Yertle the Turtle & Other Stories [Hardcover]

Dr. Seuss (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Random House Value Publishing (October 18, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517129914
• ISBN-13: 978-0517129913
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,425,004 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pride Goeth Before the Fall, September 6, 2000

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 110,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories (Hardcover)

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!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Seuss understands leadership, September 4, 2003

By 

James Vaughan "jamesevaughan" (Schaumburg, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories (Hardcover)

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved from day one, September 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Yertle the Turtle (Classic Seuss) (Library Binding)

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.