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The message: stop to sniff the roses and don't let anyone force you into being something you're not. The story is one of those great classics that changed my life when I came across it in the New York Public Library when I was 6 years old. It changed my life for the better as this simple fable resolved the conflict between living up to others' expectations (being the fighting bull) and living for the moment (stopping to smell the flowers). The text, the illustrations, the book itself is ideal for a young reader but stretches much beyond the classic fable. In ways it mirrors a number of koans I read later in life, but koans are generally not accessible to Western children. Best thing about this is that it isn't bogged down by religious, political, ethnic or sociological messages - it is what it is. Get a copy and read it yourself if you haven't - then pass it on to a special child you know who can use this message. I intend to give my current copy to one of my friend's child as a Christmas present and will buy more to hand out in the years to come.Read full review
I don't even remember how I got my copy of The Story of Ferdinand but it has greatly enriched my life and I value it greatly. It was new to me (the Viking Press 1969 paperback edition) when I read it to my daughter Cat some twenty plus years ago. On the surface the story of the flower loving Ferdinand is simplicity itself. I was unaware of its past and the controversy engendered by its dangerously simple message. As an artist I have always been a hypocrite; never following my own advice of creating work which viewers would respond to on such a deep emotional level that they might stop in the midst of their own tumultuous existences and "smell the roses", taking whatever form that might be; from watching a sunset to saying "I love you" to someone close. Most of Robert Lawson's deceptively simple black and white illustrations are phenomenal and worthy of framing and being enjoyed as separate entities. From the humorous hanging corks to the dramatic bullring scenes the images still live and breathe seventy years later and will continue to reverberate for seventy seventies of years more.Read full review
One of the top 100 Children's Books of all time, this simple story has had a profound effect on many people. For instance, me: when I discovered Ferdinand as a fifth-grader I had one of those "AHA" moments. I realized that my life's calling was to be a professional artist, and I am. Although I've been influenced by many other artists, Robert Lawson's drawings of Ferdinand lit the fire for me. But this slim red book had a profound effect on a couple of guys named Franco and Hitler, too. They hated it. They feared it. They banned Ferdinand, and ordered it burned because of its degenerate, pacifist message. Imagine! A silly kid's book, posing a threat like that. Its simple plot and beautiful brush-and-ink drawings have endeared it to generations, and will continue.
I purchased this book for my nephew, who is 6 years old and having problems reading. He loves this story, so he continues to read it and carry it around. Finding this book has immensely improved his reading.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
This book was the beginning of my love for cows and bulls, as a child. I remember it vividly and I'm now 65! The simple illustrations are magnificent, its a magical book. I have my original from 1954 somewhere in my boxed up treasures. I just purchased this new edition for my future grandchild due in 3 wks.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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