Carl Sommer does a great job of utilizing age old concepts in teaching children character education concepts through his stories. My son absoutely loved the book and it will be a must read book on our family list. The book is easy to read and is illustrated magnificiently. Virtues such as hard work, obedience, self-acceptance, perserverance, truthfulness, kindness and respect for parents are taught through this story. All things we are trying to teach our children.

This is a fun story that would be great for kids. It's a story that shows motives can be hidden but will usually be discovered. A great lesson for kids!

The Great Royal Race was one of my favorite Carl Sommer books. It's a story about Princess Elizabeth who must choose between three suitors to be become her new husband and the next king. Her father had a wonderful idea on how to find him, and put all three suitors to a true test of loyalty. As the story ends you find out who her true love really is as he passes the royal test. What a great lesson in loyalty, love and wisdom.

The lessons taught in this book have been missed by a lot of adults. We desparately need a generation who will show that doing wrong is never right. NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW illistrates this lesson clearly as well as showing that wrong actions carry negative consequences. Some consequences last a lifetime.

Carl Sommer's books always have such great messages for children and they'll love this one. They'll be able to identify with the temptations of sneaking and disobeying. This little squirrel ends up paying a high price to learn this lesson. A helpful resource for every parent and teacher!

As a director of a preschool/kindergarten I am always searching for good literature. I have found a winner with Carl Sommer's "Fun Times With Timeless Values Collection". The concept of sharing is presented in one of these books, "Tied Up In Knots". Children (and adults),I believe, will thoroughly enjoy their visit to the farm and learn how life can be so much easier and pleasant when we SHARE. Our characters do discover sharing really does bring happiness! Every classroom and home can smile once this principle is practiced.

King of the Pond is about a big bully named Tombo. He boasts to all his friends that he is the biggest, strongest and fastest tadpole in the pond. As the story continues a boy named Alex comes to the pond to catch fish. But instead sees Tombo and catching him for a pet. After Tombo returns to the pond as a frog he realizes how important friends are, as he returns now as the smallest FROG in the pond. Tombo learns a good lesson in the importance of friendship, forgiveness and of being a good sport.

King of the Pond, was a cute book as well as a book to learn from. It could be used in a science class for children to learn where frogs come from. It had excellent illustrations and a very good storyline. I'm sure glad that Tombo made it back to the pond. He learned a valuable lesson about boasting. Thanks Sommer, I will use this one in an integrated science lesson.

I had to purchase this book for my english course, but after only two weeks of reading and discussion I feel such an empowerment by the selections. I wouldn't be able to choose a favorite author because each one is represented so uniquely by their stories. After my class is over, I look forward to sitting down and reading those that were not assigned and re-reading those icons of society that were picked by my professor. If you want a short introduction to various famous authors then this is definitely a book you will enjoy!

Sommer, this one was top notch. The illustrations were fantastic! Every element was depicted wonderfully. I was so enthused to see how Stephanie would manage such an amazing plan. The Light Your Candle Crusade, was so effective. It could work anywhere. What a wonderful idea! It just goes to show that if we work together we can accomplish so much. Thanks for sharing and giving the inspiration to do more. This will definitely be a concept I will teach to my students-as I share the book.

Everything about this book is terrific. The story line captures the attention of the children as well as teach them a most important life lesson. Children can be very self-centered and this book teaches that we can find happiness when we give to others in many different ways. Life shouldn't always be about what we can get, but about what we can give.

What a super book to teach the values of helping, serving and respecting elders. Today, when kids seem too preoccupied with being entertained, this teaches that joy comes from helping others. I loved it!

Can You Help Me Find My Smile was another one of my Carl Sommer favorites. The story is about Teddy the young bear who is grumpy and no matter how hard he tries he can't seem to find his smile. The help and advise from friends, even a new bicycle on his birthday doesn't seem to make him happy for long. After searching he finally seeks the advise of his grandfather. As Teddy discovers he finds his smile again by helping others. I would definitely recommend this book for elementary school children. This is a good lesson in wisdom, kindness and giving.

No Longer a Dilly Dally was about two families who moved away from their friends to start a new home in the country. I thought this was a very good book about the lesson of getting your work done first and playing later. It would be a good book about the lesson of hard work and working first before you play. My family is just like the Work Play Family, and even though we follow this good rule, I still have lots of time to play. Great color and illustration, I really like the pictures. My Mom and I read this book together and had a good laugh about how the Work Play Family was just like us.

What parent doesn't spend alot of time trying to convince their child that play time comes after work time. This book is a fun way to reinforce that lesson to kids. Great book!

No Longer A Dilly Dally is an adorable book about the hard working ants, however some ants don't understand that in order to eat they must work first. This story warms your heart as you see the Dilly Dally's learn a hard lesson about laziness. The picture illlustrations are superb and they put a smile on my face. As usual, they have lots of detail. I will share this book with my class and it will enable me to integrate teaching about ants and hard work.

If Only I Were...., is a great story about a typical grey mouse, who is sick of getting chased around by a large cat. Of course, she wishes to be something else, first a great big cat, then other types of animals, once she becomes a human she really wants to be a mouse again. The story is fun and the pictures are very detailed-look around when you read this book, you'll see all the great fine points the vivid color illustrations bring out.

Envy...the thing that makes us think that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Kids struggle with it as much as adults do. This was a great book that teaches kids that no matter who you are, you will have difficulties.

Every little dreamer who's wanted to be someone else will love this story. Little Missy finds out all too well how that wish is a futile mistake and actually creates more problems for her. I liked it because it touches the issue of self-esteem. It would be a valuable conversation starter for any parent or teacher.

Tied Up In Knots is a story about two stubborn mules who have trouble finding a solution to their problem. As their two young owners, Benny and Sally observe, the stubborn mules become more and more tied up as their problem continues. Sometimes it's difficult to see our way through a problem, especially for children, and it may take a little outside help to intervene. The stubborn mules come to a compromise and Benny and Sally learn a lesson in sharing and also come to resolve some of their own differences.

It's easy for kids to learn lessons they need to learn when they see the story told about animals dealing with the issues they deal with. This is a super story that teaches that sharing is good and brings good results and being selfish hurts you most of all.

Tied Up In Knots, was an adorable book, with very cute illustrations. I really liked this story. The two mules were just like their owners. Until they finally figured out how to share. I loved the colors used in the pictures and the expressions of the characters. This story should be purchased by all parents. Good job Sommer-time books.

The Ugly Caterpillar was another one of my favorite Carl Sommer books. This book is a great way to teach children about the importance of true friendship, and the importance of being kind to others. I would definitely recommend this book to others and to school age children, what a great way to get this message across in this colorful, fun to read story. We enjoyed reading it and also learned all about how a caterpillar transforms itself into a beautiful butterfly.

Speckles the spider and Crumbs the cricket think Katy the caterpillar is much to ugly to be their friend. But Annie the ant doesn't' agree, and she and Katy become best friends. As Katy the caterpillar begins her strange transformation into a beautiful butterfly, her friend Annie is shocked and amazed. Speckles and Crumbs finally learn the true meaning of beauty and friendship -- and caterpillars! This lively and original story of respect for others by Carl Sommer is perfectly illustrated in full color by Greg Budwine and is very highly recommended for young readers, grades K-4.

The Ugly Caterpillar, is a great book about how something so strange looking can turn out to be something so beautiful. This book would be great for children in the classroom, at home at bedtime and anytime. The illustrations are perfect! The cute ant befriends the caterpillar and receives an awesome reward of friendship. Her friends aren't so smart and they regret it later. Good job Sommer.