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Society and the Individual

From the February 15, 2008 Pigeon Post essay of the same name.
The books we have compiled here are a mixture of tales that you can use to plant ideas in the mind of your child or to serve as the catalyst to discuss a topic to help them explore how to behave, as well as stories that serve as models of how to behave and how to consider making decisions in a social context. Most of these stories allow the child to make the connection for herself about the values being demonstrated and the ways of interacting with one another and the benefit that accrues from those values. There is also an incredibly dense population of books that deal with the individual in conflict with society and how those conflicts can be resolved. We have included just a smattering of those. The first step is to understand value and obligations with regard to society. Once those basic rules are understood, it then becomes a little easier to navigate the more difficult exceptions and the issues of societal right and wrong which we will address in a future Pigeon Post and book list.
What books do you suggest?

This book list is divided into three sections:
(1) Picture Books
(2) Books for Independent Readers
(3) Books for Young Adults

The list begins below with Picture Books, but you can use one of the following links to skip directly to either of the other two sections.
Go to books for Independent Readers
Go to books for Young Adults


Picture Books

Thomas the Tank Engine by Rev. W. Awdry Highly Recommended
Goops and How to Be Them by Gelett Burgess Suggested
Maybelle the Cable Car by Virginia Lee Burton Recommended
The Yellow Star by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Henri Sorensen Highly Recommended
The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln and illustrated by Michael McCurdy Recommended
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and illustrated by Christopher Bing Recommended
What Do You Do, Dear? by Sesyle Joslin and illustrated by Maurice Sendak Highly Recommended
What Do You Say, Dear by Sesyle Joslin and illustrated by Maurice Sendak Highly Recommended
Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss Recommended
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss Recommended
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss Highly Recommended
Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss Recommended
Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss Recommended


Independent Readers

Fifty Famous People by James Baldwin (Not available from Through the Maigc Door. Click the link to go to Yesterday's Classics)

Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin (Not available from Through the Maigc Door. Click the link to go to Yesterday's Classics)

Thirty More Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin (Not available from Through the Maigc Door. Click the link to go to Yesterday's Classics)

The Children's Book of Heroes by William J. Bennett and illustrated by Michael Hague Recommended
The Children's Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett and illustrated by Michael Hague Recommended
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and illustrated by P.J. Lynch Highly Recommended
The Christmas Candle by Richard Paul Evans and illustrated by Jacob Collins Recommended
Cheaper By The Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey Highly Recommended
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen Recommended
Beowulf the Warrior by Ian Serraillier and illustrated by Severin & Ian Serraillier Recommended
Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff and illustrated by Alan Lee Recommended
Stop The Train! by Geraldine McCaughrean Suggested
Railway Children by Edith Nesbit and illustrated by C. E. Brock Highly Recommended
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Recommended
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene Du Bois Highly Recommended
Holes by Louis Sachar Recommended
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder and illustrated by Garth Williams Highly Recommended


Young Adult

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Highly Recommended
Lord of the Flies by William Golding and illustrated by Ben Gibson Recommended
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Isaac Kramnick & James Madison Recommended
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo Recommended
Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited by Aldous Huxley Recommended
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Highly Recommended
1984 by George Orwell Recommended
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Recommended
Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose Recommended

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