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The Ant and the Grasshopper
BILINGUAL (Tagalog and English) Filipino Children's Book. The Ant and the Grasshopper/Ang Langam at ang Tipaklong was one of Aesop's Fables, which were first told in the sixth century B.C. They are stories that use animals as characters and told to impart wisdom and moral lessons on proper behaviors. Down the centuries, they have been told humorously, with the protagonists personifying human strengths and weaknesses.
Hardcover
First published September 1, 2003
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About the author
Aesop
2,373 books1,095 followers620 BC - 564 BC
Tradition considers Greek fabulist Aesop as the author of Aesop's Fables , including "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Fox and the Grapes."
This credited ancient man told numerous now collectively known stories. None of his writings, if they ever existed, survive; despite his uncertain existence, people gathered and credited numerous tales across the centuries in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. Generally human characteristics of animals and inanimate objects that speak and solve problems characterize many of the tales.
One can find scattered details of his life in ancient sources, including Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch. An ancient literary work, called The Aesop Romance tells an episodic, probably highly fictional version of his life, including the traditional description of him as a strikingly ugly slave (δοῦλος), whose cleverness acquires him freedom as an adviser to kings and city-states. Older spellings of his name included Esop(e) and Isope. A later tradition, dating from the Middle Ages, depicts Aesop as a black Ethiopian. Depictions of Aesop in popular culture over the last two and a half millennia included several works of art and his appearance as a character in numerous books, films, plays, and television programs.
Abandoning the perennial image of Aesop as an ugly slave, the movie Night in Paradise (1946) cast Turhan Bey in the role, depicting Aesop as an advisor to Croesus, king; Aesop falls in love with a Persian princess, the intended bride of the king, whom Merle Oberon plays. Lamont Johnson also plays Aesop the Helene Hanff teleplay Aesop and Rhodope (1953), broadcast on hallmark hall of fame.
Brazilian dramatist Guilherme Figueiredo published A raposa e as uvas ("The Fox and the Grapes"), a play in three acts about the life of Aesop, in 1953; in many countries, people performed this play, including a videotaped production in China in 2000 under the title Hu li yu pu tao or 狐狸与葡萄 .
Beginning in 1959, animated shorts under the title Aesop and Son recurred as a segment in the television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, its successor. People abandoned the image of Aesop as ugly slave; Charles Ruggles voiced Aesop, a Greek citizen, who recounted for the edification of his son, Aesop Jr., who then delivered the moral in the form of an atrocious pun. In 1998, Robert Keeshan voiced him, who amounted to little more than a cameo in the episode "Hercules and the Kids" in the animated television series Hercules.
In 1971, Bill Cosby played him in the television production Aesop's Fables.
British playwright Peter Terson first produced the musical Aesop's Fables in 1983. In 2010, Mhlekahi Mosiea as Aesop staged the play at the Fugard theatre in Cape Town, South Africa.
Tradition considers Greek fabulist Aesop as the author of Aesop's Fables , including "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Fox and the Grapes."
This credited ancient man told numerous now collectively known stories. None of his writings, if they ever existed, survive; despite his uncertain existence, people gathered and credited numerous tales across the centuries in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. Generally human characteristics of animals and inanimate objects that speak and solve problems characterize many of the tales.
One can find scattered details of his life in ancient sources, including Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch. An ancient literary work, called The Aesop Romance tells an episodic, probably highly fictional version of his life, including the traditional description of him as a strikingly ugly slave (δοῦλος), whose cleverness acquires him freedom as an adviser to kings and city-states. Older spellings of his name included Esop(e) and Isope. A later tradition, dating from the Middle Ages, depicts Aesop as a black Ethiopian. Depictions of Aesop in popular culture over the last two and a half millennia included several works of art and his appearance as a character in numerous books, films, plays, and television programs.
Abandoning the perennial image of Aesop as an ugly slave, the movie Night in Paradise (1946) cast Turhan Bey in the role, depicting Aesop as an advisor to Croesus, king; Aesop falls in love with a Persian princess, the intended bride of the king, whom Merle Oberon plays. Lamont Johnson also plays Aesop the Helene Hanff teleplay Aesop and Rhodope (1953), broadcast on hallmark hall of fame.
Brazilian dramatist Guilherme Figueiredo published A raposa e as uvas ("The Fox and the Grapes"), a play in three acts about the life of Aesop, in 1953; in many countries, people performed this play, including a videotaped production in China in 2000 under the title Hu li yu pu tao or 狐狸与葡萄 .
Beginning in 1959, animated shorts under the title Aesop and Son recurred as a segment in the television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, its successor. People abandoned the image of Aesop as ugly slave; Charles Ruggles voiced Aesop, a Greek citizen, who recounted for the edification of his son, Aesop Jr., who then delivered the moral in the form of an atrocious pun. In 1998, Robert Keeshan voiced him, who amounted to little more than a cameo in the episode "Hercules and the Kids" in the animated television series Hercules.
In 1971, Bill Cosby played him in the television production Aesop's Fables.
