Curriculum and Learning Resources

Intergenerational Book Discussion Guide
Rev. Pat Hoertdoerfer
Children, Family and Intergenerational Programs Director
Lifespan Faith Development, UUA, Boston, MA

Leo Lionni Stories and UU Principles

Children love picture books! Leo Lionni's pictures add up to meaningful stories that celebrate UU principles and values for children of all ages. Artist and author Lionni stimulates the child's imagination and suggests a deeper meaning. When we share these stories intergenerationally, the child's imagination stimulates the elder's meaning-making and the elder's imagination gives the child deeper meanings. These books are perfect for intergenerational sharing and mutual enrichment celebrating the beauty of our world and the human spirit.

Principle 1: We believe that each and every person is important.
The inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Frederick (NY: Pantheon, 1967)
The classic fable of Frederick, who seems to daydream the summer away while other mice are gathering food for the winter. When dreary winter comes, it is Frederick the poet-mouse who warms his friends with his colorful images and cheers them with his words. It is a story that suggests that people can be different and contribute their differences to the common life.

Pezzettino (NY: Pantheon, 1975)
Pezzettino is a small orange square in a land of towering creatures named after their special skills: the one-who-runs, the flying-one, the swimming-one, the one-on-the-mountain, et al. "Am I your little piece?" he asks the strong-one. "How could I be strong if I had a missing piece?" was the answer. Finally the wise-one sends Pezzettino to the Island of Wham, where he tumbles down a rocky hill and breaks into pieces. Collecting himself, he realizes that he too is made of diverse parts and is not merely a missing piece of someone else. I am myself!

Other Leo Lionni stories that illustrate this principle are: Matthew's Dream, Inch By Inch, Mr. McMouse

Principle 2: We believe that all people should be treated fairly and kindly.
Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations

Little Blue and Little Yellow (NY: McDowell Obolensky, 1959)
This story has many layers of meaning from a simple story of friendship through the exploration of color to the feelings of racial prejudice. We are shown Little Blue as a ragged circle of blue on a white page. Later we meet his mother and father and his many friends, especially Little Yellow who lives across the street with Mama Yellow and Papa Yellow. Using only these simple shapes, Leonni shows the children at school and at play. Then Little Blue and Little Yellow are separated, but finally find one another and hug each other and turn green. As a single green shape they first go to play at Little Blue's house and then to Little Yellow's house only to be rejected and unrecognized. They cry little blue and yellow tears until they are all tears and then "pull themselves together and go home" as separate shapes again.

Another Leo Lionni story that illustrates this principle is: Tico and the Golden Wings (NY: Pantheon, 1964)
All Tico the wingless bird wants is a pair of golden wings to carry him up over the mountaintops. But when Tico's wish is granted, none of his friends will talk to him. What's so wrong with being different? Tico wonders all alone. One day Tico helps a crying man by giving him one of his golden feathers. A black feather appears in its place. Each day he gives a feather away to someone in need until his golden wings are as black as India ink. When Tico returns to his friends, they are all relieved to see him. "Now you are just like us," they say. But Tico knows there is more to him than the color of his wings.

Another Leo Lionni story that illustrates this principle is: Color of His Own

Principle 3: We believe that we should accept one another and keep on learning together.
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.

Geraldine, the Music Mouse (NY: Pantheon, 1979)
This little fable is about a mouse who discovers cheese. Geraldine nibbles at a big piece of cheese until the remaining shape looks like a flute-playing mouse. Magically, the cheese mouse begins to play a tune, and Geraldine is so enchanted that later, when she and her friends are hungry, she can't bring herself to eat the cheese for fear of losing its music. People of all ages, even young children, understand how difficult it would be to have to make a choice between what you need and what you love.

Another Leo Lionni story that illustrates this principle is: Cornelius

Principle 4: We believe that each person must be free to search for what is true and right in life.
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

Fish is Fish (NY: Pantheon, 1970)
This modern fable is about a fish and a tadpole who become friends while living in the same pond. Tadpole soon grows legs and leaves the pond. Fish is lonely without him and tries to follow and see the extraordinary things of the wider world. The real and multi-faceted meanings of the story conclude with fish recognizing that this world is surely the most beautiful of all worlds, but "fish is fish."

Other Leo Lionni stories that illustrate this principle are: Tillie and the Wall, Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse

Principle 5: We believe that persons should have a vote about the things that concern them.
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

Swimmy (NY: Pantheon, 1967)
Swimmy is a small black fish who escapes from the big tuna that has swallowed his friends, a school of red fish. His courage and determination intact, he finds another school of fish just like the first. They are hiding, frightened and helpless. "But you can't just lie there," said Swimmy. "We must THINK of something." He comes up with the best possible plan: he teaches them to swim in close formation creating the image of a huge fish. And so they swam and chased the big fish away.

Another Leo Lionni story that illustrates this principle is: The Greentail Mouse

Principle 6: We believe in working for a peaceful, fair, and free world.
The goal of a world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.

It's Mine! (NY: Dragonfly Books, 1996)
This is a classic tale about three loveable, childlike frogs. A story of selfishness on the pond is transformed into a beautiful lesson about cooperation.

The Alphabet Tree (NY: Dragonfly Books, 1990)
The letters on an alphabet tree, torn and tossed by the wind, find strength in banding together to form words. Then a clever caterpillar teaches the letters to become even stronger by forming sentences with a message of peace in a gentle parable about the power of the written word. This book is an excellent example of teamwork and all things working together to obtain harmony.

Another Leo Lionni story that illustrates this principle is: The Biggest House in the World

Principle 7: We believe in caring for our planet earth, the home we share with all living things.
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

In the Rabbit Garden (NY: Pantheon, 1975)
Two of the world's most contented bunnies live together in the world's most beautiful garden. They may eat there fair share of carrots there, but the elderly rabbit cautions them (before he leaves to go on a trip) to not eat the apples in the tree or else the fox could get the bunnies. He doesn't tell them what to do if they can't find any more carrots. And he doesn't know about the snake in the apple tree. Fortunately, this is a kind and generous snake and all turned out well in this garden home.

Another Leo Lionni story that illustrates this principle is: On My Beach There Are Many Pebbles