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131st out of 521 books
—
502 voters
The Three Questions
by
Jon J. Muth ,
Leo Tolstoy
With his stunning watercolors -- and text that resounds with universal truths, award-winning artist Jon J Muth has transformed a story by Tolstoy into a timeless fable for young readers.
What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? Nikolai knows that he wants to be the best person he can be, but often he is unsure if he i...more
What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? Nikolai knows that he wants to be the best person he can be, but often he is unsure if he i...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
April 1st 2002
by Scholastic Press
(first published January 28th 2002)
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Nikolai has three questions he desperately seeks answers too. He goes about in asking his friends but they all seem to have different answers for him. So, he goes to Leo who he deems to be quite wise beyond his years for answers. Yet, while there a situation arises and Nikolai must act. However, does Nikolai get the answers to his questions? If so, will Nikolai understand them? You must read to find out.
Intended Grade Level: Kindergarten-2nd
Intended Grade Level: Kindergarten-2nd
The book is based on a story by Leo Tolstoy and, not surprisingly, it therefore has some depth. However, the author unnecessarily altered the story, presumably to make it more accessible to children. This shows a lack of appreciation for a child's ability to appreciate more serious and somewhat darker themes, and replacing an enemy who wishes to harm with a panda in need of help also completely circumvents the message of the virtue of loving one's enemies. As for my daughter's reaction to the st...more
"Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy, are the answers to what is most important in this world. This is why we are here."
A young boy ponders three big questions: "When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?" He asks his animal friends, who e...more
A young boy ponders three big questions: "When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?" He asks his animal friends, who e...more
This story reads like a classic story and captivates the reader by making them feel they along side the main character Nikolai in his journey to find the answers to three questions. He wants to know when is the best time to do things, who is the most important one, and what is the right thing to do. He makes a journey to go see Leo, a very old turtle to find out the answers to his questions. When he arrives, the turtle is trying to dig a garden but is hard for home because he is old. While he is...more
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(Mommy's review from 9/18/10)
Jon J. Muth beautifully changed Leo Tolstoy's The Three Questions and came up with this excruciatingly wonderful book. I was absolutely amazed at Julia's appreciation of such an in depth story.
I can't disagree more with any review that claims it lacks depth or makes Tolstoy's story or a childs processing of it/this lacking. Read it for yourself and find out - I won't try to convince you.
This is, easily, in the top three childrens books I've ever come across - I...more
(Mommy's review from 9/18/10)
Jon J. Muth beautifully changed Leo Tolstoy's The Three Questions and came up with this excruciatingly wonderful book. I was absolutely amazed at Julia's appreciation of such an in depth story.
I can't disagree more with any review that claims it lacks depth or makes Tolstoy's story or a childs processing of it/this lacking. Read it for yourself and find out - I won't try to convince you.
This is, easily, in the top three childrens books I've ever come across - I...more
Grade/interest level:
Reading level: 410 Lexile
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: Nikolai, Panda, Sonya, Gogol, Pushkin, Leo
Setting: Forest
POV: Narrator
This book is a book that was adapted from Tolstoy. It is about a little boy named Nikolai who wants to find the answer to three questions. When is the best time to do thinkg? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?
Nikolai looks everywhere for the answers. He asks his friends for help. Sonya, the heron, doesn't...more
Reading level: 410 Lexile
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: Nikolai, Panda, Sonya, Gogol, Pushkin, Leo
Setting: Forest
POV: Narrator
This book is a book that was adapted from Tolstoy. It is about a little boy named Nikolai who wants to find the answer to three questions. When is the best time to do thinkg? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?
Nikolai looks everywhere for the answers. He asks his friends for help. Sonya, the heron, doesn't...more
This is a great book that can be used to introduce Zen Philosophy to young children and teenagers. The book is an adaptation from Leo Tolstoy's short story "The Three Questions" published in 1903.
