Safety Can Be Fun

by Munro Leaf

All around you, you can find different kinds of Nit-Wits, ones who bounce on beds, climb all over the place, stand on car seats, touch hot stoves, or follow dumb dares, and many others.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Wilbur Monroe Leaf AKA Munro Leaf, author and illustrator of dozens of children’s books.

He is best remembered for his signature character, Ferdinand, the Spanish bull who preferred smelling flowers to fighting in a ring in Spain. Composed in less than an hour one Sunday afternoon in 1935, the book sparked controversy. With the Spanish Civil War raging, political critics charged that it was a satirical attack on aggression. In Germany, the book was burned; in India, Ghandi called it his favorite. Even today, Ferdinand continues to charm children around the world—the story has been translated into over 60 languages.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't quite make up my mind about this book - one thing I know for sure is that it would never be published today!
Munroe Leaf is decidedly less gentle with his subject than he was with Ferdinand. He sure lets you know how he feels about kids who make bad decisions about safety. My 6 year old sat through it a bit stunned, but there were some "nitwits" who he could relate to - so hopefully some common sense advice soaked in.
And it really was hilariously funny in a very non-PC way.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a repeat read. I own the 1961 copy, every once in a while I head back to the old decrepit books on our back bookshelf, get a glimpse of this cover and it instantaneously causes me to smile. I of course then need to flip through the pages...

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book at a client -- on the desk of a person I was working with. I skimmed it quickly then and found it so hysterical that I needed a copy for myself. My copy has a copyright date of 1938. It's so un-PC based on today's standards! It is a child's picture book that talks about the things people do which cause them to get hurt. The person involved in the "stupid" act is referred to as "it" and "Nit-Wit". For example: This is a Downstairs Nit-Wit. One thing it did wrong was to run downstairs but the worst thing it did was to leave its train on the steps. You can see that the train isn't going to be any good any more and I doubt if this Nit-Wit is either by the time it hits that bottom step. [facing a picture of a stick figure falling down the stairs and a crunched toy train:]

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Safety Can be Fun is one of the funniest children's books I've ever encountered. Incredibly un-PC, but probably needed more today than ever, this book shows a variety of scrawled "Nitwits" doing incredibly stupid things with dire consequences, and warnings to children not to be "nitwits" and make the same mistakes.

This illustration below is priceless and to me sums up the entire book:

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally rediscovered one of the funniest (and so politically incorrect) books I ever read as a child.

[Leia-Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a very cute little book.
Their are some great little experiments too!!!

[Diane]

Gift from Dillon grandparents - 1958