Anthologies
Bennett, William J. and Elayne Glover Bennett. The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories. Simon and Schuster, 2022.
This is the thirtieth anniversary edition of the chunky volume that sold over three million copies. It Is slightly slimmed down, but still subdivided by virtue and inclusive of new figures, including Mother Teresa, Colin Powell, Heroes of 9-11 and the War in Afghanistan.
Bennett, William J.The Children’s Book of America.
Illustrated by Michael Hague. Simon and Schuster, 1998. (4-6)
This collection of stories and poems of key events and revealing vignettes in American history includes “The Bravery of Abigail Adams,” “Westward with Lewis and Clark,” “I Hear America Singing” (Walt Whitman), “The Erie Canal,” “The Tale of ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,’” “The Wizard of Menlo Park” (Thomas Edison), and many more. A rich and supremely useful collection.
Bennett, William J. The Children’s Book of Virtues.
Illustrated by Michael Hague. Simon and Schuster, 1995.
Some of the finest stories for young readers from the Book of Virtues charmingly illustrated by Michael Hague.
Bennett, William J. The Moral Compass: Stories for Life’s Journey.
Simon and Schuster, 2008.
A companion to the Book of Virtues, this volume has stories organized by the stages and characteristics
of life’s journey—childhood, coming of age, marriage, enduring difficulty, and a superb section on “Citizenship and Leadership.” Most of the stories are classics. Similar in scope and style to the Book of Virtues.
Bennett, William J. The Children’s Book of Heroes.
Illustrated by Michael Hague. Simon and Schuster, 1997.
Understanding that a child’s question is not “how shall I behave?” but instead “who shall I be like?” Bill Bennett and Michael Hague serve up another gem. They remind us that heroes and celebrities are not one and the same. They bring to life twenty men and women whose worthy actions won them a merited place in history. Among these heroes are: Washington at Valley Forge, Oedipus confronting the Sphinx, David and Goliath, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller’s Teacher (Annie Sullivan), Jackie Robinson, Father Flangan, and others.
Bennett,William J. and John T.E.Cribb. The American Patriot’s Almanac. Thomas Nelson, 2013.
This book is a treasure trove for teachers and older students—a daily compendium of inspiring people, landmark events, and not-to-be-missed stories in American history. Each date features a main entry with a three- to four-paragraph explanation. February spotlights not just George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, woman’s rights advocate Susan B. Anthony, Wild West popularizer Buffalo Bill Cody, novelist Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Actor-Turned-President Ronald Reagan. It offers a chance to recall “Godspeed, John Glenn,” the day the Ohio astronaut became the first American to orbit the earth. Recognizing that we learn not just from our successes, but from our mistakes, February 19 marks FDR’s Executive Order 9066, clearing the way in 1942 for the internment of Japanese-Americans—one of our nation’s darkest chapters. February 24 celebrates John Quincy Adams winning release of the enslaved crew of Amistad, when he argued before the Supreme Court. A riveting read and a must-have teacher reference.
Barnes, Trevor. The Kingfisher Children’s Bible.
Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. Kingfisher, 2001. (4-6)
A fine retelling of the major Old and New Testament stories. Illustrated with wistful watercolors.
Chrisman, Arthur Bowie. Shen of the Sea: Chinese Stories for Children.
Illustrated by Else Hasselriis. Dutton Children’s Books, 1968.
A collection of Chinese tales that often combine humor with practical wisdom. Good additional reading when 4th graders study the medieval unit.
Dharma Editorial Staff. Jataka Tales. Various Illustrators. Dharma Publishing.
The Jataka (pronounced JAH-tuh-kuh) tales are stories told by Buddha over 2000 years ago. Incarnated in many different forms, Buddha tells of episodes in his past lives. These are simple stories illustrating the virtues of compassion, wisdom, patience, and charity. Not a single collection, but many different titles available in hard and softback. Many are listed individually in this guide.
Emmerson, Janice. The Complete Illustrated Children's Bible.
Harvest House Publishers, 2014 (K-4)
Fang, Linda. The Ch’i-Lin Purse: A Collection of Ancient Chinese Stories.
Illustrated by Jeanne M. Lee. Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux, 1997.
A lovely collection of short stories from Ancient China illustrating the virtues of generosity, compassion, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. Linda Fang retells ancient legends from the period of the Warring states, Sung, and Ming dynasties as well as stories from classic Chinese opera. Many tales specify the time period in which they are set and thus work well with the Ancient China units in the Core Knowledge Sequence.
Kilpatrick, William, ed. Great Lessons in Virtue and Character. A Treasury of Classic Animal Stories. (Baker Books, 2002) 4-6
This is a beautiful collection of touching animal stories from great literature assembled by a man who has done more for education than most of us can dream about. Author of Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right From Wrong, Boston College Professor William Kilpatrick has included in the collection: Black Stallion, The Horse and His Boy, Old Yeller, The Yearling,Lassie Come Home, So Dear to My Heart, Shiloh, and many, many more. The book is a treasure.
