How to Behave and Why

How to

by Munro Leaf

In a time when all the rules for raising children have been redefined dozens of times, here is a book for bewildered parents from a simpler time when we all agreed on what was right and what was wrong. First published in 1946,  Munro Leaf's How To Behave And Why  gives touchingly sincere yet gently funny lessons in Honesty, Fairness, Strength, and Wisdom. Originally intended for the very young, but with meaning for us all, How To Behave and Why is a true classic, charmingly illustrated with childlike drawings, and with a timeless message. It is a sure guide for teaching children (and adults) how to behave.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Parenting, Juvenile, Self Help, Classics

48 pages, Hardcover

First published May 17, 2002

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

[Christiane · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book published in 1946, this is still really relevant to modern times. If only more people would stop a moment and think about someone and something besides themselves! (And for God's sake, put that stupid phone down while you're driving before you kill someone.) "'I can't always be right no matter who I am' is a good thing for all of us to remember". Yes, it is!

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of behavior books by Munroe Leaf are funny and fun. I took three of them, Manners Can Be Fun, How to Speak Politely and Why and this one, down to my daughter this weekend for her to read with my three-year-old granddaughter. Can't wait to hear how it goes. This is the only one I got to read her. (We had marathon reading sessions, but I brought two bags full of books... She likes books almost as much as her grandma!) 🥰

They are conversation starters for sure.
Me: "You aren't a whiner, are you?"
Granddaughter: "Oh no Mimi!"
Me: "I didn't think so!" 😉😁

A good book for ALL of us who might need to brush up on manners. 🤔

[Kate Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

ahead of its time while also being a product of its time

too much emphasis on blind obedience though

still touching and worth reading:) just have a saltshaker in hand to take it with lol

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the inside cover by Jane Stubbs:

Have you ever uncovered a hidden treasure of a book while browsing in some forgotten corner of a bookstore? I happened across How to Behave and Why in this fashion. Initially I was delighted by its bold red-and-black cover design, so simple and yet so arresting, and its charming stick-figure illustrations. It wasn't until I had read the book that I discovered its most enchanting feature: This book doesn't teach the most recent or fashionable etiquette of the day; it encourages a spirit of cooperation among people and humanity that applies to societies the world over. This lesson is classic and timeless...

I could not have said it any better.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the message and character lessons this book teaches, however, I'd love to see a reprint that's more culturally sensitive, removes the gender/cultural stereotypes (words and illustrations), and that is more culturally relevant/inclusive (includes references to other types of families/relationships, updated with references to technology/transportation, and some wording changed (such as "dope" and "fool"). Overall, the book has such an important/significant message that could be shared in families, schools, and much more - however, because of the cultural/gender stereotypes and other limitations I described, the book is less enjoyable and not appropriate to share in a public setting (such as a school), which is very unfortunate.

[Danny Mindich · Rating 1 out of 5]

quite a lazily written book on etiquette and ethics for a child. it feeds into people pleasing and simply tells kids to do what their parents tell them.

a bright side is that it values wisdom and cooperation, but we have come much further in our ethics from 1946 and i hope that our books have reflected that.

the form of the book is not well thought out or communicated. it discusses four values, going through each one letter by letter to tell a rule or lesson to be learned from that value. spoiler alert but wise’s “e” is “end of the book is what this is.” - a total disappointment.

i agree in the values of honesty, fairness, strength, and wisdom, but the specifics of each of these values are not demonstrated in how it might benefit you in the world and build your character and self-esteem. we are not told how to be wise, just to do so, just to follow several maxims randomly laid out as under the heading of “w.”

the “why” portion of the book is nothing more than social easing and telling children to respect their elders. good children’s books encourage the natural curiosity of a child instead of just giving them the answers they seem to be seeking.

a more accurate title would strike the words “how”, “to,” “and,” and “why.” i see why they didn’t do this though, a book called “behave” wouldn’t necessarily fly off the shelves. no self-respecting child would listen to that command. not even to mention the competition it would have with my manz robert sapolski’s own book “behave.” at least his conclusions are heavily hedged and based off of science, unlike this book which was clearly written in an afternoon by an author who was probably shirtless.

thank you and goodnight

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have loved this when I was a child. I still agree with about 98% of what's in here. The art makes it a joy to read. Too bad extremists (on right or left) have not learned these lessons. Very highly recommended to all open-minded people of any age. I shared it with my 81 yo mother and she's also glad it's been reissued & bought by libraries.
---
Reread Sept. 2024 and review stands. Terrific book design makes it lively, engaging, & friendly instead of preachy or nagging.

[Christa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s got some good heart and ideas but the execution is just awful... For better or for worse, you can’t shame children into being good.

[Samantha Penrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has some great lessons and reminders for humans of all ages!
The main topics are honesty, fairness, strength and wisdom. Subtopics are lying, cheating, stealing, happiness, friendship, sharing, personal hygiene, good nutrition, minding our parents without arguing and grumbling, good manners, chivalry, and open-mindedness.

I love every page, but one of my favorite bits was, "Grown ups aren't some kind of weird monsters that have fun making us do things we don't want to do. They just know a whole lot more than we do because they have been here longer. Listen to what they tell you and you will be surprised how right they usually are."

