Hilaire Belloc 
Cautionary Tales for Children 

Most notable among prolific English satirist Hilaire Belloc's writings are the sharp and clever admonishments he composed for children. Collected here, these short, funny pieces offer moral instruction for all types of mischief makers—from a certain young Jim, "who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion, " to the tale of Matilda, "who told lies and was burned to death"—and add up to a delightful read for any fan of Roald Dahl or Shel Silverstein.