British playwright Peter Terson first produced the musical Aesop's Fables in 1983. In 2010, Mhlekahi Mosiea as Aesop staged the play at the Fugard theatre in Cape Town, South Africa.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 8, 2019
Might work for storytime.
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October 16, 2015Title: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Author: Mark White
Illustrator: Sara Rojo
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): Hard work, animals, seasons
Opening line/sentence: “An ant once lived next to a grasshopper in a large field.”
Brief Book Summary: The ant spends his summer gathering food and storing it in his house, while the grasshopper just sings and dances. When winter comes, the grasshopper doesn’t have any food and sees that the ant has plenty. The ant tells him there is a time for work and a time for play.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
School Library Journal, Karen Land, Greenport Public School, NY
“In Ant, White retells Aesop's fable in equally simple language. The story can lead to classroom discussion about work and play. Muted cartoon pictures using lots of browns and greens illustrate the story. Clear illustrations in a cartoon style with soft golds, browns, and greens decorate every page. Good choices for children who want to read these familiar stories on their own."
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
– Marilyn Courtot (Children’s Literature)
“In this retelling of Aesop’s fable, the ant works from sunrise to sunset harvesting and storing food. The grasshopper, on the other hand, spends his days singing and dancing. He invited the ant to join him, but the ant is always too busy. When winter comes, the grasshopper finds there is nothing for him to eat in the cold, snow covered world. He visits his neighbor and asks for food, but the ant chides him reminding him of how he whiled away the summer days singing and dancing so “Now you can spend the winter dancing to keep warm.” The final message from the ant: “There is a time for play and a time for work…” One can only assume that the grasshopper is indeed left out in the cold. None of the animals are created with extensive detail, but are drawn with rather broad outlines and shapes. They are interesting, and the scene with the grasshopper singing in the shower should bring a smile. Part of the “Read-it! Readers” series that come in four color-coded levels. Yellow, which is the level for this one, is intended for readers with an expanded vocabulary and a wide variety of sentences. There Is an opening note to parents and caregivers that explains the series’ structure and gives tips for using the book.” 2004, Picture Window Books.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I agree with both of these reviews as I feel like this fable is written very well. I think the moral of the story - there is a time for work, and a time for play – is crucial for children to learn. Children will be faced with situations on a smaller level where they will choose between the options to have fun, or to get work done. The retelling of this fable does a good job at enforcing that moral, through the lives of bugs, which perhaps makes it less “intimidating” to children. I also think the illustrations in this retelling are done in vivid color which makes the story more exciting.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The retelling of this particular fable has been done multiple times, and the plot seems to stay the same each time. I think the plot is extremely important however because the moral of the story is shown through the plot, and it is something all children will need to learn. The style of the fable is simple and easy-to-read for beginner readers, so not only can children enjoy the story but they can also obtain the value of the moral lesson from It as well.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I think the use of fables in classrooms is very important. It gives the teacher the opportunity to teach students a moral lesson, without having to do it through themselves. I think this story can be used to teach a moral lesson in the classroom even though some students may not even realize they are learning it while reading about an ant and a grasshopper.
Author: Mark White
Illustrator: Sara Rojo
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): Hard work, animals, seasons
Opening line/sentence: “An ant once lived next to a grasshopper in a large field.”
Brief Book Summary: The ant spends his summer gathering food and storing it in his house, while the grasshopper just sings and dances. When winter comes, the grasshopper doesn’t have any food and sees that the ant has plenty. The ant tells him there is a time for work and a time for play.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
School Library Journal, Karen Land, Greenport Public School, NY
“In Ant, White retells Aesop's fable in equally simple language. The story can lead to classroom discussion about work and play. Muted cartoon pictures using lots of browns and greens illustrate the story. Clear illustrations in a cartoon style with soft golds, browns, and greens decorate every page. Good choices for children who want to read these familiar stories on their own."
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
– Marilyn Courtot (Children’s Literature)
“In this retelling of Aesop’s fable, the ant works from sunrise to sunset harvesting and storing food. The grasshopper, on the other hand, spends his days singing and dancing. He invited the ant to join him, but the ant is always too busy. When winter comes, the grasshopper finds there is nothing for him to eat in the cold, snow covered world. He visits his neighbor and asks for food, but the ant chides him reminding him of how he whiled away the summer days singing and dancing so “Now you can spend the winter dancing to keep warm.” The final message from the ant: “There is a time for play and a time for work…” One can only assume that the grasshopper is indeed left out in the cold. None of the animals are created with extensive detail, but are drawn with rather broad outlines and shapes. They are interesting, and the scene with the grasshopper singing in the shower should bring a smile. Part of the “Read-it! Readers” series that come in four color-coded levels. Yellow, which is the level for this one, is intended for readers with an expanded vocabulary and a wide variety of sentences. There Is an opening note to parents and caregivers that explains the series’ structure and gives tips for using the book.” 2004, Picture Window Books.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I agree with both of these reviews as I feel like this fable is written very well. I think the moral of the story - there is a time for work, and a time for play – is crucial for children to learn. Children will be faced with situations on a smaller level where they will choose between the options to have fun, or to get work done. The retelling of this fable does a good job at enforcing that moral, through the lives of bugs, which perhaps makes it less “intimidating” to children. I also think the illustrations in this retelling are done in vivid color which makes the story more exciting.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The retelling of this particular fable has been done multiple times, and the plot seems to stay the same each time. I think the plot is extremely important however because the moral of the story is shown through the plot, and it is something all children will need to learn. The style of the fable is simple and easy-to-read for beginner readers, so not only can children enjoy the story but they can also obtain the value of the moral lesson from It as well.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I think the use of fables in classrooms is very important. It gives the teacher the opportunity to teach students a moral lesson, without having to do it through themselves. I think this story can be used to teach a moral lesson in the classroom even though some students may not even realize they are learning it while reading about an ant and a grasshopper.