[Cailean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by this and got it from the library to read to our kids. It's from 1946 and if you love vintage "manners" type books, this is really great. It tells you that the way to live and be happy is to follow four rules! Be honest, fair, strong, and wise. It reminds me of some other "Be's" that a special person once taught us LDS folk. And it goes through each one in enough detail that a young child will be interested but not bored. The stick-figure drawings are cute too. Munro Leaf has written other books too.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a little wordy and dense for kids, but I can imagine taking a few pages or one concept at a time to discuss with my kids. It's never too early to learn to be kind and how to live with other people.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

47 months - There are a lot of adults that could do with a copy of this book! I think it might be a bit beyond O at the moment but I know she picked up some of the ideas. Worth reading a few times at different ages.

[Aneesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering the rationale for why to listen to your parents (because we read research-based articles on nutrition and safety), for instance, or why to be honest strikes me as respectful to the young reader. Not too dated for a book written in 1946 but why do they all seem to include Eskimos?

[Bannock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trailer: This book was about how you should behave around other people and how you should act. ti tells you that you should be honest, fair, strong, and wise because if your not that, then you won;t live a happy lifestyle. It also tells you that some people think that they were born to change the world an to be the only one of their kind so that they be better than everyone else. This book also tells you what people that aren't truthful will do, like a list, it will tell you what to do, but this will tell what they do.

Review: I thought this book was amazing. I would definitely recommend this to people who are having a rough time and people who are just very snooty. I think that this would help the world a lot and that people should be nicer and more truthful to others. I would definitely recommend this to my family as well because we have some issues going on right now.

[H.S. Rivney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother bought this one and Manners Can Be Fun when my son was about 5. Fun book to go through with a child. With the recent concerns about public health and hygiene, I brought up one of the more memorable drawings entitled "don't be a touchy", a stick kid with half a dozen arms holding and touching things. We had a good laugh - now is a great time not to be a 'touchy'!
It's very mid-1940s but the basic premise is the same - keep your hands to yourself, don't hurt people, take things that don't belong to you, your parents aren't monsters, they just know more than you because they're old (this is funnier in the the book than my writing it here!). With a little tact, all parents should read these books with their kids, more than once.

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite books was Gordon the Goat by Munro Leaf. Eric and I ordered this book ages ago (I recognized the author), hoping it would help our little boys become well behaved. LOL. I don't know that we ever actually used it with the boys when they were younger (maybe we read it to them once), but I am using it now to connect with some important concepts we are discussing with the boys at this age. It talks about the importance of honesty, fairness, wisdom and strength, and though it is totally old school and a bit blunt at times, it is full of really important concepts. I am so glad I have this book as a resource.

[Amy K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would normally categorize this one in my read with the kids" list, but it's a great book for people of all ages. It reminds us that "all people have ideas, thoughts and different life experiences. They have ways to do things and they have their own beliefs on how they live their life. Their way can be just as good as my way. I am open to listening to others point of view and learning more about topics through various resources. I remember that and am glad that I have a chance to choose the best way for myself. I don't judge others for their beliefs and I do kot worry myself over the judgments of others."

[Emily Finke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful little book, and one of my personal favorites. It's sweet and optimistic, and the simple, stick-figure drawings echo the simplicity of the book's message--just be honest, fair, wise, and strong. Although it's a children's storybook, I would say that it is equally relevant for adults. It has a permanent place on my bookshelf!

[Tabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up "How the Behave and Why" despite the sales associate trying to convince me to buy a different book. I am so glad I went with my instincts.

I love this book, I love what it has to say. It's full of lessons adults and children alike need to learn presented in such a simple and straightforward way. I really don't know what else to say about it.

[Heidi Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like what this book has to say… but I don’t love how it says all of it. I’ve really only read it TO my kids so I can substitute when it says things like stupid and such. I will probably use white out and fill it in at this point. My youngest likes to read it and I don’t want her reading it the way it is alone. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[J.S. Milik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes over how to behave, and basically how to be a decent and likable human being. It is not only good for kids but good for adults, because it reminds us of how to be happy, how to have friends, and even how to be happy with ourselves in this life.

[christie Fisk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great! My son loved it and helped him to understand more. With his PTSD, Autism diagnosis it’s been hard to get him to understand why he needs to listen and learn and this helped so much! He wanted to know if there was a 2nd book! He loves to read! Thank you!

[Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book written in the 1940s, this is still incredibly relevant. Definitely using with my students.

(I don’t like the use of “stupid,” though. That’s a bit outdated, and I’ll need to explain how we don’t call people that anymore)

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books with basic skills and values that have been brought down for centuries because they work. Four basic fundamental truths are taught in a simple way and can be understood with all ages. Great book to open up dialogue for family discussions.

[Brandielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice to have a morals book that’s not drenched in god but had a bit too much behaving so people like you stuff. Also we skipped some sexist nonsense.

[Arnav · Rating 3 out of 5]

Follow the rules of this book, and you'll be happy for (most) of your life.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny, direct, and helpful book about behavior that is apropos for kids and adults alike.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good, no nonsense, politically incorrect book that reminds readers of all ages the truth in how to behave and why.
A must for young people who don't want to be a part of the 'me' generation 😉

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about ways to behave.