I think my favorite story to date is
Night of the New Magicians. I liked that each "magician" had a message that was worth thinking about and discussing:
- Gustave Eiffel: “I have a taste for adventure and a love of work and responsibility.”
- Louis Pasteur: “Chance favors the prepared mind.”
- Thomas Edison: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
- Alexander Bell: “When one door closes, another door opens.”
Not to sound sappy or trite, but I think that each of these messages can provide an important concept to the kids. I find Edison's and Pasteur's to be similar and very relevant to Ethan in that both suggest it is not enough to be smart, but that you have to work hard, and be prepared to fail, but hope for success. Oddly enough, I was just finishing
The Drunkard's Walk, which suggested, among other things, that because chance and randomness are so prevalent, perseverance and luck are crucial for long term success.
One of the ways I like to apply Bell's maxim is to say - life isn't fair, and you shouldn't expect it to be, but you should try to enjoy it.
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