the story and lessons. An excellent book.
We did this study over several weeks, and we also did art and craft activities about the three animal friends - a heron, a monkey, and a dog (Borzoi), so this unit was multi-faceted. The children got a lot out of the story and lessons. An excellent book.
Muth's watercolor illustrations are beautiful, but not all of them advance the story equally well.
The story is supposed to be an adaptation or retelling of Tolstoy's Three Questions. Tolstoy asked:
"How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time?
Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I, therefore, pay more attention than to the rest?
And, what affairs are the most important, and need my first attention?"
Muth asks:
"When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the right thing to do?"
Even though Tolstoy's story was extremely short, Muth's is even shorter. Tolstoy's main characters are a King and a hermit, while Muth uses a young boy and an old turtle. Inadequate answers are provided by advisors in Tolstoy's version, and by a heron, a monkey, and a dog in Muth's. Finally, the injured party, saved by the main characters, is portrayed by a vengeful enemy in Tolstoy, and an innocent parent panda in Muth.
Honestly, it seems a little condescending to guess that children can't handle the adult parable. On the other hand, it's a lot easier to picture, and young readers won't waste time trying to imagine a scene that is really just confusing to the moral message.
The story is supposed to be an adaptation or retelling of Tolstoy's Three Questions. Tolstoy asked:
"How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time?
Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I, therefore, pay more attention than to the rest?
And, what affairs are the most important, and need my first attention?"
Muth asks:
"When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the right thing to do?"
Even though Tolstoy's story was extremely short, Muth's is even shorter. Tolstoy's main characters are a King and a hermit, while Muth uses a young boy and an old turtle. Inadequate answers are provided by advisors in Tolstoy's version, and by a heron, a monkey, and a dog in Muth's. Finally, the injured party, saved by the main characters, is portrayed by a vengeful enemy in Tolstoy, and an innocent parent panda in Muth.
Honestly, it seems a little condescending to guess that children can't handle the adult parable. On the other hand, it's a lot easier to picture, and young readers won't waste time trying to imagine a scene that is really just confusing to the moral message.
If only all philosopy was this simple and soothing! A young boy seeks the answers to three questions: When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?
"Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy, are the answers to what is most important in this world. This is why we are here."
You wouldn't think a picture-book adaptation of a short story by Leo Tolstoy could work this well, but Jon J. Muth pulls it off, with his usual spare and glowing watercolors. Interestingly, we have this shelved in J Fiction.
"Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy, are the answers to what is most important in this world. This is why we are here."
You wouldn't think a picture-book adaptation of a short story by Leo Tolstoy could work this well, but Jon J. Muth pulls it off, with his usual spare and glowing watercolors. Interestingly, we have this shelved in J Fiction.