Author: Sesyle Joslin
Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Publisher: Harper Collins; first publ. by Addison-Wesley, 1958
Age: 3-6
Themes: etiquette, manners, humorous stories
Opening: You are downtown and there is a gentleman giving baby elephants to people. You want to take one home because you have always wanted a baby elephant, but first the gentleman introduces you to each other. What do you say, dear?
Summary: (from my library catalog) Offers advice on how to cope correctly with a variety of common and uncommon social situations. (That is such an understatement! The book is HILARIOUS!)
Why I like this book: it’s ‘the funniest book on good behavior you’ll ever read’, according to the back cover – and I concur! And the illustrations are at the same time slightly snarky and heart-meltingly darling! Enjoy!
Resources/Activities: Read the companion book: What Do You Do, Dear? (images below), by the same author and illustrator. Read them again! Come up with more common and uncommon situations!
For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.
julie rowan-zoch 
These look hilarious yet I have never seen them before. Thanks for sharing. Must see if they are in my local library.
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These look delightful Julie, thanks for sharing them!
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Love the addition of ‘dear’ to the questions. Somehow it says it all! So not preachy!
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I think the illustrations underscore the theatrical element of etiquette too!
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Well, this is interesting. I was curious about the author, and in Googling, I found a 1986 version of the book on Amazon. The Bad-Nose Bill scene had been changed from BNB kidnapping a child in a library to BNB threatening to shoot a hole in the head of the cowboy-child out on the range. I suppose kidnapping was too relevant in the 80s (when faces on milk cartons were popular) to include it in a PB, but getting shot was still too far-fetched to worry a child. Wonder how the scene would read in a version published today?
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Thanks for going the extra mile, Carol, but this is the 1986 version, so I am left to ponder. Your question is a good one though, and I fear we would lose a massive amount of good stories if today’s PC rules were to apply.
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I have these two books! I remember skipping a few pages when I read them to classes. 🙂
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Ah! One of my all time favorites. I had this book as a child, and recently bought a copy. Thanks for laying it out here. Makes me smile every time.
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That is completely awesome! I need to get my hands on these! 😀
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What a humorous share about good behavior. I like snarky! I don’t remember reading this book as a child. Love the cover and illustrations!
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You find some of the most interesting and fun books. I’ve never seen the first one. Now, I have another book to hunt for! 🙂
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Do!
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Wow! These two books look like a lot of fun. I’ll have to look out for them 🙂
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Hope you can find them!
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I love these older stories. . .gems in my book!
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