Value Tales Children's Book Series

I stumbled upon these 1980's value tale books a few months ago when my young daughter wanted a book on Helen Keller. This series which covers over 40 values, as told through the lives of historical figures, was published in the 80's. The target audience looks to be early elementary as either a read aloud or independently by good readers.

They are fairly long with over 50 pages and large illustrations that take up much of the page, perfect for a young child with limited attention, or one who is still developing the confidence to read. The short paragraphs on each page aren't as overwhelming when broken down on single pages with large illustrations.

The biographies are detailed and the value repeated often, but in a mild effective way and not condescendingly so. Positive and uplifting for young children and highly recommended for an introduction to historical figues and positive values.

We've read The Value of Honesty(Confucius) and The Value of Determination(Helen Keller). The other books in the series are listed on the last page of every book. My daughter just asked for another, The Value of Kindness(Elizabeth Fry). I think we'll end up with them all.

I found mine on Amazon for a penny plus $3.99 shipping. Good deal. Ebay may have them even more cheaply in a lot.

Complete list of tales.

Living History Revolutionary War Period(1776) Library Book Find(Grades 6-8)

Found at our public library today for my son(age 14): Going to School in 1776 by John J. Loeper, published in 1973. I've skimmed through it and liked what I saw. The writing is clear and crisp, packed full of historical information written in interesting small bites, shorts sections peppered with old wood cut prints from childrens' books of the time. Highly readable, light, and not dumbed down, this is a super living book for history studies, especially to wet the interest in history of that time period. Although the children's names have been changed in the book, all the the events are real, based on historical record. It covers everyday life of several children against the backdrop of the political and military drama of the Revolutionary War. This slice of life coverage helps add a face and heart to historical facts, a stepping stone to in-depth study, or adjunct to current studies.

Sections covered: The Word of 1776(historical background), Being a Child in 1776, How Children Dress in 1776, The Schools of 1776, The Teachers of 1776, The School Books of 1776, The Lessons of 1776, The Discipline of 1776, Being a Girl in 1776, and Having Fun in 1776.

Loeper also wrote Going to School in 1876, and about a dozen other living history books for children.

This Week's Picture Book Library Picks

Two quality young children's picture book finds this week from our public library:

A bit like Aesop's Fables, The Lion and the Mouse, the Snail and the Whale book by Julia Donaldson is a cute story written in clever rhyming prose about an adventurous snail who meets a friendly whale willing to take him beyond his small world on a rock. After a trip around the world, the little snail finds a way to rescue the whale when they find themselves beached.


The Pea Blossom
A story about a pea, set in Beijing, China, who put his trust in faith. His purpose is revealed in the end upon the healing of a little girl with a chronic illness who miraculously heals after he blooms in front of her sick bed window. Although, not expressively mentioned, this book could easily be interpreted from a Christian standpoint of having faith, and letting God guide us to our life's purpose.

Review from Amazon:

K-Gr. 2. In this lovely retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Pea Blossom," five little peas wait impatiently in the sun to ripen. The first four peas have grand aspirations--one wishes to dine with the emperor; another plans to visit the moon--but the fifth and last little pea declares, "I shall go wherever it is that I am meant to." The fifth pea's destiny is to land on the windowsill of a gravely ill young girl, where it sprouts into a beautiful, blooming plant that brings about miraculous healing: "As the peas grew fat in their pods, so did the girl thrive and become healthy again." Choosing to set her version in Beijing, China, Poole illustrates her simple, elegant prose with watercolors on rice paper that are clearly reminiscent of Chinese paintings. The delicate, graceful scenes are imbued with just the right touch of whimsy; children will particularly enjoy the expressive faces of the anthropomorphic peas. A poignant read-aloud that will enhance any folktale collection. Jennifer Locke

Free original story by Hans Christan Anderson here. To print and/or save, simply right click on the images of the pages.

Library Finds: Picture Books

Two favorites this week for young children:

Water Hole Waiting

Ages 4-8. The Kurtzes, brother and sister, describe a dawn-to-dusk day at a water hole on an African savannah, citing the activities of the many animals that inhabit the ecosystem. At dawn, as a troop of vervet monkeys forages for food, a youngster attempting to take a drink is stopped by Mama, who notices a herd of hippopotami arriving for a swim. At midday the young monkey tries again, only to be deterred by zebras and a lumbering crocodile. Later, a lion and a giraffe come for drinks, and a family of elephants rumbles down for a splash. Only after dark, when the larger animals have gone, does Mama deem it safe for her baby to quench his thirst. Vivid artwork complements the elegant text, often extending it with additional details: the close-up views of thundering zebra hooves and snapping crocodile jaws are particularly impressive. The story will work well on several levels: young listeners will understand the frustration in having to wait for a cool drink; older children will appreciate the diversity of savannah wildlife.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Box Turtle at Long Pond

