The Children’s Book of Virtues

The Children’s Book of Virtues, edited by William J. Bennett, is a book meant to be shared with children.  It’s meant for cuddling on the couch together, sharing a poem or a story together and discussing what it means.

Michael Hague illustrated the book with beautiful pictures and borders which will fascinate children.  It’s a good mixture of familiar rhymes and stories, along with some not-so-familiar ones, but each one teaches a moral, a virtue or a lesson.  Bennett ordered them together in sections, labeled with the virtue it teaches.

The book includes sections on courage & perseverance, responsibility & self-discipline, compassion & faith, and honesty & friendship.  You can either read through the book one poem or story at a time, or you can skip around to talk about a virtue with which your child is struggling.

But whatever you do, do not rush through this book.  Take the time to savor the poems, the stories and the illustrations with a child in your life.