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Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson is a fantastic stoic (but not explicitly stoic) kids book.

Here's my summary of it:

Old lady lives in small house and complains to a wise old man that her house is too small.

Wise old man tells her to incrementally bring all her animals (a pig, a rooster, a cow etc) into her house to live in it with her.

Naturally her tiny house is now a chaotic, even more cramped mess.

Wise old man tells her to now take out all the animals and ta-da....

Now her house feels plenty big enough.

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I love it! Changing your perspective can change everything. Sounds very wise.

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This is a lovely collection of books that inspires young readers to embrace virtues. Your inclusion of The Chicken Who Couldn't and its lesson on self-belief is particularly moving. The way you describe the stories is insightful and engaging, giving parents a helpful guide to selecting meaningful reads for their little ones.

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I remember reading Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go To Sleep as a kid! Brings back memories! It’s funny what’s buried deep in our minds. đŸ˜‚ I remember that book having a bit of a magical feel to it. As a kid I also thought it was interesting that the larger bunny was the older brother rather than the mother - I am the oldest of three!

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Yes, childhood memories are so special and important! It's nice to hear you still have good memories of that one... I'm sure my kids will too.

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