“Thought-provoking” (making you think deeply about something) is not an adjective that many people use to describe children’s literature, sometimes called “kiddie lit.” But, in fact, it often is. Children’s literature is often filled with wisdom, lessons that have been learned over a long period of time, especially from experience.
Here are samples (a small number from a larger group) of the wisdom that you’ll find in some of my favorite children’s books. Read them, and then take a few minutes to think about them.
Thank you, Mr. Falker (Patricia Polacco) Trisha wants to read, but she can’t. When she tries, all she sees are strange shapes. Because she can’t read, her classmates call her “Dummy,” and she begins to believe them. When Mr. Falker becomes her 5th-grade teacher, everything changes. Instead of a sad girl, he sees a young artist. And when he discovers that she can’t read, he helps her believe that she can … and will!
“Honey is sweet, and so is knowledge, but knowledge is like the bee that made that sweet honey, you have to chase it (run quickly to catch it) through the pages of a book.”
As they walked, Trisha said, “Gramma, do you think I’m … different?”
“Of course,” her grandmother answered, “to be different is the miracle (something good that you can’t explain) of life.”
Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll) When Alice tumbles (falls) down a rabbit hole, she enters a crazy world filled with improbable (surprising and strange) characters such as the White Rabbit, March Hare and Mad Hatter, the sleepy Dormouse, grinning (with a wide smile) Cheshire Cat, Mock Turtle, and the dreadful (very unpleasant) Queen of Hearts.
“Tut, tut (a sound with no meaning), child!” said the Duchess. “Everything’s got a moral (a practical lesson about what to do or how to act), if only you can find it.”
“But it’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”
“I don’t see how he can ever finish, if he doesn’t begin.”
Winnie the Pooh (A.A. Milne) Winnie the Pooh describes the adventures of young Christopher Robin and his stuffed (filled with soft material) bear, Winnie the Pooh. Their friends Tigger (a tiger), Eeyore (a donkey), Piglet (a pig), and Owl all have unique (very different) personalities that contribute to (help make happen) their adventures.
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present*.”
*Note: Present means “now”; it also means “gift.”
The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) When an airplane pilot crashes in the Sahara desert, he meets a young prince (son of a king or queen) who came to Earth from a planet he calls Asteroid 325. The young prince tells the pilot about his adventures exploring other planets.
“All grown-ups (adults) were once children… but only few of them remember it.”
“A rock pile (several rocks sitting one on top of the other) ceases (stops) to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates (thoughtfully looks at) it, bearing within him (having in mind; considering) the image (idea or possibility) of a cathedral.”
“Well, I must endure (put up with) the presence of a few caterpillars (small creatures that become a butterflies) if I wish to become acquainted (familiar) with the butterflies.”
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! (Dr. Seuss) This wonderfully wise speech is perfect for graduates (someone who finishes school) of any age – and the rest of us, too.
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer (turn) yourself any direction you choose.”“Kid, you’ll move mountains (do something impressive)!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea*,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way (get started)!”*Note: All the names = It doesn’t make any difference who you are.
I’m curious: which of these do you want to be sure to remember?
~ Warren Ediger – English tutor/coach and creator of Successful English, where you’ll find clear explanations and practical suggestions for better English.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
Hi folks,
I am going to go with: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present*.”
I like it, and it’s easier to remember.
Thanks
Good sugestions for future reads 🙂
I’ll choose two:
“All grown-ups were once children… But only few of then remenber it”
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mistery, but today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present”
Nice quotes for all people, kids, adults, better ages (old peole).
Dear warren ,
The truth is , I don’t like children
Some people don’t like cats , some don’t like dogs , some don’t like flowers. Well , I don’t like children.
You know they do all they want and they can easily get away with it b because people think they are cute!!
To me , they are just a bunch of brats
I never read any children stories
Even as a child , I would find them silly.
lucky me , I don’t have any nieces or nephews. any chance , I will never get any :))
By for now
Thanks
I love the quotes from Little Prince.
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer (turn) yourself any direction you choose.”
—————–
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present*
—————–
Of all these four may be which I like more and like to remember daily, in fact the last one it is a Budish thought
who tell us the only real important moment it is just now, so it could be the phrase that could help us when
we are worried about future. To me this thought has been the one that helps me in bad moments of not hope.
Thinking on the past or putting our mind in future it is the way of not living a real life as just this precise moment
is the only time that counts in our life.
Children stories are absolutely wise and I could remember my wife Cuca telling always a story to my children
when they were having their meals. We all enjoyed what Cuca said to them and what it was funny for me was just
the fact that Cuca could not change a single little thing of the stories as my daughters remembered everything
absolutely but they liked to listen to their mother or even to me, telling them the same tells once and again.
Despite yesterday is history, yes, I like to remember it from time to time, that makes me happy as one of the best
livings in my life.
Thanks Dear Warren, you always give us good moments.
emiliano
Sorry dear, ……”the same tales (children stories) once and again”
Thanks.
“But it’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”
“I don’t see how he can ever finish, if he doesn’t begin.”
