![]() ![]() The stories of Frog and Toad have earned their place among the good books. But a truly good book is sufficient unto itself and has no ulterior motives. Something must be accomplished beside-whether it is an increase in the child’s vocabulary, or the teaching of a moral lesson about how to share, or how not to be a bully, or how to have self-esteem. The end is not the enjoyment of the tale. The end in most modern pieces of children’s literature is outside the book itself. Stories for children have changed from being something pleasant, like a glass of lemonade or a soft dreamy sunset, to being something utilitarian-a vehicle designed to trick the child into receiving a moral lesson. ![]() Beauty is secondary, if it is present at all. Stories must now be useful and instructive to children as well as entertaining. As our times have progressed and become “more advanced,” the value of a story as something merely pleasant has shifted. Think of Mother Goose, The Wind in the Willows, The Tale of the Pie and the Patty Pan. ![]() Once upon a time, all children’s stories were a pleasant romp, an indulgence in something lovely. These stories are pure, unashamed delight. Every child should read Arnold Lobel’s stories of Frog and Toad. ![]()
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