Kilpatrick, William, Gregory and Suzanne M. Wolfe. Books that Build Character.
Touchstone, Simon and Schuster, 1994.
A fine resource for parents and teachers, this volume presents a readable theoretical overview on the importance of quality literature in our children’s lives as well as a very useful “Book List,” reviewing many of the very best chapter books. Unfortunately, many of the suggested works are out of print.
Kimmel, Eric. Days of Awe. Viking, 1991.
A collection of short stories for the High Holy Days (Rash Hashanah to Yom Kippur).
Lang, Andrew. Favorite Fairy Tales: 27 Stories by the Brothers Grimm, Anderson, Perrault and Others. Dover Publications, 2012
Lewis, Naomi. Hans Christian Anderson's Fairy Tales. Puffin Books, 2010
McCain, John with Mark Salter. Character is Destiny. Inspiring Stories We Should All Remember. Random House, 2017.
A man of character himself, the great senator John McCain left students, parents and teachers this treasure trove anthology. Short, well-written vignettes or biographies are organized by virtue: Gandhi (respect), Thomas More (honesty), Aung San Suu Kyi (courtesy), Nelson Mandela (forgiveness), Maximilien Kolbe (compassion) and many more. They lift the heart and are indispensable for Core Virtues® classroom libraries.
Milne, A.A. The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh. Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. Dutton Books, 2001. (3-7)
Potter, Beatrix. A Beatrix Potter Treasury. Warne, 2007
Russell, William F. Classic Myths to Read Aloud. Broadway Books, 1992.
A fine collection of Greek and Roman myths arranged in two sections (ages 5-7 and 8-12).
Schwartz, Howard. Next Year in Jerusalem. Illustrated by Neil Waldman. Viking, 1996.
A sacred center to three of the world’s major religions, Jerusalem has inspired legend and lore.
Singer, Isaac Bashevis. The Power of Light: Eight Stories for Hanukkah.
Illustrated by Irene Lieblich. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1980.
Singer, Isaac Bashevis. Stories for Children. Square Fish, 1985.
Stoddard, Sandol. A Child’s First Bible. Illustrated by Tony Chen. Inspirational Press, 1998. (K-3)
A stunning collection of some of the most important Bible stories. Contains many of the most famous Old and New Testament stories with striking illustrations.
Wilde, Oscar. The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde. Illustrated by Michael Hague. Henry Holt, 1993.
This is the thirtieth anniversary edition of the chunky volume that sold over three million copies. It Is slightly slimmed down, but still subdivided by virtue and inclusive of new figures, including Mother Teresa, Colin Powell, Heroes of 9-11 and the War in Afghanistan.
Bennett, William J.The Children’s Book of America.
Illustrated by Michael Hague. Simon and Schuster, 1998. (4-6)
This collection of stories and poems of key events and revealing vignettes in American history includes “The Bravery of Abigail Adams,” “Westward with Lewis and Clark,” “I Hear America Singing” (Walt Whitman), “The Erie Canal,” “The Tale of ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,’” “The Wizard of Menlo Park” (Thomas Edison), and many more. A rich and supremely useful collection.
Bennett, William J. The Children’s Book of Virtues.
Illustrated by Michael Hague. Simon and Schuster, 1995.
Some of the finest stories for young readers from the Book of Virtues charmingly illustrated by Michael Hague.
Bennett, William J. The Moral Compass: Stories for Life’s Journey.
Simon and Schuster, 2008.
A companion to the Book of Virtues, this volume has stories organized by the stages and characteristics
of life’s journey—childhood, coming of age, marriage, enduring difficulty, and a superb section on “Citizenship and Leadership.” Most of the stories are classics. Similar in scope and style to the Book of Virtues.
Bennett, William J. The Children’s Book of Heroes.
Illustrated by Michael Hague. Simon and Schuster, 1997.
Understanding that a child’s question is not “how shall I behave?” but instead “who shall I be like?” Bill Bennett and Michael Hague serve up another gem. They remind us that heroes and celebrities are not one and the same. They bring to life twenty men and women whose worthy actions won them a merited place in history. Among these heroes are: Washington at Valley Forge, Oedipus confronting the Sphinx, David and Goliath, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller’s Teacher (Annie Sullivan), Jackie Robinson, Father Flangan, and others.
Bennett,William J. and John T.E.Cribb. The American Patriot’s Almanac. Thomas Nelson, 2013.
