Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
229th out of 2,253 books
—
3,525 voters
Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue
Pierre's 'I don't care!' intrigues a hungry lion. 'A story with a moral air about Pierre, who learned to care.'
Paperback, 48 pages
Published
March 15th 1991
by HarperCollins
(first published 1962)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
My kindergarten class did a skit to the song about how Pierre doesn't care and for years I couldn't figure out where the song was from and why it haunted me. I would even sing the one part I knew to people once in a while and no one could tell me more about it. I finally figured it out at the Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Jewish Museum about three years ago. It was like a revelation.
Author: Maurice Sendak
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Publication Info: Harper Collins Publishers Inc.: 1991
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Topic/Theme: caring
Issues Addressed: It is better to care about something than to not care at all.
Classroom Uses: Read Aloud, Independent Reading
Summary: Pierre responds to everything with "I don't care." He does not care about anything. He does not care what his mother thinks. He does not care what he eats. Pierre is a comical character who learns to care.
Text and im...more
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Publication Info: Harper Collins Publishers Inc.: 1991
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Topic/Theme: caring
Issues Addressed: It is better to care about something than to not care at all.
Classroom Uses: Read Aloud, Independent Reading
Summary: Pierre responds to everything with "I don't care." He does not care about anything. He does not care what his mother thinks. He does not care what he eats. Pierre is a comical character who learns to care.
Text and im...more
I discovered this little book among our family books that my Mom has saved for us kids. I was looking through those books with her for ideas of books that I can read to my students. One of my favorite things about the book is the title! Hmm, it looks like the title is incorrectly written here. The actual title is: Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue.
My students were familiar with the book because their teacher had read it to them last year. However, they were still excited...more
My students were familiar with the book because their teacher had read it to them last year. However, they were still excited...more
Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue by Maurice Sendak is a classic moral tale of a child who learns a lesson about constantly replying: "I don't care!"
Sendak's illustrations are outstanding, with the humorous touches making the story engaging and effective, but not overly frightening. I love the illustration of the doctor shaking the lion upside down. I also greatly enjoy the long thin drawings above each chapter heading. My other favorite images include pouring syrup, wear...more
Sendak's illustrations are outstanding, with the humorous touches making the story engaging and effective, but not overly frightening. I love the illustration of the doctor shaking the lion upside down. I also greatly enjoy the long thin drawings above each chapter heading. My other favorite images include pouring syrup, wear...more
Apr 14, 2009
Ronyell
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
children-books,
fantasy,
surreal,
picture-books,
maurice-sendak,
weston-woods,
manners,
reviewed-books,
read-in-1990
"Pierre" is apart of the famous "Nutshell Kids" Library series and man, was this story something to look forward to .
This book is about how a young boy named Pierre always told his parents that he did not care about anything that they do or what he does. All that changes when a lion one day comes to Pierre's house...
Maurice Sendak does a great job with writing this story in a lyrical prose and does an even greater job with detailing the moral of the story, which is it is good to care about peopl...more
This book is about how a young boy named Pierre always told his parents that he did not care about anything that they do or what he does. All that changes when a lion one day comes to Pierre's house...
Maurice Sendak does a great job with writing this story in a lyrical prose and does an even greater job with detailing the moral of the story, which is it is good to care about peopl...more
I just finished reading this 4 times in a row with my six year old. He read most of it to me, then asked me to read it to give the voices the proper tone.
He always doubts me when I say "Oh, this is a good one! I LOVED this one when I was your age!" but this time he listened to me, and he loved it.
LOVED.
His favourite parts involve the lion (of course) - he loves the satisfied smirk on his face when Pierre is eaten and watching Pierre's father smacking the lion with the chair.
I'm glad I found a co...more
He always doubts me when I say "Oh, this is a good one! I LOVED this one when I was your age!" but this time he listened to me, and he loved it.
LOVED.
His favourite parts involve the lion (of course) - he loves the satisfied smirk on his face when Pierre is eaten and watching Pierre's father smacking the lion with the chair.
I'm glad I found a co...more
May 23, 2008
Sarah
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who don't care
Recommended to Sarah by:
Edie
Shelves:
childrens
A gem, to be sure with a solid moral. I do so love a moral.
"Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue" by Maurice Sendak has a lot of things going for it.
First of all, it has a ridiculously long title- and I love that. Second of all, it's written by Maurice Sendak, who I am all of a sudden a big fan of since I watched his interview on The Colbert Report last week. Thirdly, it's just a completely ridiculous and fun story even if there is a moral at the end. It's the kind of book I want to write.
First of all, it has a ridiculously long title- and I love that. Second of all, it's written by Maurice Sendak, who I am all of a sudden a big fan of since I watched his interview on The Colbert Report last week. Thirdly, it's just a completely ridiculous and fun story even if there is a moral at the end. It's the kind of book I want to write.
This was put to music in the absolutely fabulous children's album Really Rosie, by Carole King. My mom used to have me sing the song to guests of mine who said "I don't care" too much when asked to weigh in on plans under way. Sendak's illustrations are as usual superb.
"There once was a boy named Pierre
Who only would say, 'I don't care.'
Read his story, my friend,
And you'll find, at the end,
That a suitable moral ... lies there!"
"There once was a boy named Pierre
Who only would say, 'I don't care.'
Read his story, my friend,
And you'll find, at the end,
That a suitable moral ... lies there!"
