ValueTales is a series of 43 simple biographical children's books published primarily by the now-defunct Value Communications, Inc. in La Jolla, California. They were written by Dr. Spencer Johnson and Ann Donegan Johnson, and illustrated by Stephen Pileggi.

Each book gives a simplified and semi-fictionalized biography of a historical figure as an allegory, illustrating the value of a characteristic. Each volume is a white pictorial glossy hardback book around 60 pages long with a brightly colored cartoon of the figure, along with some anthropomorphic item or animal that narrates the subject's life throughout the book.

The title of each book is The Value of x: The story of y , where x is the characteristic exemplified and y is the exemplary person (i.e. The Value of Determination: The Story of Helen Keller). Early editions of the books use a different format: The Valuetale of y: The value of x . So the first edition of the Helen Keller book is called The ValueTale of Helen Keller : the value of determination

The books were quite popular in homes, elementary school libraries, pediatrics offices, and sunday schools across North America. Most are out of print. In October 2010, Simon & Schuster Children's Books published an anthology containing five of the ValueTales books, with new illustrations by Dan Andreason.[1]

Books

edit
Value Subject Sex Author Publication Date ISBN Notes
Adventure Sacagawea F Ann Donegan Johnson 1981 February 1 0-916392-59-7
Believing in Yourself Louis Pasteur M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1977 March 0-916392-06-6
0-916392-01-5
a.k.a. Believing
Boldness Captain Cook M Johnson, Ann Donegan Johnson 1986 June 0-7172-8188-4
Caring Eleanor Roosevelt F Ann D. Johnson, Steve Pileggi (Illustrator) 1977 July 0-916392-11-2
Charity Paul-Emile Léger M Ann Donegan Johnson 1983 0-7172-1884-8
Commitment Jacques Cousteau M Ann Donegan Johnson 1998 0-7172-8820-X
Compassion Florence Nightingale F Ann Donegan Johnson 1987 July 0-7172-8482-4
Conviction Cesar Chavez M Ann Donegan Johnson 1995 0-7172-8482-4
Courage Jackie Robinson M Spencer Johnson 1977 August 0-916392-12-0
Creativity Thomas Edison M Ann Donegan Johnson, Steve Pileggi (Illustrator) 1984 November 0-916392-72-4
Curiosity Christopher Columbus M Spencer Johnson 1977 November 0-916392-13-9
Dedication Albert Schweitzer M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1980 February 0-916392-44-9
Determination Helen Keller F Ann Donegan Johnson 1977 March 0-916392-02-3
0-916392-07-4
Dignity Arthur Ashe M Ann Donegan Johnson 1994 0-7172-8339-9
Discipline Alexander Graham Bell M Ann D. Johnson, Steven Pileggi (Illustrator) 1985 April 0-7172-1887-2
0-7172-8176-0
a.k.a. Self-Discipline, June 1985
Facing a Challenge Terry Fox M Ann Donegan Johnson 1985 November 1 0-7172-8134-5
Fairness Nellie Bly F Ann Donegan Johnson 1977 December 0-916392-16-3
Fantasy Hans Christian Andersen M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1980 Feb 0-916392-43-0
Foresight Thomas Jefferson M Ann Donegan Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1980 February 0-916392-42-2
Friendship Jane Addams F Ann Donegan Johnson, Steve Pileggi (Illustrator) 1980 February 0-916392-45-7
Giving Beethoven M Ann Donegan Johnson 1979 June 0-916392-34-1
Helping Harriet Tubman F Ann Donegan Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1980 February 0-916392-41-4
Honesty Confucius M Steve Pileggi, Spencer, M.D. Johnson 1979 June 0-916392-36-8
Humility Mother Teresa F Ann Donegan Johnson 1993 0-7172-8316-X
Humor Will Rogers M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1977 March 0-916392-05-8
Imagination Charles Dickens M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1977 December 0-916392-15-5
Imagination Jim Henson M Ann Donegan Johnson 1992 978-0-7172-8253-1
Kindness Elizabeth Fry F Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1977 March 0-916392-09-0
0-916392-04-X
Laughter Lucille Ball F Ann Donegan Johnson 1990 May 0-7172-8217-1
Leadership Winston Churchill M Ann Donegan Johnson, Steve Pileggi (Illustrator) 1989 August 0-86679-046-2
Learning Marie Curie F Spencer Johnson, Ann D. Johnson 1979 June 0-686-98175-8
0-916392-18-X
Love Johnny Appleseed M Ann Donegan Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1979 June 0-916392-35-X
Optimism Amelia Earhart F Ann Donegan Johnson 1997 0-7172-8780-7
Overcoming Adversity Wilma Rudolph F Ann Donegan Johnson 1996 0-7172-8731-9
Patience Wright Brothers M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1977 March 0-916392-08-2
Positive Attitude Michael Landon M Ann Donegan Johnson 1992 January 1 0-7172-8263-5
Respect Abraham Lincoln M Ann Donegan Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1977 June 0-916392-14-7
Responsibility Ralph Bunche M Ann Donegan Johnson 1978 November 0-916392-29-5
Saving Benjamin Franklin M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1978 August 0-916392-17-1
Sharing Mayo Brothers M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1978 November 0-916392-28-7
Tenacity Maurice Richard M Ann Donegan Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1984 June 978-0-7172-8143-5
Truth and Trust Cochise M Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi 1980 Jan 0-307-69957-9
0-916392-10-4
Understanding Margaret Mead F Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi (Illustrator) 1979 June 0-916392-37-6

References

edit
edit