Madonna Book:

Mr. Peabody's Apples Reviews:
One of Madonna's Best
2009-11-28 - I bought a few other titles in Madonna's children's book repertoire.. this was far superior to the others. I am an illustration major and I collect children's books for their artwork and the illustrations by Loren Long were absolutely beautiful. To be honest, the illustrations are what made this book for me, however the story is well written and has a nice moral as well. This would be a nice gift for any child or collector of children's books.

What You See Is Not Always What Is
2009-11-13 - This is a great children's book.

It is also one for adults. And, when I think back to what Madonna once said, while receiving an award, "I want to thank even my critics," I knew that "Mr. Peabody's Apples" would be a simply written, yet powerfully demonstrated book about the power of one's words.

More than words, this is about the power of your thoughts. When we see something, or someone tells us something, it is important to verify the truth. Your interlocutor could have an agenda, and if you buy into the story, you will be just as culpable, as she or he is.

In "Mr. Peabody's Apples," one child witnessed his mentor from a distance doing what he thought was inconceivable. Yet, this child, in this small town, used the power of his thoughts, enthusiasm and peers to destroy a good person's name.

And, rather than to seek revenge, what this child experienced was a great lesson in the impact of his thoughts, intentions and actions.

Although this book only takes a few minutes to read, I believe that no matter who you are, and where you are in your life's journey, this story, and especially how the problem was turned into something good, will last a lifetime.



big impact on gossiping
2009-04-04 - This book is a good illustration of what can happen when someone talks about somebody else and makes the wrong assumption. I work as a school counselor and this book is super. I love to use kiddie lit to make an ending impact to a lesson.

THIS HARDCOVER IS AN ABSOLUTE STEAL at AMAZON'S BARGAIN PRICE!
2009-02-19 - I was so impressed with the children's book MR. PEABODY'S APPLES by Madonna that I decided to read it to my fourth through sixth grade classes too. My six year-old daughter loved it and was able to understand the important theme addressing the dangers of spreading rumors and the dishonor in defaming someone's character. The story follows a small town's beloved Little League coach who is suspected of stealing apples. Ultimately, the coach leaves his players with an important life lesson after asking one of his players to climb to the top of the bleachers with a pillow on a windy day. Mr. Peabody advised the player to cut the pillow and shake the feathers into the wind. "The wind carried the thousands of feathers far and wide." The coach then advised the playr to retrieve all the feathers. Impossible! "It would be just as impossible to undo the damage that you have done by spreading the rumor that I am a thief," Mr Peabody explaind. "Each feather represents a person in Happville."Madonna: Five Books for Children (The English Roses / Mr. Peabody's Apples / Yakov and the Seven Thieves / The Adventures of Abdi, and Lotsa de Casha) See link for other children's stories by Madonna.

Poignant! Practical story for kids, even BIG kids and ADULTS
2009-02-14 - I was so impressed with the children's book MR. PEABODY'S APPLES by Madonna that I decided to read it to my fourth through sixth grade classes too. My six year-old daughter loved it and was able to understand the important theme addressing the dangers of spreading rumors and the dishonor in defaming someone's character. The story follows a small town's beloved Little League coach who is suspected of stealing apples. Ultimately, the coach leaves his players with an important life lesson after asking one of his players to climb to the top of the bleachers with a pillow on a windy day. Mr. Peabody advised the player to cut the pillow and shake the feathers into the wind. "The wind carried the thousands of feathers far and wide." The coach then advised the playr to retrieve all the feathers. Impossible! "It would be just as impossible to undo the damage that you have done by spreading the rumor that I am a thief," Mr Peabody explained. "Each feather represents a person in Happville." Madonna's inspiration came from a 300 year old story by The Baal Shem Tov "Master of the Good Name" who dedicated his life to helping others, stressing the importance of LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE.Madonna: Five Books for Children (The English Roses / Mr. Peabody's Apples / Yakov and the Seven Thieves / The Adventures of Abdi, and Lotsa de Casha) See link for other children's stories by Madonna.