E Is for Ethics: How to Talk to Kids About Morals, Values, and What Matters Most
When their two children were young, kids' TV writer and animator Corlett and his wife initiated a weekly family after-dinner discussion to explain and foster ethical and moral values. Admitting that he is a plain old dad and not a Ph.D. in ethics, Corlett nonetheless felt obliged to address the void in moral education left as school and even Sunday school curricula stopped routinely teaching ethics for it seems no one wants to touch the subject of right and wrong anymore. He developed two charming and lovably humorous characters—Elliot and his sister, Lucy—and 26 story situations that take place in families, at school, in team sports and in the community, each of which demonstrates a different ethic ranging from honesty and understanding through forgiveness, courage and perseverance to loyalty, gratitude, fairness and acceptance. Even citizenship, generosity, trust and respect are covered as Elliot and Lucy encounter life's moral predicaments. Each of the 250-word lessons is followed by a what would you do? kind of question, the definition of a moral quality with accompanying short commentary and a pertinent famous quote or two, which together point youngsters toward doing the right thing and understanding why. Most likely to be well received by younger kids, this charming, interactive little book is appropriate for kids preschool to tween age and their parents.(Dec.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.