Free Downloads The Book Of Virtues
Responsibility. Courage. Compassion. Honesty. Friendship. Persistence. Faith. Everyone recognizes these traits as essentials of good character. In order for our children to develop such traits, we have to offer them examples of good and bad, right and wrong. And the best places to find them are in great works of literature and exemplary stories from history. William J. Bennett has collected hundreds of stories in The Book of Virtues, an instructive and inspiring anthology that will help children understand and develop character -- and help adults teach them. From the Bible to American history, from Greek mythology to English poetry, from fairy tales to modern fiction, these stories are a rich mine of moral literacy, a reliable moral reference point that will help anchor our children and ourselves in our culture, our history, and our traditions -- the sources of the ideals by which we wish to live our lives. Complete with instructive introductions and notes, The Book of Virtues is a book the whole family can read and enjoy -- and learn from -- together.
Paperback: 832 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1 edition (September 5, 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0684835770
ISBN-13: 978-0684835778
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.9 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (199 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #33,799 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #65 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Reference #105 in Books > Education & Teaching > Schools & Teaching > Homeschooling #148 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Ethics & Morality
I bought the hardcover edition of Bennett's "Book of Virtues" after sorting through the many editions available. If it helps you choose, here's the deal. This 1993 reprint of the original edition is the full book, 800+ pages. It is intended for an adult audience, but in reality can be read with your children. There is a paperback version, but this book is pretty thick, and I imagine it would be difficult to read from that edition.The Children's Book of Virtues is only 112 pages and intended for children ages 4-8. The stories are chosen for their appropriateness for this audience (many reviewers mention their dislike of some of the stories in the adult version) and include many familiar childhood stories, like George Washington and the Cherry Tree and The Tortoise and the Hare.The Book of Virtues for Young People: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories is intended for an older audience of children 9-12 and is 384 pages long. It contains familiar childhood stories such as The Fox and The Crow, but also selections by beloved writers such as Walt Whitman, Tolstoy and Emily Dickinson. The Book of Virtues for Boys and Girls: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories is also intended for children ages 9-12, but it is an abbreviated version of only 208 pages.I thought I was going to buy the one for Boys and Girls, because the cover shows children playing baseball and the introduction is by Doug Flutie and would appeal to my sports-mad son. But in the end, I wanted more choice of stories, and that version just didn't have enough variety. As in all the books, the stories are grouped by theme (Honesty, Loyalty, Faith, Responsibility, etc.), and the Boys and Girls book has only five themes to choose from, half as many as this adult version.If you want just inspiring stories of real and fictional heroes, Bennett has also collected such stories in The Children's Book of Heroes, which is a brief book as well, just 112 pages and containing 18 stories. And, The Children's Treasury of Virtues combines three of Bennett's books, The Children's Book of America (American stories, poems and songs), The Children's Book of Virtues and The Children's Book of Heroes.Hope this helps!
After a long week of bike riding practice without the training wheels which culminated in a solo trip down the street, my 6 year old daughter made a proud, smiling request on the way up to bed. "Can we read 'Try try again' in the big green book?" She asked. The big green book is of course the Book of Virtues, and "Try try again" is one of the many poems and short stories that we read from it before bed each night. This book is full of life stories that kids can remember and apply as they grow. On several other occasions those stories have come into conversation as a reference point with my kids when facing life's experiences. Highly recommended.
10 years ago, when I was 18, my father gave me this book as a gift the day my parents took me to college. Although I thought it was "uncool", I also understood the meaning behind the gift. He felt that this book could act as a moral guide when my parents could no longer be with me on a daily basis to be that moral compass. And through the years, it has served as a source of inspiration, strength and comfort. As an adult, I am more partial to the poetry and historical writings rather than the stories. But as an expectant first time mother, I am looking forward to sharing the children's stories with my son when he's born, and throughout his life. I think this book should be incorporated into children's lives from an early age, along with other children's stories. This is a book children can grow with and enjoy even as adults...the writings take on new meaning as we age. I highly recommend this book, despite Bill Bennett's personal mistakes. There is too much value in this compilation of writings to deny our children the benefit to spite Mr. Bennett.
As a special education teacher, I work with students who have issues with social skills (getting along with each other, etc.) as well as below-grade-level reading skills. I plan on purchasing copies of the book and using selected stories as part of my reading program.I had to make a decision: I could have my kids read stories such as "The Lost and Found" where three kids fall inside the Lost and Found Box and explore a hidden world, learning nothing that can be applied to their personal lives. Or, I could have them read stories dealing with issues of character.I chose the latter. To test my theory, I found a version of "Stone Soup" on the Web and created a weeklong unit around the story with vocabulary, writing, and comprehension lessons. They loved it!This tells me that they will enjoy this book. Are some of the stories simplistic? Perhaps. Are they edited? Other people seem to think so. All I know is that my special-needs kids need the "Basics" and "black-and-white" moral issues are exactly what is required.
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