Mr. Peabody’s Apples

I’ve always been interested in what kids are reading (eg: my brief obsession with Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events - See posts from July 06, August 06 and November 06). Now, with a baby on the way, my interest has grown. I want to like a book, know what it’s about before I impart it on my child. Besides liking the story, I also would like them to be visually appealing (for the early years). Today, I thought I would be nice to take a few minutes and read Madonna’s, Mr. Peabody’s Apples.

The first thing I noticed was how beautiful the art was. Loren Long does an amazing job bringing the town of Happville to life. Each picture is detailed and intricate. I couldn’t have asked for a better illustrated book. Madonna and the publishers made a good choice bringing Long on for this story.

Madonna’s words are truthful ones. Mr. Peabody’s Apples tells the story of a man who is hurt by the careless words of a thoughtless boy. Rumours are bad. The boy sees something, out of context, assumes the worse and tells all his friends, who tells all their parents and word spreads. In Mr. Peabody’s Apples, we learn that words can ruin lives. Words have the power to hurt, heal and teach. Madonna dedicates this story to teachers. Though the story is about a teacher, it is about teaching children the power of their words.