Creighton University

I am surprised that I have never run into this series of ten books before.  I wrote the publisher yesterday to ask about the set.  Sixteen pages.  This version starts with a farmer giving a dog meat and the greedy dog already responding "I want more!"  This dog steals the cats' milk and the hens' grain and the horses' oats.  Finally the farmer gives the dog a huge bone.  The best picture of the book occurs as the dog goes over a nicely bowed bridge and sees his reflection perfectly in the water.  A selection of this picture is rightly chosen to appear also on the cover.  When the dog looked down into the water afterwards, "all he could see was a very sad dog with no bone at all" (15).  An old crow watching comments "Greedy folk often lose what they have!" (16).  Formerly owned by Dickinson Elementary School in DePere, WI.

This book is identical with a copy already in the collection except that it is a fourth rather than a third printing.  It is in better condition than the earlier copy.  I am surprised that I have never run into this series of ten books before.  I wrote the publisher yesterday to ask about the set.  Sixteen pages.  This version starts with a farmer giving a dog meat and the greedy dog already responding "I want more!"  This dog steals the cats' milk and the hens' grain and the horses' oats.  Finally the farmer gives the dog a huge bone.  The best picture of the book occurs as the dog goes over a nicely bowed bridge and sees his reflection perfectly in the water.  A selection of this picture is rightly chosen to appear also on the cover.  When the dog looked down into the water afterwards, "all he could see was a very sad dog with no bone at all" (15).  An old crow watching comments "Greedy folk often lose what they have!" (16).

Here is the second book of this series of ten.  Pearson Learning Group is not mentioned, and the publisher's address is Carlsbad, CA.  The word count is 307.  Sixteen pages. This fox begins by telling the crow that the cheese smells delicious and even asking if he could try some.  He goes so far as to renew the request twice.  Only then does he start a new tactic: "How beautiful you look today!"  New in this version is the recording of a reaction after each compliment: "What a friendly fox" and "What a kind fox."  The crow even thinks "This fox knows good music when he hears it."  The best of the pictures might be that of the fox licking his chops after consuming the cheese (14).  On the last page, the fox laughs and says "I hope you have learned a lesson from this."  It looks like Dominie yielded the rights to this book to the Pearson Learning Group sometime after 2003.  Finding two of the books of this series has led to finding many more including this one.  Let me see when I can complete the set!

Here is the third book of this series of ten.  Now Pearson Learning Group is mentioned, and the publisher's address has shifted from Carlsbad, CA, to Parsippany, NJ.  The word count is 460.  Sixteen pages.  Great pictures include the fox's first realization that he trapped (8) and the goat's plunge into the well (11).  I find three surprises in this version.  First, the fox asks for help from both a rabbit and a sheep before trying with the goat the different tactic of praising the water.  Secondly, the fox does not suggest a plan to the goat; he simply jumps onto his back and then his horns as a way to get out.  Thirdly, when the goat asks how he is to get out, the fox uses the rope, pulley, and bucket to get him out "this time" (14).  Finding two of the books of this series has led to finding many more including this one.  Let me see when I can complete the set!  It looks like this is an eighth printing in 2008.

Here is the sixth book of this series of ten.  Pearson Learning Group is not mentioned, and the publisher's address is Carlsbad, CA.  The word count is 265.  Sixteen pages.  This crow repeats several times "I must have water or I will die."  The artist underscores the text's insistence on the many stones it takes to bring the water level up.  "It just goes to show you, sometimes all you need to succeed is more patience, not more strength!"  Four things are unusual about my acquisition of this book.  First, it came from Better World Books through Amazon.  Secondly, it belonged to the Davenport, Iowa, school district.  Thirdly, it cost about three times the amount of other books in this series that I bought from Amazon.  Fourthly, this copy is slightly creased at the center of the page throughout the booklet.  It looks like Dominie yielded the rights to this book to the Pearson Learning Group sometime after 2003.  Finding two of the books of this series has led to finding many more including this one.  Acquiring individual copies, I have arrived now at a total of nine out of the ten.  I had to order the whole series of ten then from the publisher to make sure I got that last member, BW.

