Unwitting Wisdom
Retold & Illustrated by Helen Ward
(Reviewer - Rev. Marie D. Jones)
2004 Chronicle Books
ISBN: 0811844501

An Anthology of Aesop's Fables. A breathtaking and gloriously beautiful book of wisdom for children of all ages.

Associate Reviewer Rev. Marie D. Jones writes:

The fables of Aesop have been with us for over 2,500 years, & have stood the test of time with their wisdom & insight. Now, award-winning illustrator Helen Ward has chosen a dozen of her favorite, & retold them for children in this oversize hardcover collection that is sure to be a family favorite for generations to come.

Using lavishly beautiful watercolor illustrations to accompany the text, author Ward presents us with tales of timeless life lessons, with important & popular themes such as “Steady and Slow”, “Size Isn't Everything”, & “Fool's Gold”.

With her painstaking attention to detail & her well-trained artist's use of bold color & intricate line drawings, Ward delights even as she retells the fables with a modern touch sure to please both children & parents.

The graceful language never bores, & the use of animals as the central characters offers a whole new appeal to these ancient fables, avoiding all distractions of race, gender, age & class that might otherwise take away from the powerful impact of the lessons.

We learn, through these magnificent stories, that patience is a virtue, that you must give to receive, the dangers of procrastination, the perils of harming others, the wisdom of accepting limitations, the magic of being grateful, & so many more simple, yet profound lessons.

Unwitting Wisdom is a very large hardcover book which will make a perfect & thoughtful gift for kids between the ages of 2 & 10, & would be a lovely coffee table book for adults who long to revisit the fables they were told as a child.

Filled with wry wit, honest insights & creative storytelling, Unwitting Wisdom is a treasure for the mind, the heart & the spirit.

More from Helen Ward:
Animals' Christmas Carol
Old Shell, New Shell: A Coral
The Tin Forest
The Dragon Machine & more!
(11/21/04)

Rev. Marie D. Jones
2004©Marie D. Jones
A RebeccasReads.Com Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
Marie Jones is a New Thought minister, author of Looking For God In All The Wrong Places & a widely published writer of inspirational essays, gift books, short stories & magazine articles. She is also a screenwriter, & has produced a children's storybook video series for Gigglebug Farms Productions. she holds a Masters Degree in Metaphysical Studies & is a licensed pastoral counsellor.