Do your students enjoy a good laugh? Do they like to be scared? Or do they just like a book with a happy ending? No matter what their taste, our Cr...
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reviews
Nov 18, 2011
Petra X
rated it: 
Totally rewritten and expanded from the original short and succinct review in the light of some personally derogatory comments concerning my even daring to mention Wilde's anti-semitism. Nov. 18th, 2011
I've always liked Oscar Wilde's prose, if not his drama, but I thought this was an exercise in hypocrisy, or perhaps it was just Oscar Wilde, locked out of the gates of the wealthy aristocracy, just venting his spleen on them. You would think a man who lost everything because of the p More...
I've always liked Oscar Wilde's prose, if not his drama, but I thought this was an exercise in hypocrisy, or perhaps it was just Oscar Wilde, locked out of the gates of the wealthy aristocracy, just venting his spleen on them. You would think a man who lost everything because of the p More...
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Aug 26, 2011
Lorraine
rated it: 
This book is about the friendship between a swallow and a statue of a Happy Prince. The Happy Prince truly was just that- happy- in life because he lead a sheltered existence. "My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness." This distinction foreshadows the story's intent to outline for us a deeper meaning in happiness. In life, the Prince was shielded from all misery. He passed, and was immortalized in the statue, which looked down upon th
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Feb 22, 2010
Chandra
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This review is for the picture book abridgment (by Jane Ray) of Oscar Wilde's original tale. This is the story of a little swallow who's destiny is changed the moment he lands to rest for a moment on a golden statue. Soon the swallow discovers that the statue is crying. He is crying for all the pain and suffering he sees from his high up vantage point. In life he had been a happy and carefree prince who knew nothing of these things. And so now he is devastated by the truth of how vast human
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Feb 08, 2009
Sleeping on my friend's couch, having come to school too early for my own room to be open, she offered me her childhood copy of "The Happy Prince and Other Stories" to further my on-going search for pieces to record for my research project. I hadn't known that Oscar Wilde wrote children's stories, much less these delightfully crafted and imaginative parables.
Much like Warner Brother's cartoons, Oscar Wilde's fairy tales have value for both children and the adults who read to More...
Much like Warner Brother's cartoons, Oscar Wilde's fairy tales have value for both children and the adults who read to More...
Jan 23, 2010
Carolyn
rated it:
The three-star rating is a rough average, as the amount to which I enjoyed each of these stories varies. My favourites - "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Fisherman and His Soul", and "The Birthday of the Infanta" - made my heart swell and twist in lovely ways. Others, like "The Happy Prince" and "The Young King" were not unpleasant to read, but in the end I didn't see much purpose to them beyond vaguely Christian morality tales.
Al More...
Al More...
Nov 16, 2011
Alice
rated it:
I do really like Oscar Wilde, so giving this collectiont three stars pains me somewhat. It's not that they aren't well written, they're just incredibly sad and frustrating. "The Devoted Friend", for example, just annoyed me. There are no happy endings and, call me old fashioned, but I think happy endings in children's stories are a necessity. That being said I read "The Selfish Giant" many times as a child. Whether it did me any good or not remains to be seen!
From More...
From More...
Sep 11, 2011
Julie
rated it: 
This was an apt story to read today. It has the same themes of empathy, sharing and love as The Giving Tree, but executed in a much more successful way, in my opinion. It's a shame that I recently entered one of my own picture book manuscripts with this theme in a competition, and the judge's comments back were mainly that the theme was cliched. Sure, it has been covered before, but does that mean topics about love, mutual understanding and a lack of greed should not be covered any more? Sure, I
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Feb 09, 2011
Brennan
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This was a sad story about a boy/statue who gives all he has to make the people of his city happy. In the end he gives all he had, and then the people are unappreciative of his statue once all the jewels and gold have been removed, so they melt down the statue until only the boy's lead heart remains, which for some reason cannot be melted down.
The whole story is about the boy giving what he had to make others happy. He sacrificed what he had in order that others wouldn't go hungry, and More...
The whole story is about the boy giving what he had to make others happy. He sacrificed what he had in order that others wouldn't go hungry, and More...
Aug 24, 2007
Sarah
rated it: 
The version of The Happy Prince and Other Stories I read is a Penguin 60s and only has half the stories of the original collection: "The Happy Prince", "The Young King", "The Devoted Friend" and "The Model Millionaire." The longer collection also includes: "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Remarkable Rocket", "The Birthday of the Infanta", "The Star-Child" and "The Fisherman an
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Nov 08, 2011
Ian
rated it:
I read this as a child and was always moved to tears by the sad story of the swallow and the prince. I loved this story and have read it for my children.
Have to say I am genuinely surprised at some of the other reviews for this book that end up covering feminism, homosexuality, antisemitism and who knows what else. What ever happened to enjoying a story for what it is rather than this incessant need to analyse and over complicate?
