Why Children's Literature is the Key to Unlocking the Mysteries and Beauty of Life
The key to life lies in the simplicity of children’s minds and the innocence of their souls.
It took me longer to learn to read than my peers. When I finally learned to read Oh Did I Soar, from one fairytale to another from “Winnie the Pooh” to the “Famous Five” by Enid Blyton. I devoured books, I loved them for the reality they protected me from for the way they made my life shimmer, and finally how they sharpened my imaginations and dreams.
Now that I am older, I spend my time reading fantasy and epic love stories that I had almost forgotten about the wonderful books that led to me becoming a bibliophile.
Children's Literature is the most inspiring genre of books ever made. In those books lie the secrets to conquering the world that we battle every day of our lives. We had forgotten the weapons children's books left us to conquer the world we live in now — we had “grown up”.
I did not realize my imagination was starting to lose its novelty and charm until I read “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein. This is when I had the inspiration to write this article, to inspire more people to pick up the books that were read to them as bedtime stories.
These are some quotes that have impacted my life:
“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it” Peter Pan by J.M Barrie.
This quote has stuck for the longest time. I remember when I was young, I willed my mind never to think that I couldn't achieve anything that I wanted, mainly because I so wanted to fly. When we grow older we start to not only have disbelief in the possibilities of the world but also ourselves. We completely disregard our abilities and begin to hate ourselves. Children's books teach us to believe in ourselves above all else — we forgot this principle and somehow started to hate the things about ourselves that these books told us to love.
“Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child, Listen to the DON’TS Listen to the SHOULDN’TS The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT’S Listen to the NEVER HAVES Then listen close to me — Anything can happen, child, ANYTHING can be.
Shel Silverstein.
I just saw this poem recently while I read “ Where the Sidewalk Ends”. It was so profound that I had to reread it a few times in astonishment at the lesson that I had learned. It tells us a very simple lesson that impossibilities do not exist, anything can happen and so can our hopes and dreams even the ones we feel have dashed away.
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think” AA Milne, Winnie the Pooh.
I remember when I was younger, Winnie the Pooh was the last TV show I always watched before I went to bed. I watched this scene only once and although I felt sadder about the fact that Christopher Robin was leaving, this quote has stuck with me for the longest time. It gave me hope that there was still more in me when I failed at something.
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.
– Antoine de Saint-Expuéry, Little Prince.
I only have one word for this quote — beautiful
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
– Dr Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut.
Till now, this quote inspires me to read as much as I can — to learn as much as I can. Dr. Seuss inspired many children including me. I had so many books written by him and I read them all. I read “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut” recently and it struck me how Dr. Suess’s books inspired a drive in me to suddenly achieve academic excellence.
The beauty of children’s literature is as boundless as children’s. All the answers to our existential questions lie in these simple books and not in Shakespeare. So when you question the world or what you are going through pick up a children’s book from your shelf, and lose yourself in the simplistic stories that have all the answers to our questions if we just choose to believe.
Thanks for reading xoxo.
