Product Description

Illustrated in color. Three modern fables in humorous pictures and verse: "Yertle the Turtle," "Gertrude McFuzz," and "The Big Brag."

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9959 in Books
• Brand: Random House
• Published on: 1958-04-12
• Released on: 1958-04-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .47" h x 8.28" w x 11.30" l, 1.02 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 96 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780394800875
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Amazon.com Review
Yet more wisdom cast down from high atop Mt. Seuss, this cheerful trio of tales teaches some valuable lessons in humility--thanks to a sharp-eyed worm, a bragging bear and rabbit, a fuzzy-tailed bird, and a couple hundred turtles led by their foolish King Yertle.

Yertle's story leads off with his attempt to build a bigger kingdom on the backs of his loyal subjects (literally). King of everything he can see, Yertle orders his turtles to stack up under him to build a towering throne. ("He made each turtle stand on another one's back and he piled them all up in a nine-turtle stack.") But a plain little turtle named Mack--stuck at the bottom--decides he's had enough. ("I know up on top you are seeing great sights, but down on the bottom we, too, should have rights!")

Following Yertle's downfall, a whiny girl-bird named Gertrude McFuzz wishes she had two feathers, just like Miss Lolla-Lee-Lou: "One droopy-droop feather. That's all that she had. And, oh! That one feather made Gertrude so sad." But even when Gertrude gets her wish--and then some--she finds that vanity has its price. Meanwhile, in "The Big Brag," a proud rabbit and an even-prouder bear duke it out in a battle of the senses, arguing over who's the best of the beasts, only to get their clever comeuppance from a wild-eyed little worm. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

From the Inside Flap
Illustrated in color. Three modern fables in humorous pictures and verse: "Yertle the Turtle," "Gertrude McFuzz," and "The Big Brag."

About the Author
Dr. Seuss was born Theodor Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 2, 1904. After attending Dartmouth College and Oxford University, he began a career in advertising. His advertising cartoons, featuring Quick, Henry, the Flit!, appeared in several leading American magazines. Dr. Seuss's first children's book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, hit the market in 1937, and the world of children's literature was changed forever! In 1957, Seuss's The Cat in the Hat became the prototype for one of Random House's best- selling series, Beginner Books. This popular series combined engaging stories with outrageous illustrations and playful sounds to teach basic reading skills. Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped kids learn to read.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and three Academy Awards, Seuss was the author and illustrator of 44 children's books, some of which have been made into audiocassettes, animated television specials, and videos for children of all ages. Even after his death in 1991, Dr. Seuss continues to be the best-selling author of children's books in the world.

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Customer Reviews

Pride Goeth Before the Fall
Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in avariety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute.

To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a young child. Yertle the Turtle was one of her picks.

This book has three stories in it, each with the same theme: Making Yourself More Self-Important Is the Wrong Direction!

Those who are familiar with Dr. Seuss's works during World War II as a political cartoonist will recognize the Yertle the Turtle theme as part of his satire of fascist dictators....

Your child will meet a lot of bossy people in her or his life, and this book can help prepare the way for understanding that one must assert one's rights or be trampled on. The child who is a natural leader can also learn the lesson of not abusing others. This story is a fundamental one for a democracy and should be read by every child. You will want to discuss applications of the lesson, as well, with your child.

The drawings are very funny and will keep your child laughing throughout.

Gertrude McFuss is about the dangers of envy. She was a girl-bird with the smallest plain tail ever. She had just one droopy-drop feather. Her friend, Lolla-Lee-Lou, had two feathers . . . both of which were larger. Gertrude decided she must has two also....

Your child will undoubtedly develop some envy of another child at this age. This story can help you point out the dangers of envy, and the very real drawbacks of getting what you want in many cases. So if your child decides this story is funny (and he or she will), you can then switch over to examples relating to clothing, toys and so forth in the child's own life.

The Big Brag is about a rabbit who competes with a bear to see which animal is the best....

This story is obviously focused on the importance of letting your deeds speak for you. Children like to get into squabbles like this about their potential and ability, and your reading of this story can help avoid that.

These timeless lessons should be irresistible for your child!

Dr. Seuss understands leadership
Yertle the turtle is a great book on leadership. It teaches you how NOT to be a leader. Yertle ordered the other turtles to pile up in order that he could be on top and be "king of all that I see." In the end the turtles collapsed and Yertle was back on earth with the rest of the turtles.

We see so many leaders that are like Yertle. Climbing all over others to get to the top. They often take the big fall much as Yertle did.

True leaders will develop those who work for them. The other "turtles" will elevate the leader to the top creating a sound foundation to allow the leader to stay at the top.

Don't be like Yertle.

Loved from day one
This was the book that helped me learn how to read before entering school. My mother can attest to the fact that it was my favorite throughout my childhood. Now, as an adult in graduate school, I still reflect upon the lessons taught by good ol' Dr. Suess. Thank you.