The story is about young Nikolai and his quest to answer the following three questions: What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? He asks several of his animal friends who consider the questions carefully and all answer differently. Nikolai then d...more
The story is about young Nikolai and his quest to answer the following three questions: What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? He asks several of his animal friends who consider the questions carefully and all answer differently. Nikolai then d...more
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: *****
What a thought-provoking book! The re-telling of Tolstoy's short story brings the reader to question the very things questioned in the book. And the answers, when found, can help bring a stressed-out reader to a sense of calm.
Summary:
A boy sets out to find the answer to three important questions that will help him live his life. However, his friends may not have the answers to share.
Main Characters:
Nikolai: uncertain about how to act, originator of the three quest...more
Rating: *****
What a thought-provoking book! The re-telling of Tolstoy's short story brings the reader to question the very things questioned in the book. And the answers, when found, can help bring a stressed-out reader to a sense of calm.
Summary:
A boy sets out to find the answer to three important questions that will help him live his life. However, his friends may not have the answers to share.
Main Characters:
Nikolai: uncertain about how to act, originator of the three quest...more
I vaguely remember reading the original Tolstoy short story in college and found it to be plodding and heavy-handed, but that was my rebellious, immature self. I did adore his novel-lengths works. If I ever decide to delve into Russian lit again, I may have a different reaction. But, I share this with you as it may color this review.
The Three Questions tells the story of a boy, named Nikolai, and his three questions,
When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the...more
The Three Questions tells the story of a boy, named Nikolai, and his three questions,
When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the...more
Never read Tolstoy's Three Questions. I bought this book at Callan Books in Stratford Ontario.
It strikes me as a very thoughtful book with a constant interplay between light and dark. Cute animals talk to each other, but there is a streak of selfishness, strife, conflict, and fear running through the pages. The illustrations are expansive and uses weather as a main indicator of light and dark. The main emotive line is questioning brought by fear - what if I miss the right time, what if I miss th...more
It strikes me as a very thoughtful book with a constant interplay between light and dark. Cute animals talk to each other, but there is a streak of selfishness, strife, conflict, and fear running through the pages. The illustrations are expansive and uses weather as a main indicator of light and dark. The main emotive line is questioning brought by fear - what if I miss the right time, what if I miss th...more
"The Three Questions" by Jon Muth is an out of the ordinary story about a boy who is trying to come to the realization on what is the appropriate way to act. Through a series of events, such as doing what you beleive is right in the spur of the moment, allows the reader to understand the theme of the story: Live for the moment and help others when needed. The illustrations that are provided in the story seem as though they have been created with a type of water color. The colors that appear seem...more
Sep 19, 2010
Miss Leacock
marked it as to-read
Mosaic of Thought mentions this book in the inference chapter.
"I'm predicting that because Nikolai played such an important role in the rescue of the panda and her baby that he will begin to realize that his questions may be unanswerable or, if there are answers, they will have to come from him thinking about his actions and how those actions help him understand When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? The authors "are trying to tell...more
"I'm predicting that because Nikolai played such an important role in the rescue of the panda and her baby that he will begin to realize that his questions may be unanswerable or, if there are answers, they will have to come from him thinking about his actions and how those actions help him understand When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? The authors "are trying to tell...more
This is a picture book that follows a little boy named Nikolai. He wants to find the answer to three questions. When is the best time to do thinkg? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?
He asks his friends for help. Sonya, the heron, answers the questions like any bird would. Gogol, the monkey, gives silly answers, like you might expect from a monkey. Pushkin, the dog, gives answers that are aggressive, like him. The boy is unsatisfied with these answers and sets out to fi...more
He asks his friends for help. Sonya, the heron, answers the questions like any bird would. Gogol, the monkey, gives silly answers, like you might expect from a monkey. Pushkin, the dog, gives answers that are aggressive, like him. The boy is unsatisfied with these answers and sets out to fi...more
When I looked at this book, I was wondering what it was about. There was a boy with 3 animals and I didn't understand why there were 3 animals on the front cover. As you start to read the book, you realized what the book is about. The book talks about his three questions in life: Why are we here? What are we doing here? and What is the right thing to do? He asks these three questions to the animals on the front cover, which are a heron, a monkey, and a dog. In the end, the boy goes and visits th...more
I have read this author/illustrator’s books Zen Shorts and Zen Ties. This is another book that can be used to introduce Zen philosophy to kids. In this story, which he takes from Leo Tolstoy’s story of the same name, I do appreciate how he adapted Tolstoy’s work and made up a tale of his own.