This book is a treasure trove for teachers and older students—a daily compendium of inspiring people, landmark events, and not-to-be-missed stories in American history. Each date features a main entry with a three- to four-paragraph explanation. February spotlights not just George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, woman’s rights advocate Susan B. Anthony, Wild West popularizer Buffalo Bill Cody, novelist Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Actor-Turned-President Ronald Reagan. It offers a chance to recall “Godspeed, John Glenn,” the day the Ohio astronaut became the first American to orbit the earth. Recognizing that we learn not just from our successes, but from our mistakes, February 19 marks FDR’s Executive Order 9066, clearing the way in 1942 for the internment of Japanese-Americans—one of our nation’s darkest chapters. February 24 celebrates John Quincy Adams winning release of the enslaved crew of Amistad, when he argued before the Supreme Court. A riveting read and a must-have teacher reference.
Barnes, Trevor. The Kingfisher Children’s Bible.
Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. Kingfisher, 2001. (4-6)
A fine retelling of the major Old and New Testament stories. Illustrated with wistful watercolors.
Chrisman, Arthur Bowie. Shen of the Sea: Chinese Stories for Children.
Illustrated by Else Hasselriis. Dutton Children’s Books, 1968.
A collection of Chinese tales that often combine humor with practical wisdom. Good additional reading when 4th graders study the medieval unit.
Dharma Editorial Staff. Jataka Tales. Various Illustrators. Dharma Publishing.
The Jataka (pronounced JAH-tuh-kuh) tales are stories told by Buddha over 2000 years ago. Incarnated in many different forms, Buddha tells of episodes in his past lives. These are simple stories illustrating the virtues of compassion, wisdom, patience, and charity. Not a single collection, but many different titles available in hard and softback. Many are listed individually in this guide.
Emmerson, Janice. The Complete Illustrated Children's Bible.
Harvest House Publishers, 2014 (K-4)
Fang, Linda. The Ch’i-Lin Purse: A Collection of Ancient Chinese Stories.
Illustrated by Jeanne M. Lee. Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux, 1997.
A lovely collection of short stories from Ancient China illustrating the virtues of generosity, compassion, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. Linda Fang retells ancient legends from the period of the Warring states, Sung, and Ming dynasties as well as stories from classic Chinese opera. Many tales specify the time period in which they are set and thus work well with the Ancient China units in the Core Knowledge Sequence.
Kilpatrick, William, ed. Great Lessons in Virtue and Character. A Treasury of Classic Animal Stories. (Baker Books, 2002) 4-6
This is a beautiful collection of touching animal stories from great literature assembled by a man who has done more for education than most of us can dream about. Author of Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right From Wrong, Boston College Professor William Kilpatrick has included in the collection: Black Stallion, The Horse and His Boy, Old Yeller, The Yearling,Lassie Come Home, So Dear to My Heart, Shiloh, and many, many more. The book is a treasure.
Kilpatrick, William, Gregory and Suzanne M. Wolfe. Books that Build Character.
Touchstone, Simon and Schuster, 1994.
A fine resource for parents and teachers, this volume presents a readable theoretical overview on the importance of quality literature in our children’s lives as well as a very useful “Book List,” reviewing many of the very best chapter books. Unfortunately, many of the suggested works are out of print.
Kimmel, Eric. Days of Awe. Viking, 1991.
A collection of short stories for the High Holy Days (Rash Hashanah to Yom Kippur).
Lang, Andrew. Favorite Fairy Tales: 27 Stories by the Brothers Grimm, Anderson, Perrault and Others. Dover Publications, 2012
Lewis, Naomi. Hans Christian Anderson's Fairy Tales. Puffin Books, 2010
McCain, John with Mark Salter. Character is Destiny. Inspiring Stories We Should All Remember. Random House, 2017.
A man of character himself, the great senator John McCain left students, parents and teachers this treasure trove anthology. Short, well-written vignettes or biographies are organized by virtue: Gandhi (respect), Thomas More (honesty), Aung San Suu Kyi (courtesy), Nelson Mandela (forgiveness), Maximilien Kolbe (compassion) and many more. They lift the heart and are indispensable for Core Virtues® classroom libraries.
Milne, A.A. The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh. Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. Dutton Books, 2001. (3-7)
Potter, Beatrix. A Beatrix Potter Treasury. Warne, 2007
Russell, William F. Classic Myths to Read Aloud. Broadway Books, 1992.
A fine collection of Greek and Roman myths arranged in two sections (ages 5-7 and 8-12).
Schwartz, Howard. Next Year in Jerusalem. Illustrated by Neil Waldman. Viking, 1996.
A sacred center to three of the world’s major religions, Jerusalem has inspired legend and lore.
Singer, Isaac Bashevis. The Power of Light: Eight Stories for Hanukkah.
Illustrated by Irene Lieblich. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1980.
Singer, Isaac Bashevis. Stories for Children. Square Fish, 1985.
Stoddard, Sandol. A Child’s First Bible. Illustrated by Tony Chen. Inspirational Press, 1998. (K-3)
A stunning collection of some of the most important Bible stories. Contains many of the most famous Old and New Testament stories with striking illustrations.
Wilde, Oscar. The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde. Illustrated by Michael Hague. Henry Holt, 1993.