The Book of Virtues: An Audio Library of Great Moral Stories

Written by William J. Bennett

Narrated by William J. Bennett, Elayne Glover Bennett, Charlton Heston and 8 more

From the author of The Moral Compass and The Death of Outrage, William J. Bennett's bestselling The Book of Virtues is an inspiring anthology that helps children understand and develop moral character—and helps parents teach it to them.

Responsibility. Courage. Compassion. Honesty. Friendship. Persistence. Faith. Everyone recognizes these traits as essentials of good character. In order for our children to develop such traits, we have to offer them examples of good and bad, right and wrong. And the best places to find them are in great works of literature and exemplary stories from history.

William J. Bennett has collected hundreds of stories in The Book of Virtues. From the Bible to American history, from Greek mythology to English poetry, from fairy tales to modern fiction, these stories are a rich mine of moral literacy, a reliable moral reference point that will help anchor our children and ourselves in our culture, our history, and our traditions—the sources of the ideals by which we wish to live our lives. Complete with instructive introductions and notes, The Book of Virtues is a book the whole family can read and enjoy—and learn from—together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: May 1, 1994
• ISBN: 9780743542142

William J. Bennett

Dr. William J. Bennett is one of America’s most influential and respected voices on cultural, political, and educational issues. Host of The Bill Bennett Show podcast, he is also the Washington Fellow of the American Strategy Group. He is the author and editor of more than twenty-five books. Dr. Bennett served as the secretary of education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities  under  President  Ronald  Reagan  and  as  director  of  the  Office  of  National  Drug  Control  Policy  under  President  George  Herbert  Walker Bush.

Reviews for The Book of Virtues

[elenaestrada_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Children’s Book of Virtues, written by William J. Bennette is dedicated to teaching children about virtues such as courage, perseverance, loyalty, and faith. I thought the content is noteworthy as it focuses on character building. These virtues establish family norms in society and help citizens gain the social respect of their peers. It promotes civil obedience and the responsibilities that citizens have to themselves and to their fellow citizens. For example, the poem on “Kindness to Animals” promotes the rights of animals as it teaches children to consider all creatures as members of a world that we share. The poem teaches children to be kind to all living creatures. I particularly liked the fact that it incorporated different faiths. “The Sermon to the Birds” is about the Catholic Italian St. Francis, “The Honest Disciple” is a Jewish folktake. I particularly enjoyed “A Child’s Prayer” since I thought parents could use it to teach little children to pray before they go to sleep at night. Religious schools maybe particularly interested in this volume. I also thought the art work was a great asset to the content. The colors are traditional pastels, and there is innocence to the caricatures displayed.Age: 2 and up

[elliegiles · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This children's edition of the classic Book of Virtues offers a wide variety of writing that is perfect for reading aloud to children. The illustrations in this collection are phenomenal, and the different types of writing in this collection will allow children to think about what it means to be virtuous.

[alexandra1600 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

No book collection would be complete without The Children's Book of Virtues (and poems) illustrated for younger children. Included are The Pasture, by Robert Frost, Over in the Meadow, by Olive Wadsworth, and God Make My Life a Little Light by M. Edwardsthat. Children will identify with these moral stories of truth and compassion.