Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
by Dr. Seuss
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Book Summary Information
Author: Dr. SeussEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1958-04-12
ISBN: 0394800877
Number of pages: 96
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Publisher: Random House
Book Reviews of Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
Book Review: It's more than the story of a Turtle named Yertle
Summary: 5 Stars
There are actually three stories in this book, but Yertle seems to get the lion's share of the attention. The other two stories--"Gertrude McFuzz" and "The Big Brag"--are also worthy of note. I'll still love the revolutionary story of "Yertle the Turtle" and that plain little turtle named Mack who coughs and fells a swelled-headed king who oppresses those literally underneath him. Not all revolutions count the cost in blood...sometimes, it's actually mud that makes us all equal in the end. Such a wonderful and hopeful story to start off this book, but let's not forget the other lessons that it can teach not just our kids but ourselves as well.
After all, the second story in the book, "Gertrude McFuzz", is a helpful fable about how girls put themselves down because they compare their bodies to those of other girls. Poor Gertrude wants a tail just like the prettiest birdie around--which girl hasn't been harmed by a culture where they feel they're not as pretty as the girls in the magazines? In a way, it's one of the most forward-thinking stories written by Dr. Seuss. I only wish I could have read "Gertrude McFuzz" when I was a child. With our daughters getting media-heavy messages that they're not good enough as they are they need to hear that they're perfectly fine the way they are without the aid of plastic surgery (the metaphor of the "pillberry vine" can be easily substituted for the Botox needle).
"The Big Brag" is also a wonderful story for kids because, well, which kid has never been in a bragging contest? This story deals with two animals bragging about how wonderful they are because of their special talents until a wizened worm let's them know that bragging never solves anything. After all, we all have things about us that make us special. No need to fight over who's the better of the two cause there will always be someone else who's better still. Many a schoolyard brawl could be avoided if enough kids got the message that this story teaches so well.
So if you have (or buy) this book, make sure you share all these great stories with your kids. Yertle may be the star of this book, but "Gertrude McFuzz" and "The Big Brag" have a great deal to teach as well. Three great stories in one great book, which makes it perfect for little kids who just can't get through longer books during a bedtime read. Highly recommended for both boys and girls.
Summary of Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
Illustrated in color. Three modern fables in humorous pictures and verse: "Yertle the Turtle," "Gertrude McFuzz," and "The Big Brag."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
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