ETIQUETTE AND MANNERS
Etiquette and good manners ought to be the expression
of a heart
that wants to be kind. Though they differ from culture to culture, the point is always to
put others at ease
The books below have different ways of portraying
behaviors that make people
comfortable or uncomfortable, and pointing the way to courtesy and kindness
that others will understand and respond to.
Charm School: A Manual of Etiquette with 101 Rules and
Tips for Living, illustrated by Toni Goffe. Hardcover with illustrated
boards, no jacket. This shows elementary children the why and how of manners, and a little
of their history. The main idea is that since the Middle Ages manners have helped people
live together and interact with less friction than they might without them. Though customs
and specifics of etiquette may vary from age to age, the purpose of good manners is still
to put people at ease with one another. Humorous color pictures enhance the text. $4.94-B
 Feelings by Aliki. This
paperback Reading Rainbow picture book is hard to put in a category, but I decided to put
it here because body language gives us hints about how others feel and how they might want
or need to be treated. In this book Aliki shows pictures of children expressing feelings:
anger, shyness, excitement, seeking attention, fear, sadness, etc. Some pictures show
two or more children in a social situation, and these often provide examples
of good and bad manners to discuss. 32 pages. List price is $4. 95 I still have one or two
copies at $3.55-D. When they are gone the price for reorders will be $4.45-D
 How to Behave and Why
by Munro Leaf (author the beloved Ferdinand) This has got to be one
of the best books on character and manners there is, and it's now back in print. It begins
like this:
This is really a book on how to have the most fun in living ...The two biggest
questions to ask ourselves in life at any age
are:
Are most of the people I know glad that I am here?
Am I glad that I am here myself?
Anyone who can
honestly answer "Yes" to those two questions most of the time has learned how to
behave in this world
and to live a happy life...
The author stresses that if anyone wants to make good
friends and keep them, he needs to be honest, fair, strong, and wise. Leaf than goes on to
define these qualities and to help the reader see why they are qualities to
cultivate in one's life. This book, although it is a picture book, is suitable for all
ages. It would make a great graduation gift for any level. It's worth reviewing on every
birthday or at least once a year on some other occasion. Although some specific etiquette
issues are raised toward the end of the book, this is a broader book than just etiquette.
You won't find table manners and such -- only the basics in getting along with others. But
this book is foundational to all the etiquette books. No home with children should be
without it. Click on image to enlarge it for more detail. Hardcover with dust jacket. Cat.
#HC-06840. $13.86-D
If Everybody Did by Jo Ann
Stover. Paper, Bob Jones U. Press. This picture book shows children through cartoon
pictures what would happen if everybody did some of the things they do (or want to do.)
Examples: what would happen if everybody tracked mud into the house, spilled tacks, pulled
a bud off the flowers, stepped on Daddy's feet, put toys on the stairs, etc. $4.94-D
 Manners by Aliki.
Hardcover, issued without jacket. Aliki takes on the topic of manners in her famous visual
comic strip style. Some pages feature a single large panel. Most show children acting out
a manners lesson through a series of 9-16 small cartoon-type pictures. Some picture
lessons show children demonstrating good manners or learning them from another child.
Example: Children greeting and saying goodbye to guests politely. Some show gross examples
of bad manners: Example: Nine pictures of Daniel doing things like picking his nose,
coughing and sneezing without covering his mouth, wiping his nose with his sleeve, etc.
Heading at top is :"LOOK AT DANIEL." Then under the picture series at the bottom
of the page is "DON’T YOU WISH YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO?" As the old saying
goes: "One picture is worth a thousand words," and these pictures and the words
that go with them will lead to a lot of good discussion with toddlers and primary age
children. Even older children might be tempted to pick it up and learn a thing or two on
their own. $6.93-B Paper, BTH-2632. $5.39-D
 Rules
of Civility: The 110 Precepts That Guided Our First President in War and Peace
by Richard Brookhiser. These precepts are the very ones that George Washington copied out
by hand in his own notebook. They were copied from a text used by generations of Jesuit
tutors, and were considered the framework of civil behavior for any young man who would
ever amount to anything in society. Brookhiser's introduction demonstrates how the simple
notions of courtesy, respect, honesty, and humility are more likely to produce worldly
success than the selfish Machiavellian traits practiced by today's politicians. George
Washington believed material success without honor was worthless.
This is a hardcover edition, with a dust jacket. It is
enhanced with black/white art reproductions related to George Washington. The rules are
interspersed with Brookhiser's enlightening commentary, adding additional insight. Though
a few of these precepts may seem a bit outdated, most are as important today as they were
in Washington's time. Here's an example: "89 Speak not evil of the absent for it is
unjust."
A perfect copy of this book is $14.40-D
A remaindered copy of this book, with a black marker line on the bottom edge, is only
$6.93-B
Both are currently available, but stock is limited.
 The
Thingamajig Book of Manners, by I. Keller. People either love this picture book for preschoolers
and primaries or hate it. Thingumajigs are slovenly in looks, dress, habits and manners.
They are horrible examples. It is the small boy and girl at the bottom of each page who
instruct young readers in the contrasting right manners for each occasion. My husband
loves this book. Click on the image to enlarge it. I have temporarily removed
the cover art from this listing because someone is linking to it without
permission and using my bandwidth. I will be happy to email it to you if you'd
like to see it. Hardcover, BTH-331. $9.99* Now out of
print.
See also Character Building
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