Guest Blog - Fables by Arnold Lobel

Arnold Lobel has for many years been one of the children’s authors I most enjoy. His series of Frog and Toad books are among my favorites. I was not familiar with this book of Fables written and illustrated by Lobel although he received the Caldecott award for it in 1981.

Of course the illustrations are delightful. Easily the most charming part of the book. However, a few of the fables with their one line moral written at the bottom of the page frequently hit me just right too. I was delighted with the illustration and the fable in which the elephant son points out to his father who is absorbed in his newspaper that his slippers are on fire. I liked the ostrich who was happy simply loving from afar. The hippo who ate too much at dinner reminded me of a favorite tale of Winnie the Pooh. The hippo cannot get out from behind the table at the restaurant because of his gluttony and Pooh becomes caught in Rabbit’s doorway after eating all of Rabbit’s honey.

Naturally I read the book all at one time, but I think this would be a fun book to read to a child one or two fables at a time. Of course, they would have to look at all of the great pictures from beginning to end the first time they saw the book.