This is a better copy of the fifth printing.  I will leave both copies in the collection.  Here is the sixth book of this series of ten.  Pearson Learning Group is not mentioned, and the publisher's address is Carlsbad, CA.  The word count is 265.  Sixteen pages.  This crow repeats several times "I must have water or I will die."  The artist underscores the text's insistence on the many stones it takes to bring the water level up.  "It just goes to show you, sometimes all you need to succeed is more patience, not more strength!"  Four things are unusual about my acquisition of this book.  First, it came from Better World Books through Amazon.  Secondly, it belonged to the Davenport, Iowa, school district.  Thirdly, it cost about three times the amount of other books in this series that I bought from Amazon.  Fourthly, this copy is slightly creased at the center of the page throughout the booklet.  It looks like Dominie yielded the rights to this book to the Pearson Learning Group sometime after 2003.  Finding two of the books of this series has led to finding many more including this one.  Acquiring individual copies, I have arrived now at a total of nine out of the ten.  I had to order the whole series of ten then from the publisher to make sure I got that last member, BW.

Here is the seventh book listed in this series of ten, the second book that I have found thus far.  It has about twice the number of words as the other volume, The Very Greedy Dog.  There are 587 words here to 228 there.  Sixteen pages.  In this version, the boastful hare doubles back to tell the tortoise that he might as well give up.  Within sight of the goal "'This is such an easy race!' he said to himself.  'I've even got time for a little nap'" (10).  This tortoise's repeated line is "I must keep going!  I must keep going!" (13).  The tortoise gets to proclaim the moral at the end: "Slow and steady wins the race" (16).  Now I need to find the other eight booklets in the series!

This book is identical with a copy already in the collection except that it is a fourth rather than a fifth printing. Here is the seventh book listed in this series of ten, the second book that I have found thus far.  It has about twice the number of words as the other volume, "The Very Greedy Dog."  There are 587 words here to 228 there.  Sixteen pages.  In this version, the boastful hare doubles back to tell the tortoise that he might as well give up.  Within sight of the goal "'This is such an easy race!' he said to himself.  'I've even got time for a little nap'" (10).  This tortoise's repeated line is "I must keep going!  I must keep going!" (13).  The tortoise gets to proclaim the moral at the end: "Slow and steady wins the race" (16).  Now I need to find the other eight booklets in the series!

Here is a first printing of this booklet.  I will add it to the collection, keeping also the fourth printing already in the collection.  Here is the tenth book of this series of ten.  Pearson Learning Group is not mentioned, and the publisher's address is Carlsbad, CA.  The word count is 560.  Sixteen pages.  One of the best illustrations in this version is the first, with its emphasis on the tired old donkey breaking down under his load.  The repeated line of the miller here is "They must be right."  The line from the farmer near town to them is "Surely that isn't your own poor donkey!"  Another great illustration shows the confusion and apprehension of the donkey with his hooves tied together above the pole as he is carried over a bridge.  Here the donkey is able to jump out of the river and run away, refreshed from his swim.  The miller introduces the moral by saying to his son "At least we learned one thing."  The whole booklet is well done.  It looks like Dominie yielded the rights to this book to the Pearson Learning Group sometime after 2003.  Finding two of the books of this series has led to finding many more including this one.

Here is the tenth book of this series of ten.  Pearson Learning Group is not mentioned, and the publisher's address is Carlsbad, CA.  The word count is 560.  Sixteen pages.  One of the best illustrations in this version is the first, with its emphasis on the tired old donkey breaking down under his load.  The repeated line of the miller here is "They must be right."  The line from the farmer near town to them is "Surely that isn't your own poor donkey!"  Another great illustration shows the confusion and apprehension of the donkey with his hooves tied together above the pole as he is carried over a bridge.  Here the donkey is able to jump out of the river and run away, refreshed from his swim.  The miller introduces the moral by saying to his son "At least we learned one thing."  The whole booklet is well done.  It looks like Dominie yielded the rights to this book to the Pearson Learning Group sometime after 2003.  Finding two of the books of this series has led to finding many more including this one.  Let me see when I can complete the set!