Have to say I am genuinely surprised at some of the other reviews for this book that end up covering feminism, homosexuality, antisemitism and who knows what else. What ever happened to enjoying a story for what it is rather than this incessant need to analyse and over complicate?
Nov 23, 2011
Laura
rated it:
The Happy Prince is a great fairytale. Perhaps a bit too heavy handed in this day and age to work as a morality tale, though I'm sure that was its intention. Greed, loyalty, loss, value, all nicely portrayed in a lovely little story about a talking bird and his new friend, the statue. Even though I call it a fairytale and a "little" story, it still manages to push buttons and pull heatstrings.
Jan 22, 2012
Job
rated it:
Super triste. Esta historia la leí varias veces cuando estaba pequeñuelo, de unos ocho o nueve años. Trata de una imponente estatua, bella y rica en joyas y oro que se alza en medio de una ciudad llena de bullicio y por aqui y por alla de tristeza. El príncipe busca ayudar a los que lo necesitan y haciéndose amigo de una golondrina se juntan para conseguirlo.
Nov 21, 2011
Mohammed
rated it:
Never seen such a colorful variety of short stories in a single book. Some were modern, others were fairy-tales while some could be for children. I shall never forget "The Fisherman & His Soul". That is the reasons I cannot get myself to pen to paper. When you read such compelling narration, you are like: "There's no way on earth that I can write like this".
Jun 29, 2011
jamie
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Entranced me at once. "The picture of Dorian Gray" was the first Oscar Wilde book i read and i loved its cynicism and wit. Reading this short story surprised me; I didn't know Wilde wrote such imaginative short stories that contained so much childish innocence with a moralistic undertone. His allegorical stories remind me of C.S. Lewis' writings.
Jun 04, 2011
Maryam
rated it:
The irony of it all lays in the title and it makes you laugh at yourself for thinking you'd read about a happy prince. The prince notices the sufferings of other people and decides to help them by giving away his processions. The sparrow helped him a lot into delivering these gestures and stuck with him throughout.
Apr 22, 2009
Marts (Thinker)
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So, was he really a "happy prince", well we could call him the once was happy prince and the gentle sparrow who befriended and regardless of his situation stuck with him till death. I guess if some who sit upon their golden thrones were to view the hardship around them they wont be so "happy" either.
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Jul 22, 2010
Jane
rated it:
Read this when I was a child in English and loved it. Read it recently again in French and had tears pouring down my face pretty much all the way through. It is incredibly moving and profound and, unfortunately still completely relevant with its depiction of self-righteous meddling bureaucrats.
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Dec 11, 2008
Tressa
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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May 04, 2009
Christine
rated it:
This book is the most transformative book I read as a child. Every year, my children and I gather to read it together. Hopefully, my children will grow and live so that they too will be recognized as the most precious things a swallow identify.
Jan 08, 2012
Joe
rated it:
Yes I know this story deserves more than three stars but it owes far too much to Hans Andersen. The ending is a cross between two different Anderson tales, and there are references to others. I just felt that I wasn't reading an Oscar Wilde story.
Mar 31, 2009
Tara
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I don't think I've ever read anything by Wilde that I haven't adored. His prose and characterization are brilliant, and it doesn't matter if he's writing for children, or for adults, his writing style adapts to the audience.
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May 25, 2011
Merope
rated it:
This is one of my all-time favorites. I read it at a very early age and I was deeply affected by the story, it may be simple, but it is emotional and touching. One of the most heart breaking stories Ive ever read.
Oct 03, 2011
Jemma
rated it:
This was the first book I finished reading on my Kindle. Some brilliant one liners. My particular favourite was the story about the fireworks. I laughed out loud a fair bit. Pretty lighthearted reading.
Mar 30, 2011
This was the first story, I think, that ever made me cry and it still has the power to make me cry.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entert...
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entert...
Apr 02, 2010
Bettie
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Nov 29, 2011
Doron
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Agreat book for kids and adults altogether. A very sad story about true love, about the meaning of giving, about kindness, forgiveness, faithfulness and happiness. There is a lot going on in this short book. Enjoy.
Feb 06, 2011
Kelly
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I read this when I was in elementary school and loved it. I remember I cried and cried because it was such a touching story about love that was willing to give the ultimate sacrifice.
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Jan 02, 2009
Amy
rated it:
I can still remember my mom reading me this short story. It would choke her up every time. Such a sweet story. I was happy to see it made into a picture book.
Jan 23, 2012
I saw this book on a bookclub tv show and it was really highly rated, so considering it is only $10.00 with classic penguins, I decided to give it a whirl. I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The themes and messages of both the happy prince and the other 8 stories in the book are ones of great importance that should be featured in children's books more often, though sadly are not.
Nov 26, 2011
EsMerol
rated it:
Decir que lloré ¿es una reseña? La manera en que este cuento es contado (quiero decir, en que fué escrito), es fluido y sencillamente, conmovedor.