November 10, 2012
1. This is a traditional literature picture book.
2. This is about an ant that works hard his whole life preparing for winter and misses out on a happy life. He learns from the grasshopper that it is important to live each day to the fullest and to enjoy the little things in life that make you happy.
3. (A) I think this is a very appropriate traditional literature picture book. The book has a lesson or moral learned throughout it. It teaches a really nice message. The bugs are the ones that speak as the characters. They are human like by the way they talk. I think this is a very accurate story.
(B) I found this book to be very appropriate. I thought the moral was very appropriate and a reader will learn a very good message through this book. The bugs talk as if they are humans. They work like humans and have struggles like humans. I thought that children would be able to follow along with the plot very well and I think the characters would be easy to understand.
(C) At the end of the book, the ant realizes all he has done his whole life is work, and that he never enjoyed the simple things. He regrets never listening to the grasshoppers beautiful music. In the end the grasshopper explains to the aunt that it is important to live for today and live life to the fullest. He explains that the ant can’t go through live worrying about what is to come in future. This is a great example of a moral. The moral is explicitly stated and easy for a reader to understand.
4. I really liked this book. I think that children would really like the characters and I think they would be really engaged in the book. I think that this is a great book to introduce children to traditional literature and it is also a great example to show children what a moral is. I would really like to use this book in my future classroom because I think this is a very strong traditional literature book.
2. This is about an ant that works hard his whole life preparing for winter and misses out on a happy life. He learns from the grasshopper that it is important to live each day to the fullest and to enjoy the little things in life that make you happy.
3. (A) I think this is a very appropriate traditional literature picture book. The book has a lesson or moral learned throughout it. It teaches a really nice message. The bugs are the ones that speak as the characters. They are human like by the way they talk. I think this is a very accurate story.
(B) I found this book to be very appropriate. I thought the moral was very appropriate and a reader will learn a very good message through this book. The bugs talk as if they are humans. They work like humans and have struggles like humans. I thought that children would be able to follow along with the plot very well and I think the characters would be easy to understand.
(C) At the end of the book, the ant realizes all he has done his whole life is work, and that he never enjoyed the simple things. He regrets never listening to the grasshoppers beautiful music. In the end the grasshopper explains to the aunt that it is important to live for today and live life to the fullest. He explains that the ant can’t go through live worrying about what is to come in future. This is a great example of a moral. The moral is explicitly stated and easy for a reader to understand.
4. I really liked this book. I think that children would really like the characters and I think they would be really engaged in the book. I think that this is a great book to introduce children to traditional literature and it is also a great example to show children what a moral is. I would really like to use this book in my future classroom because I think this is a very strong traditional literature book.
November 11, 2013
I really like this book because it teaches a lesson about when there's a time for play and a time for work and this was said by the ant from the story. The illustration is very simple and easy for young children to follow. You can see the ant working continuously gathering food throughout the year to prepare for winter while the grasshopper is singing, dancing and playing throughout the year. When it comes to winter, the ant is all secured while the grasshopper goes outside to find out that there is no food for him. There are rich vocabularies for children to learn, such as sunrise and sunset. By reading this book to young children, we can show how ant is a hard worker and also smart about making decisions when the grasshopper asks him to play. The author shows that being lazy and unproductive will only leave the grasshopper lonely and hunger during the winter. The moral of this story is that yes there is a time to play and a time to work and this should be emphasize to children when they are at school and also at home.
September 28, 2011
Throughout the book, the ant works hard to prepare for the winter packing food away. The grasshopper however, spends his free time making music. When winter arrives, the grasshopper is left without food. Again, this book shows the importance of hard work and that it will pay off in the future.
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May 25, 2012AR BL: 1.9
Points 0.5
Points 0.5
February 8, 2015
A nice serviceable retelling of an Aesop fable.
January 8, 2014
Such a great fable.
March 20, 2016
Amazon Book Description:
Retells the fable about an industrious ant that busily prepares for the approaching winter while a grasshopper makes no plans for the cold weather to come.
Retells the fable about an industrious ant that busily prepares for the approaching winter while a grasshopper makes no plans for the cold weather to come.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews