This book is so good I used one of the stories and wrote a short musical around it. I, and a few elementary school students, presented it during a talent show I organized.

The main story is about beings called Sneetches. Sneetches with stars on their bellies consider themselves superior to Sneetches without stars on their bellies. But guess what?! Someone invents the ability to add stars to bellies, so then EVERYONE can have stars on their bellies. This makes the elitism the Star Bellied Sneetches feel...fade somewhat...so they decided the NEW style will be to NOT have stars on one's belly...check out the chaos that ensues and the guy who profits from their craziness. As usual, typical great Dr. Seuss rhymes, word play, and better-to-learn-it-from-someone-else-than-by-myself-the-hard-way lessons.

Another memorable story from this book regards the North-Going Zax and the South-Going Zax. Both walking in a straight line, not taking a step to the left or right, but only forward....until they meet each other. Both immensely proud of not having ever swerved from their walk. What happens when they meet and find themselves in each other's way?

This is one of my favorite books. The first time I saw it was at a Christmas party, it was a gift to a relative who is an archaeologist. I flipped through a few pages and decided within one minute I would have to buy my own copy.

This book has short and easily readable histories of many things, from physical objects to fairy tales, from pre-history to not-so-long-ago, from useful items we take for granted to weird items.

First published in 1987, Charles Panati claims to document the origins of over 500 everyday things. Here's a sample of origins: board games, 3000 BC in Mesopotamia; hamburger, middle ages in Asia; dentures, 800 BC in Etruria; clothes iron, 4th century BC in Greece; children's manners, 1530 in Netherlands; New Year's Day, 2000 BC in Babylon; home air cooling system, 3000 BC in Egypt; chlorine bleach, 1744 in Sweden; and tons more. A very interesting book that can be read in any order, just pick it up, turn to any page, and you'll find something interesting.

It's also great for noticing patterns throughout history. For example a number of recent "everyday things" were used to promote something else, but the main item being promoted wasn't what caught on, ironically the other item used to promote the main item became successful.

This book is appropriate for kids in the 5th and 6th grade and older. There is another book by a different author, but a similar title and premise, Extraordinary Stories Behind the Invention of Ordinary Things. This latter book is geared towards younger readers.

I really like this story and have since I was a kid. I thought of it again, today, when I read this quote attributed to Jane Austen, "To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment."

But things take an interesting twist when a bee stings Ferdinand! Just goes to show that it's not good to make too many conclusions about someone by first impressions or looks.

I highly recommend The Story of Ferdinand, check it out at your library or Amazon.com.