The Story of Ferdinand (1936)

by Munro Leaf

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20
The Right To Be Lazy by Paul Lafargue (lquilter)
lquilter: If you like "The Right To Be Lazy", perhaps you would enjoy reading to your children (and for yourself), "The Story of Ferdinand", by Munro Leaf -- a children's picture book about a bull who doesn't want to fight, but just wants to sit under a tree and enjoy nature. If you liked reading Ferdinand to your kids, maybe you'd also like spending some time with the classic pro-relaxation theoretical work of Lafargue, who argues that relaxation and creativity, not work, are the true engines of human development. Down with the corporate-capitalist-entertainment complex! Up with the enjoyment of life, bread, and roses!… (more)

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▾Member reviews

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Showing 1-5 of 56 (next | show all)

Ferdinand the bull is not much of a bull, as he prefers to sit and sniff flowers all day. When he accidentally sits on a bee, he is mistaken for a tough bull who would great in the bullfights. But when he arrives, the matador and all of the others involved are deeply disappointed to see that he cannot be angered.

This book is a classic that can be used for the skill "making a prediction", as well as teaching students the steps in a story- beginning, middle, climax, resolution. (

)

beckytillett | May 16, 2013 |

The official Jumpstart 2007 Read-for-the-Record Campaign book. I read it to a group of 5 preschoolers and they wanted to know, among several other things, why Ferdinand is boring and does nothing. And why he looks scary. And why the bee wants to sting him in the bum... (

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katemo | May 16, 2013 |

Sweet Ferdinand is a peaceful bull who would much rather smell the flowers, instead of the traditional bullstuff (giggle).
What a great story about breaking through stereotypes, especially in light of the time period it was written! This is a book about being independent, a free thinker, and standing up for yourself as Ferdinand, the peaceful bull, makes the choice to follow his heart... (

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YvetteKolstad | May 11, 2013 |

This was a really great story to show that it is OK to do and be who you want to be and that you don't always have to follow the crowd. Discussing Ferdinand's character and his motivations for doing things would be a great intro into a classroom discussion on being different. The plot of the story is a good one, the characters are very likable, and I think this book would be enjoyed by students of all ages. (

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RachaelH17 | May 7, 2013 |

Students will relate to this book by creating a mini book of their own about their friends, family, and what they like to do.

cbs022 | May 2, 2013 |

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Is contained in

The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury: Picture Books and Stories to Read Aloud by Janet Schulman

The Norton Anthology of Children's Literature by Jack Zipes

The World Treasury of Children's Literature by Clifton Fadiman

The World Treasury of Children's Literature : Book 1 by Clifton Fadiman

The World Treasury of Children's Literature : Books 1 & 2 by Clifton Fadiman (indirect)

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▾Common Knowledge

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Series (with order)

Canonical title

The Story of Ferdinand

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

1936

People/Characters

Ferdinand the Bull

Important places

Madrid, Spain

Important events

Related movies

Ferdinand the Bull (1938 ∙ IMDb)

Awards and honors

1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up (2009.0053|2009, Ages 3↑)

Indies Picture Book Hall of Fame (2010)

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

Once upon a time in Spain there was a little bull and his name was Ferdinand.

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Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

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▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

Their so much learning that can be brought into the classroom with this story. This story presents a story of peace and difference. It also introduces the history of bullfighting.

Haiku summary

▾Book descriptions

Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0670674249, Hardcover)

What else can be said about the fabulous Ferdinand? Published more than 50 years ago (and one of the bestselling children's books of all time), this simple story of peace and contentment has withstood the test of many generations. Ferdinand is a little bull who much prefers sitting quietly under a cork tree-- just smelling the flowers--to jumping around, snorting, and butting heads with other bulls. This cow is no coward--he simply has his pacifist priorities clear. As Ferdinand grows big and strong, his temperament remains mellow, until the day he meets with the wrong end of a bee. In a show of bovine irony, the one day Ferdinand is most definitely not sitting quietly under the cork tree (due to a frightful sting), is the selfsame day that five men come to choose the "biggest, fastest, roughest bull" for the bullfights in Madrid.

Ferdinand's day in the arena gives readers not only an education in the historical tradition of bullfighting, but also a lesson in nonviolent tranquility. Robert Lawson's black-and-white drawings are evocative and detailed, with especially sweet renditions of Ferdinand, the serene bull hero. The Story of Ferdinand closes with one of the happiest endings in the history of happy endings--readers of all ages will drift off to a peaceful sleep, dreaming of sweet-smelling flowers and contented cows.

(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:54:28 -0500)

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▾Library descriptions

Ferdinand likes to sit quietly and smell the flowers, but one day he gets stung by a bee and his snorting and stomping convince everyone that he is the fiercest of bulls.

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