PreSchool-Grade 2-- A day in the life of a box turtle is rendered carefully in words and lifelike illustrations with a text that respects its subject, avoids any anthropomorphism, and is simple enough for very young listeners. It records the turtle's actions as, slowly but with perseverance, he drinks, searches for food, evades danger, and sleeps. The outstanding gouache paintings in borderless, horizontal two-page spreads are so realistic that one almost reaches out to feel the turtle's textured shell. Although at times the turtle seems to be camouflaged, blending into his surroundings, he stands out clearly once located. The animals he encounters are equally well illustrated--readers will almost hold their breath so as not to frighten the raccoon and chipmunk. The book's design is excellent; even the well-chosen type, superimposed on the illustrations so that there is no visual break from the scenes, is clear and easily read. This is superior nature study for young readers and listeners.
--Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Jean Plaidy Queens of England Series

  Jean Plaidy's Queens of England series has recently been republished and repackaged. I grabbed the first one I saw on the public library shelf as my daughter whizzed by me to climbed up to the water fountain where she usually drenches herself. I'll be reserving the remaining books online. The first one in the series is Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of my favorite queens.

Some have been republished with different titles, and you can read all fourteen of them in order. I am beginning with Loyal in Love: Henrietta Maria, Wife of Charles I (A Queens of England Novel)


Jean Plaidy is known for her meticulous research, and her writing style is very engaging(like a good drama) and never dry. Plaidy's series are great for high school students looking to have history come alive with these accurate historical fictions.

Jean Plaidy Republished Novels

Jean Plaidy Historical Novels

I decided to begin reading fiction again, so picked up one of many Jean Plaidy historical fictions at the library. I'm beginning with Plaidy's Murder Most Royal: The Story of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. "This novel focuses on the two of Henry VIII's Howard wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. It begins with Anne as a young woman leaving for Brussels and her homecoming to England and her subsequent rise to power in the English court. It also parallels the life of Catherine Howard, first cousin of Anne Boleyn who goes on to become Henry's fifth wife. The story of the rise and fall of each of these women are told in this story". This is out of order for the Tudor Saga, but my little one is not one to stay still in the library while I figure out which one to read first. Next time I'll request them online for pick-up.

Plaidy was known for her well researched historical fictions. From a Jean Plaidy site, a newspaper review wrote, "Jean Plaidy, by the skillful blending of superb storytelling and meticulous attention to authenticity of detail and depth of characterization, has become one of the country's most widely read novelists."

Great reading, but I am so tired today! You have trouble putting her books down.

An insightful review at Amazon.com for Murder Most Royal:

"I have read many Plaidy novels, but this delves deeper than the others and represents, in my opinion, absolutely the best of Plaidy, and probably the best on the period. What I don't like about modern historicals is the way they play with history. Plaidy sticks to the facts as they are known and provides insights and details that make the story come alive. The characters are real people, and the facts can't be disputed. In this book, she gives a fairly graphic portrayal of the torture used to extract the false confessions of Henry VIII's hapless victims, and after reading it, I found Plaidy gave me a new understanding of what this era in history, and this dynasty in particular, stood for, and it is even more horrific than I ever imagined.

Plaidy's Henry VIII goes about his grotesque and bloody deeds with a good conscience, patting himself on the back for being such a fine and righteous fellow, which makes him even more appalling to our civilized mind. It is a look into the black mind of a serial killer, and a gripping read. Once you pick up the book, you can't put it down again until you're done. Despite the graphic parts, I recommend this novel even for teens, because they won't get a twisted view of history, and besides, Catherine was only a child when this ogre chose her for his queen, so this book would appeal to them.

I think everyone who reads it will probably pause and give thanks for being born at a time in history when a monster like this can't roam the highest echelons of power stuffing his bloody mouth with the flesh of saints and sinners alike. That is the beauty of a great historical novel. It makes us understand the past, and appreciate our present even more."


The Tudor Saga

1. Uneasy Lies the Head (1982)
2. Katharine, the Virgin Widow (1961)
3. The Shadow of the Pomegranate (1962)
4. The King's Secret Matter (1962)
5. Murder Most Royal (1949) (aka King's Pleasure)
6. Saint Thomas' Eve (1954)
7. The Sixth Wife (1953)
8. The Thistle and the Rose (1963)
9. Mary, Queen of France (1964)
10. The Spanish Bridegroom (1954)
11. G*a*y Lord Robert (1955) (first by Eleanor Burford, republished as Lord Robert in 2007)

See here for a complete list of all her historical series.

Plaidy's books could be good reading for older students(seniors and college) wanting to enhance their understanding of history.

Little Golden Books by Eloise Wilkins

Some of my favorite vintage Little Golden Books were illustrated by Eloise Wilkins. I found this book, Baby Dear(1962) at a thrift today for .50 cents. It's a beautifully illustrated story of a little girl, her doll and a new baby. I was wondering if this book is currently in reprint and found a pack of Wilkins' most beloved books at Amazon which included Baby Dear.

Born and educated in Rochester, New York in 1904, Wilkins' drawings of people always remind me of German Hummels with their cherubic faces and soft muted colors. These old fashioned classics are a treasure!

More about Eloise Wilkins, the artist
and her published works here.

Children's Living History Book Review: Queen Victoria, English Empress

We just finished reading Queen Victoria; English Empress by Sally Glendinning, 1970. My son is ten and easily read this to me, a few chapters a day. As are many books written for this age range of about 10 - 12, the book is written in dialogue between the characters, grasping interest right away. I've read many biographies about Queen Victoria's, and this book hit all the important high points, and low points. There were illustrations and photographs of Victoria and the royal family throughout. A well written book which is recommended for learning about this popular long reigning queen whose throne is linked to many of European monarchies by the marriages of her nine children. We found this book at our public library.

An excerpt:

Such lovely phrases! Queen Victoria cherished every pronouncement from Disraeli. He never argued with her, as others had done in the past. He charmed her, entertained her, and frequently through persuasion brought her around to his point of view.

Disraeli's goal was to enrich the power and prestige of the British Empire. Yet he managed each accomplishment as if it were intended solely for the glory of Queen Victoria.

In 1875 he arranged the financing for the purchase of controlling shares in the Suez Chanel, the great man-made waterway linking Europe and the Orient. It would be impossible to estimate the value of such an investment for the British Isles, always dependent on the commerce of the seas.

I also found two recommended books on Queen Victoria over at Mater Amabilis, Catholic Charlote Mason:

Queen Victoria (Noel Streatfeild) [World Landmark series] – excellent, but out of print
Victoria, May Blossom of Britannia, England 1829 (Anna Kirwan) [Royal Diaries series]

Interestingly enough, it was the American Quakers(my relatives) who gave significant help to the Irish during the famine. As well as Irish, I also have Philadelphia Quaker blood from my father's side. See the Irish Famine Memorial in County Clare. There is still a Quaker meeting house there. Makes me wonder if there is a connection there since both my Catholic and Quaker relatives are from Philadelphia. Even more ironic, my Catholic side of the family is originally from County Clare!


Older children's books have a traditional story based approach without modern analytical analysis. See more here.

Living History Children's Book Review: Where Valor Lies by Adele and Cateau De Leeuw

Where Valor Lies by Adele and Cateau De Leeuw, 1959 is living history at it's best! I picked this book up some time ago at a library sale. It was an older book club edition, but I've since learned that Lepanto Press has republished this book.

I've been reading this book aloud to ds at bedtime. I thought it might be a dry historical book beyond his interest level, therefore making it a good fall-asleep book(giggle). It wasn't, and isn't. This book is very well written and peaks your interest in the first few paragraphs as we witness the dialogue of a young man who has a thankless and low paying job as an apprentice carpenter to a cruel taskmaster. Work is hard to come by, and many are starving in 13th century Paris.

Elizabeth Yank reviews the book at the Love2Learn Blog:

"Where Valor Lies includes a colorful cast of characters including Aimar, a father like figure who watches over him, Pierre a dear and close friend, Friar Bernard, whose example of unfailing help to those in need inspires those around him, and the rascal Vincent, an enigma whose generosity ultimately triumphs over his greed.

Where Valor Lies opens with a whirlwind of activity and does not stop until the last page, keeping the reader’s attention riveted throughout. It is a story of personal growth as much as it is an adventure story of an impetuous young man on a quest for great fortune and glory during the Seventh Crusade[Saint Louis the IX]. What is a man’s true valor? In the end, Richard finds out it is not great victories in battles, but the moral victory over oneself."

See the complete review here.

It was a very good book, but I think the ending was a little emotionally flat. Especially considering how exciting it was throughout. Maybe I was depressed by their losses, and wanted to be lifted up with more coverage or discussion regarding their moral victory.

I plan to look for more books by Adele De Leeuw at our public library. What a wonderful way to make history come alive. I'm guessing that the reading level would be appropriate for at least fifth grade, but I enjoyed it as well.