It’s got a good moral (basically that of living in the moment and doing good/helping others) but it seemed a little too moralistic to me, even though the story was entertaining so I guess I’m not really com...more
It’s got a good moral (basically that of living in the moment and doing good/helping others) but it seemed a little too moralistic to me, even though the story was entertaining so I guess I’m not really com...more
1 like · like · see review
This book was new to me but I read it to my little cousin before bedtime one night while babysitting and fell in love with it, and my little cousin told me it was one of his favorite books as well. It’s a children’s book based on a story by Leo Tolstoy called, “Three Questions” that was published in 1903. The author converted the story into a book for children but the main premise of the story remained the same, to always remember that the most important time is now and the most important one i...more
Grade/interest level: Upper Elementary
Reading level: AD410L
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: Nikolai and Leo
Setting: mountains
POV: Nikolai
A young boy named Nikolai travels to a mountain top to ask a wise turtle named Leo 3 questions: What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? When he arrives, Nikolai discovers the answers to these by helping Leo with his garden and saving a Panda bear and her baby from a violent storm. Leo un...more
Reading level: AD410L
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: Nikolai and Leo
Setting: mountains
POV: Nikolai
A young boy named Nikolai travels to a mountain top to ask a wise turtle named Leo 3 questions: What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? When he arrives, Nikolai discovers the answers to these by helping Leo with his garden and saving a Panda bear and her baby from a violent storm. Leo un...more
A truly beautiful book with a kind message of doing good and treating those around you well. The pictures were the best part, rendered in an color-laden watercolor style.
When reading the story, I couldn't help but wonder if the book had been translated and/or English was the author's second language. It turned out it was not. There was some phraseology that strikes as strange. This was the only failing to me. Depending upon my mood, I would find the philosophical nature of the book either enjoy...more
When reading the story, I couldn't help but wonder if the book had been translated and/or English was the author's second language. It turned out it was not. There was some phraseology that strikes as strange. This was the only failing to me. Depending upon my mood, I would find the philosophical nature of the book either enjoy...more
What a fantastic picture book! This story is based on Tolstoy's The Three Questions. In Muth's tale, he alters the message to make it applicable to children, and the result is simple but beautiful. Nikolai, a young boy, is searching for answers to his three questions: When is the best time to do a thing? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? His quest for understanding leads him on an adventure that will change his life.
This book would be a great addition to the middle sc...more
This book would be a great addition to the middle sc...more
This picture book explores a zen-like exercise to find the meaning of life. Nikolai askes his friends three questions: When is the best time to do things, who is the most important one and what is the right thing to do. He is not satisfied with their answers, so he decides to ask Leo the turtle. Helping Leo dig in his garden and saving a mother panda and her baby show him the answers: the most important time is now, the most important one is the one you are with and the most important thing to d...more
I loved this book. Jesse recommended it to me for my Children's Book project of 2012 and I adored it. As I said to her on Facebook, it's just beautiful - I kept re-reading it and thinking "Wow, how did someone write a children's book that says everything I believe about life?" I feel like I used to when I was still a teenager and hear a song on the radio that made me feel like the musician had stolen incidents from my life to write it.
My favourite part in the whole book was this part: "Remember...more
My favourite part in the whole book was this part: "Remember...more
Jon J. Muth has an uncanny way of being able to bring philosophy into the reach of children of all ages. His stories are fun, but they impart a message that is wise and timeless. I loved, loved, loved this book. It's a short tale, but really says it all.
