Pierre

This nearly 40-year-old tale of the precocious and spoiled Pierre teaches children the importance of courtesy and showing respect for one's parents.

No matter what Pierre's perplexed parents do or say, he simply doesn't care about the end results. Whether his folks ask him, "What would you like to eat?" or advise him, "Don't sit backwards on your chair." Each time Pierre simply responds, "I don't care." When a lion comes by for a meal, Pierre is still unmoved. What will it take for Pierre to learn to care?

The witty and simple verse is engaging, and Sendak's bright three-color illustrations help communicate the story's age-old moral.