I think this is one of the most amazing children's books ever written. It is a great introduction to what a chapter is. Ever kid I ever read it to, starts by learning their numbers and then being excited to point and say, "chapter 1", and so on. This is in my top ten of best children books ever. I've had four kids and every one of them have loved this book. It is a must read for every toddler in the world. It also has a fantastic moral.
Maurice Sendak passed away today. I know he had a long life, but the world of children's literature really lost an amazing authour and illustrator.
Pierre: A Continuous Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue is my favourite Sendak book. I can still recite it line for line. It is seared into my memory. Pierre is a great cautionary tale!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainme...
Pierre: A Continuous Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue is my favourite Sendak book. I can still recite it line for line. It is seared into my memory. Pierre is a great cautionary tale!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainme...
This book is hilarious and would make a perfect gift to my boyfriend. Neither of us seem to ever want to make a decision about what to eat, which movie to see, what to do or when to do anything! I am going to start telling him I'll eat him up if he doesn't decide. This book would also be a good one for the classroom, kids could comment on Pierre's behavior and synthesize his actions.
This is one of my daughter's favorites. The first time I read it to her (age 2) she sat still and quiet and her mouth literally fell open wider and wider as the story went on. She found it shocking yet intriguing, and somehow (despite its over the top moral) she liked the lesson. Leave it to Sendak to write a fable about behaving nicely and have the kids think it's fun.
Pierre is a brat. And it's annoying to have to read "I Don't Care" written over and over. But at least the title of the book warns you right off that the story is all about having a moral. I guess the rhyming gets you through it, though it cannot compare with "Chicken Soup with Rice." Not awful, but not that great. Not for me anyhow.
This was my daughter's favorite of the Nutshell Library books. We read it again and again, with her playing the role of Pierre. I don't think we ever read it again after discovering Carole King's amazing musical setting in the video Really Rosie. Instead, we sang it, loudly and proudly if not well. What joy!
I remember enjoying reading this story to my students, and I also enjoyed the cassette tape (at the time) of the story put to song, sung by Carole King. Cute story about a little boy with an attitude who gets eaten by a lion. When he gets shaken back out of the lion, he has a whole new attitude! :)
1 like · like · see review
Prologue: There once was a boy named Pierre who only would say, "I don't care!" read his story, my friend, for you'll find at the end that a suitable moral lies there.
This is a really fun book to read with a toddler who can scream out Pierre's line of, "I don't care!"
This is a really fun book to read with a toddler who can scream out Pierre's line of, "I don't care!"
This has got to be my favorite book of all time! I am a Sendak fan, but there is a popular refrain in our family of "I don't care, said Pierre. So, the lion ate him then and there.", whenever someone tries to say "I don't care" instead of expressing an actual opinion!
This book takes a snotty kid who replies, "I don't care" to absolutely everything and in the end is taught to care because of a near death experience. Hopefully, it doesn't take that for every snotty kid to care in their life. Good moral of the story!
When I was little, my mother always pulled out this book and read it to us whenever we told her that we didn't care. Now whenever anyone says that they don't care, I automatically think of this silly book. I really like the book and the moral is a good one.
haven't seen the girls so enthralled with a book since "bedtime at the swamp". pierre has a bad attitude. he is eaten by a lion. he doesn't sit well. when he is regurgitated, life is different. timeless.
The moral of Pierre is: CARE!
This is a wonderful and memorable book, and Pierre's constant refrain (and eventual comeuppance) reminded me of individuals who shall remain nameless.
This is a wonderful and memorable book, and Pierre's constant refrain (and eventual comeuppance) reminded me of individuals who shall remain nameless.
This is a silly story, but effective for getting children to see how silly it is to not care. The little boy is also a great illustration of how the actions we take effect everyone around us.
Does no one have librarian status to edit the title? It's "A Cautionary Tale," not "A Continuous Tale." Thanks.
What a cute book. Very much in the tradition of Hilaire Belloc, et al.
What a cute book. Very much in the tradition of Hilaire Belloc, et al.
Had to read this one to my son hoping that he would--hint, hint--get the point. A cute book about a kid who doesn't care about anything. He learns to, fast, when a lion eats him up!
The fact that two readings of this book by the same person taking place 23 years apart can be so different is exactly the reason I think Maurice Sendak is so brilliant. There is always something more to uncover beneath the surface of his writing, and always something adults can appreciate along with their children.
Read my full review on my blog: http://sharingsoda.blogspot.com/2011/...
Read my full review on my blog: http://sharingsoda.blogspot.com/2011/...
One of my childhood books that I keep telling myself I need to share with my kids. Any time they say "I don't care" I think of this story. Must read to them soon!
This was such a hit that my daughter even slept with it clutched in her arms. I think, in addition to the pictures, it was the small book format that she loved.
A moral tale about a boy whose apathy gets him eaten by a lion. The story is told in five chapters and a prologue and seems incredibly involved for a children's book.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Maurice Bernard Sendak is an American writer and illustrator of children's literature who is best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963. An elementary school (from kindergarten to grade five) in North Hollywood, California is named in his honor.
Sendak was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents, and decided to become an illustrator after viewing Wal...more
More about Maurice Sendak...
Sendak was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents, and decided to become an illustrator after viewing Wal...more
Share This Book
3 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
Apr 14, 2009 01:29pm