"Remember then, that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing to do is to do goodd for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy...more
"Remember then, that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing to do is to do goodd for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy...more
My kids and I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The illustrations are, of course, wonderful. I especially love the way the kite tail flies through the air.
My kids' favorite character was Pushkin the dog, although their favorite part is when the monkey gets hit on the head with the coconut. It's possible they're missing the point of the story, but they did have some insights into why each friend was giving the answers he or she was giving ("Pushkin says that because he likes fighting," observed my...more
My kids' favorite character was Pushkin the dog, although their favorite part is when the monkey gets hit on the head with the coconut. It's possible they're missing the point of the story, but they did have some insights into why each friend was giving the answers he or she was giving ("Pushkin says that because he likes fighting," observed my...more
I absolutely loved this book. I adored it. I want to read this book to my middle son tonight, and often after that. The idea for this book sprung from the short story of the same title originally penned by none other than Leo Tolstoy. A boy searches for the meaning of life in these three questions: When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? In the end, he finds his answers have always been there and he must never forget them if he is to live...more
May 06, 2012
Lora Carroll
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-three-to-five-years
What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? Nikolai is a little boy full of big questions. He goes on a journey to find the answers but he ends up discovering them within himself. John J Muth's beautiful and delicate watercolours bring this gentle story to life.
Publisher's overview:
Nikolai is a boy who believes that if he can find the answers to his three questions, he will always know how to be a good person. His friends--a heron, a monkey,...more
Publisher's overview:
Nikolai is a boy who believes that if he can find the answers to his three questions, he will always know how to be a good person. His friends--a heron, a monkey,...more
The Three Questions is a book about taking a step back to reflect on life questions. The main character Nikolai has three questions he would like answered. So he goes to his friends but they each give him several diffrent answers so Nikolai gets confused. So Nikolai goes to Leo for his answers but can Leo give him the knowledge to his questions he is looking for or will Nikolai come up empty handed. It takes a lot of thought to reflect on things like why are we here or what is our purpose, we do...more
I usually don't add the picture books I read to my Goodreads - maybe because I am already having such a hard time keeping up even without the many picture books - but this one is such a gem, I cannot leave it unmentioned. I have read this book many times already, and enjoy it and treasure it each time again and again. It is a timeless story and just the perfect read-aloud to share. What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? Don't we all wond...more
Another beautifully rendered story by Muth. This one centers on a boy, Nikolai, who wants to be the best person he can be, but is unsure how to go about it. His friends try to answer his questions but he remains unconvinced. He goes to talk with Leo, the wise turtle, and in the process of his time with the turtle winds up answering his three questions: What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? Another good story for one-on-one reading with...more
There are few messages more important (in my mind) than that of living in the moment. I believe so much good can be accomplished by simply showing up and being present in your own life. Jon Muth does such a nice job of conveying weighty philosophical concepts without arrogance, pretension or condescension. Plus his art is just really lovely. Zen Shorts definitely wins as my favorite Muth book, but this one is enjoyable and worthy in its own way too.
2 likes · like · see review
This is my favorite book to read to my little boy (4). The illustrations are gorgeous - but in a water-colored way that's appropriate to the topic. There is just enough action to hold his attention, but I can tell that he's thought about the three questions a couple of days after this has been read. Best of all is the last page, with (again) a wonderful watercolor of the friends heading off into the distance and the line "this is why we are here". If you have thoughtful and/or dreamy children (o...more
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Jon J. Muth is an American comic artist. His works include J. M. DeMatteis' graphic novel Moonshadow, Neil Gaiman's The Sandman: The Wake (along with Michael Zulli, Charles Vess), Mike Cary's Lucifer: Nirvana and Swamp Thing: Roots. Muth has gone on to an award-winning career as a children's book writer and illustrator. He received a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators for his illustration...more
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“Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. This is why we are here.”
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Dec 05, 2011 11:39am