| This sweet story can certainly give city kids a glimpse at country living and where meat comes from, but it also has some important morals for children as well. First of all, everyone deserves respect. Set aside society’s hierarchy, and remember that everyone has feelings, and deserves the same amount of respect. Secondly, don’t worry about what other people think. Just because it hasn’t been done in the past, doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. |
| Country, Meat, Feelings, Family, Adoption |
Don't
be afraid to follow your heart, even if others may be afraid to do so. This
holds especially true when your head is also saying the same thing. True
friends are very hard to come by, so don't be afraid to let someone in when
they truly want to help. Help them to understand you, and try your best to
understand others who are different before casting judgement upon them.
|
| As the title suggests, this is essentially Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" with gnomes. It beautifully expresses the idea that hatred and discrimination accomplish nothing but destruction - both physically and emotionally. It explains to kids in an easy-to-understand way that it is ridiculous to hate someone just because someone else does, or because the come from a "bad neighborhood". |
| Hatred, Discrimination, Judgement |
Brothers
aren't always nice to each other. They can often compete against each other
in an attempt to prove their worth. This doesn't mean that they don't love
each other. If they can learn to work together as a team, playing up to each
other's strengths, they can accomplish anything. But if they ignore the
advice given by the other, they often just create more problems for them
both.
|
| Adjusting to life after a loved one has passed on can be quite difficult. Mr. Fredrickson does not seem to be adjusting very well when he first meets up with Russell. The old man isn't accustomed to the young boy's vibrant energy, and he initially looks upon him with irritation. His own desires are sacrificed when he steps out of his comfort zone to help Russell to protect a rare bird from poaching. He comes to feel that his own goals were petty compared to the needs of those around him that he cared about, and that helping them gave him far more satisfaction than his childhood dream. |
| Love, Loss, Neglect, Nature, Natural Habitat, Species, Mentor |
| Two
infants from a doomed planet come rocketing to earth. One crashes into the
mansion of a wealthy couple; the other lands in a correctional facility. The
end up going to school together, and their very different home lives have
very different receptions at the school. The wealthy boy is loved by all. The
one raised by prison inmates is scorned, no matter what he accomplishes.
Their rivalry turns them into a super hero and super villain. However, the
"good always prevails over evil" that is assumed by all, actually,
does not work the way we all believe that it should. |
| Bullying, Not fitting in, Being Different, Appearances, Rivalry, Privileged, Need for Attention, Responsibility |
