Old Turtle, Jonathan Livingston Seagull and The Little Prince
Philosophers for Kids
Bonnie and Jack, Mele and Malakai, Erin and baby Grace, you all make me think of books to have at home for the kids and for you. A link by Linda Kenny Margot Adler’s Before He Fell To Earth’The Little Prince’ Was Born In N.Y. immediately made me think of this trio.
Old Turtle by Douglas Wood is the newest of these three allegorical, philosophical, spiritual books. It was first published more than twenty years ago with truly amazing watercolor illustrations.
He has written other books, why don’t I have them? Hmmm…
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard David Bach appeared more than forty years ago and was alternately loved and panned. I don’t know how many times I read it in high school, more than ten.
His thoughts on outcasts, striving, failure, and excellence still resonate.
The Little Prince by Antoine Saint-Exupery, last but certainly not least, was published seventy years ago and is still applicable. I read it first in French 2 or 3 as an assignment. Later I read it in English and enjoyed it all over again.
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I learned, while grappling with a fabulous story in a second language, some words like ameliorate can’t be translated, they just mean what they mean.
Between them, these three books cover the power of friendship, the joy in striving for excellence and the importance of not letting cacophony obliterate the beauty of the natural world. That’s a lot for one Sunday. If you are searching for a book as a baptismal or confirmation gift, these would all fit the bill. Check with your local bookstore, (I like the Boulder Book Store and the Tattered Cover), Barnes & Noble or Amazon to find copies.
