How to Behave and Why
- Book Review,
by Munro Leaf
Amazon.com
It's hard to be good. Especially if you don't really know what "being good" means. Munro Leaf, beloved author of The Story of Ferdinand, decided to try his hand at defining good behavior in his 1946 classic How to Behave and Why. The two biggest questions to ask ourselves in life, he says, are "Are most of the people I know glad that I am here?" and "Am I glad that I am here, myself?" If you want to make good friends and keep them, he says, "You have to be HONEST. You have to be FAIR. You have to be STRONG and You have to be WISE." This strangely charming life primer, illustrated with endearing stick figures, goes on to explain why you have to be honest--how handy it is to be trusted, for instance, when you need to borrow money. And if you lie too much, "We can't believe ourselves or anyone else, because we don't really know what the truth is any more than a penguin and that is a stupid way to live." Specific reasons for not being a "lazy lump" or a liar or a cheat are outlined matter-of-factly, as are basic lessons in how to be well and strong. Originally published for the very young (it has an early-reader format with big type and pictures), Leaf's how-to-be-good guidebook will probably be shared among adults as a back-to-basics inspirational book with the same crossover appeal as Sandol Stoddard Warburg's I Like You. A satisfying reflection of a time when what was right and wrong seemed more black and white. (All ages) --Karin Snelson
From Publishers Weekly
How to Behave and Why (1946) by Ferdinand author Munro Leaf offers etiquette lessons from a simpler time that still apply today. He offers examples of the main points (You have to be honest You have to be fair You have to be strong and you have to be wise) throughout. The b&w (and red) illustrations have a nostalgic quality but do not feel dated. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
"No matter where you are or who you are, there are four main things that you have to do if you want to make good friends and keep them.
You have to be HONEST
You have to be FAIR
You have to be STRONG
and you have to be WISE
And there is no good in trying to fool yourself. All that isn't so easy."
In a time when all the rules for raising children have been redefined dozens of times, here is a book for bewildered parents from a simpler time when we all agreed on what was right and what was wrong. First published in 1946, Munro Leaf's How To Behave And Why gives touchingly sincere yet gently funny lessons in Honesty, Fairness, Strength, and Wisdom. Originally intended for the very young, but with meaning for us all, How To Behave and Why is a true classic, charmingly illustrated with childlike drawings, and with a timeless message. It is a sure guide for teaching children (and adults) how to behave.
About the Author
Munro Leaf is best known for his classic children's book The Story of Ferdinand, first published in 1936. A bestseller that has been continuously in print since publication and has been translated into sixty languages, it is the gentle story of a peaceful bull named Ferdinand, a favorite for generations of children.
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