Fables (Lobel book) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Fables

First edition
Author	Arnold Lobel
Illustrator	Arnold Lobel
Country	United States
Genre	Children's picture book
Publisher	Harper & Row
Publication date	1980
ISBN	978-0-06-023973-2
OCLC	5829958
LC Class	PZ8.2.L6 Fab

Fables is a wonderful book created by Arnold Lobel. It was released in 1980 by Harper & Row. This special book even won the famous Caldecott Medal in 1981 for its amazing illustrations!

What are Fables?

Fables are short stories that often feature animals as characters. These animals act and talk like humans. Each fable usually teaches a simple lesson or moral. A moral is like a piece of advice or a truth about life.

Inside the Book

In Fables, Arnold Lobel tells twenty different stories. Each story takes up one page, and on the page next to it, you'll find a beautiful, colorful picture that Lobel drew himself. Even though each fable has a lesson, the stories are fun and playful. They aren't too serious or preachy.

For example, in one story, a Crocodile loves the neat flower patterns on his bedroom wallpaper. But when he sees his wife's garden, which is full of messy, wild flowers, he gets upset! He quickly goes back to his bed, where his neat wallpaper makes him feel better. After that, he almost never leaves his bed and turns a sickly green color. The lesson from this story is: "Without a doubt, there is such a thing as too much order."

Stories You'll Find

Here is a list of the fun fables inside the book:

• The Crocodile in the Bedroom: A crocodile loves the neat flowers on his wallpaper more than his wife's wild garden. He ends up staying in bed too much.
• The Ducks and the Fox: Two ducks meet a friendly fox on their usual path. When the fox shows his true intentions, they decide to find a new, safer way to their pond.
• King Lion and the Beetle: An arrogant lion king demands that everyone, even a tiny beetle, bow to him. But the King gets a surprising lesson when he checks the beetle's bow.
• The Lobster and the Crab: An adventurous lobster takes a shy crab on a boat ride during a big ocean storm. Both of them end up having a great time!
• The Hen and the Apple Tree: A hen finds a talking apple tree outside her house. The tree invites her to enjoy its company, but there are clues that the "tree" might have a secret plan.
• The Baboon's Umbrella: A baboon has an umbrella. A friend tells him to cut holes in it so he can enjoy the nice weather. But things go very wrong after that!
• The Frogs at the Rainbow's End: Three frogs travel to the end of the rainbow, hoping to find treasure. They find something else instead!
• The Bear and the Crow: A bear wants to impress everyone with his fancy clothes. But he listens to bad fashion advice from a mischievous crow and ends up feeling embarrassed.
• The Cat and his Visions: A cat dreams of a huge fish feast while fishing. But his dreams slowly disappear as he waits and waits without catching anything.
• The Ostrich in Love: A shy ostrich tries hard to show a female ostrich he likes her. But he just can't bring himself to tell her how he feels.
• The Camel Dances: A camel teaches herself how to dance. She can't impress anyone else with her moves, but she certainly impresses herself!
• The Poor old Dog: A homeless dog with worn-out clothes finds a ring. He wishes for better living conditions. Things do get better, but not in the way he expected.
• Madame Rhinoceros and her Dress: A rhinoceros falls in love with a dress she sees and buys it. But she has second thoughts when she tries it on, and others have mixed opinions about it.
• The Bad Kangaroo: The school principal is tired of a young kangaroo's pranks. He wants to meet the kangaroo's parents, but he's in for an even bigger surprise!
• The Pig at the Candy Store: After dreaming of candy, a pig wakes up wanting some. He rushes to the candy store. When it's closed, the pig decides it was probably for the best.
• The Elephant and His Son: A young elephant's singing distracts his cigar-smoking father. The father is so busy reading his newspaper that he doesn't even notice another problem about to happen.
• The Pelican and the Crane: A crane invites an outcast pelican to tea. During their tea, the crane learns why the pelican is often alone.
• The Young Rooster: After his father dies, a young rooster struggles to wake the sun each morning. But his second try shocks everyone!
• The Hippopotamus at Dinner: A hungry hippopotamus eats too much at a restaurant. He ends up regretting being so greedy.
• The Mouse at the Seashore: A young mouse faces many challenges on his journey from his parents to the ocean. But he declares that the trip was worth all the trouble!