The Story of Ferdinand
What else can be said about the fabulous Ferdinand? Published more than 50 years ago (and one of the bestselling children's books of all time), this simple story of peace and contentment has withstood the test of many generations. Ferdinand is a little bull who much prefers sitting quietly under a cork tree-- just smelling the flowers--to jumping around, snorting, and butting heads with other bulls. This cow is no coward--he simply has his pacifist priorities clear. As Ferdinand grows big and strong, his temperament remains mellow, until the day he meets with the wrong end of a bee. In a show of bovine irony, the one day Ferdinand is most definitely not sitting quietly under the cork tree (due to a frightful sting), is the selfsame day that five men come to choose the "biggest, fastest, roughest bull" for the bullfights in Madrid.
Ferdinand's day in the arena gives readers not only an education in the historical tradition of bullfighting, but also a lesson in nonviolent tranquility. Robert Lawson's black-and-white drawings are evocative and detailed, with especially sweet renditions of Ferdinand, the serene bull hero. The Story of Ferdinand closes with one of the happiest endings in the history of happy endings--readers of all ages will drift off to a peaceful sleep, dreaming of sweet-smelling flowers and contented cows.(amazon.com review)
Author page
Illustrator Page
Other books by Robert Lawson
Go-Alongs:
Online Units and Resources for The Story of Ferdinand
History of Bullfighting
A good teacher's reference (T)
History and explanation of Corrida de Torros, or Bullfighting
Origins and History of Bullfight (Y, M, O, T)
Bullfighting links for reference
(T)
A Month of Mapping Literature
"Take your students on a world tour with literature! Students read and discuss a new story or book each day. Students plot the locations of the story or book on a world map or globe." (Y, M, O, T)
Border Studies Curriculum - Bullfighting
Students will understand the cultural significance and meaning of the bullfight. In addition, students will research internet sources on the ethical aspects of bullfighting, and exercise their rhetorical and argumentative skills in an in-class debate on the subject. Middle School (M)
The Story of Ferdinand - lapbook
(Y)
Resources for Ferdinand
Vocabulary cards, story templates, Spain file folder game, and more (Y)
Ferdinand the Bull Playbill
From TheatreWorks USA. PDf file for use when classes go see the play but has great written and discussion questions for any setting. (Y)
Ferdinand the Bull
Resource guide for teachers on non violent conflict resolution. Grades K-6th (T Y M)
Ferdinand the Bull Playbill
(T,Y)
Ferdinand the Bull - teacher Resource Guide
K - 1st grade (T)
Top picks for children's books on Spain
(y m)
The Art of Bullfighting
(Y, M, O, T)
Bull fighting in Spain
(Y, M, O, T)
Go-alongs about Spain
Bull fighting in Spain - (Y, M, O, T)
Enchanted Learning Little Explorers - - English-Spanish picture dictionary online (Y)
Glossary - bullfighting -
(Y)
History and explanation of Corrida de Torros, or Bullfighting - Origins and History of Bullfight (Y, M, O, T)
Interactive map of Spain - Excellent clickable map with further regional information available as you drill down through the subsequent maps. (Y, M, O, T)
Little Explorers English-Spanish Picture Dictionary - By Enchanted Learning (Y, M, O, T)
Photo tour of Spain - Start by clicking on the map and follow the links to the photos of different areas of the country. (Y, M, O, T)
Si Spain! - Comprehensive website featuring Spain's history, language, culture, and more. (Y, M, O, T)
The Art of Bullfighting - (Y, M, O, T)
Top picks for children's books on Spain - (y m)