Never we are tired of watching or reading “Alice in Wonderland” so these two
are also great.
In fact my daughters or even us could remember several phrases of Alice in Wonderland
that are full of wiseness as the tale are a compendium of short wise little stories too.
Yes Alice it is a marvellous tale for adults and children, ja,ja, too.
Dear warren,
I haven’t read any your posts for a while. It’s nice catching up with you.
Admittedly, this post really relates to my childhood. I really love children as well as children books. By the way, why is that some adults cannot remember their childhood? is it something psychological common for all adults, or it depends on some one’s characteristics.
Any way, All of these notes are Thought-provoking specially this one ”:
”You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
But I Have small confusion with this one,
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present”.
Because Tomorrow is not a mystery (on my call). Tomorrow could be based how you spend today. But Today is a gift (100% true).
Cheers,
parviz
Hi guys,
After pondering for few seconds I decided that I Like this quote too, (If I am permitted to make a little change).
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer (turn) yourself any direction you choose.”
“Kid, you’ll move mountains (do something impressive)!
So…be your name PARVIZ, Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea*,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way (get started)!
So, I am going to get started.
see you after I am back from my journey to……. to where? ….. I don’t know
where I am going? You see. That’s a big Idea.
Okey, first I have to decide where to go, Then ”who to go” will become easy.
Dear Warren, the records I have from my girls when they were children are the best of all my life, just the same as for my dear
Cuca, along the years everything change and……”it is no use going back to yesterday, because I (we) was a different person then”.
That´s right but the time lived remains inside our minds and we could recover it from our minds which ever time we want.
Now when I see their photos or Cuca´s photos with them something inside my heart gives me happiness, even me with the girls
are a picture that makes me happy despite I don´t like to be in the pictures.
Doing my gatufo´s blog now that I have recovered some of these photos it is has been something that helps me to be better and
pass a very good time writing my blog. It is a kind of happiness I want to share but I know that is difficult as we have ou own
untransferible memories that have value for us only. That´s life.
What sometime I could not understand is why a person could say I don´t like this or that if never have lived the experience or
they have not tasted a food or have not traveled to this or that place.
Close to me I have an example, my dear Cuca said along years she doesn´t like cats, once and again she said that for the girls
and me.
Now she is mad about Gatufo, and she said to me that knowing this her feelings now she could not said NO to the girls or me when
we wanted to have a cat or a dog at home.
Her mind has changed living the experience. That is the best to form an opinión about all different subjects of lile.
My best for you and your family dear profesor Warren, it is always a honor to read your Works.
Hi guys
Hey Peter, really!? why would you find kiddie lit. silly? I mean, reading all Warren’s examples that does not look silly. There is some wisdom there.
Anyway, I like your openness/frankness and sincerity. I do not like kids very much too. I prefer animals.
Said that though, sometimes they are great.
Recently, as I was heading to the grocery store, there was this kid walking with her mother. At a certain point she stopped in front of a little tree standing on the way,
and said to her Mom “Mom the tree does not let me go through” I thought that was really funny and showed a point of view far different from us grown up.
One of the books I liked the most for kids, was The Wizard of Oz.
I tried out Alice in wonderland, but was not able to get to the end. Did not like it.
Thanks Guys, have a nice week-end
Thanks, Warren, for another great post. I think that all these phrases deserve to be remembered, because they are really deep in meaning. I like good aphorisms which make me to contemplate for a while about truly important things in my life.
Dear Warren
Thanks for writing something so precious for us to read.
Being a deprived little girl growing up in a poor village, I was not lucky enough to have all those good quality children’s story books to read.
That’s why when my children were little and when I looked for story books or videos for them, I simply bought all those that caught my eyes.
“Alice in Wonderland” firmly stays in our house. I watched it many times and I am never tired of it.
I would like to remember all those you listed above for us, but I will struggle to because my brain will hurt if I force it to remember things.
My brain likes to live for today, my eyes only look at things one feet in front of them.
Can I say I am very short-sighted?
Yes, I am, my optician is very happy when he sees me because he has made quite a lot of money selling glasses to me.
It is nice to make some jokes. Be a happy child and we can enjoy more things in life.
Many thanks again, Warren, thanks for jogging my memory. I love children’s story books and videos because I became a happy child when I read or watch them.
Best Regards
Betty 🙂
Dear Parviz,
Don´t you think that tomorrow is a mistery? Why do you think so?.
You said, and it is nice to me because I think you could be really young, that tomorrow is based
in how you spend today?. It is really nice for me to listen you saying that.
After living for a long time and looking back my memories I could say that day after day along
my life tomorrow (in that past time) was always a mystery, not based in how I spent the days that I lived.
No, nothing it is for sure, so tomorrow it is always a mistery. Even we could not know if we, me, will live
tomorrow morning.
In future it is only a thing that it is not a mistery, we all are going to die…..but we don´t know when, so
it is necessary to live just now, it is the only treasure or the gift we have at the moment….the present time.
——
Being young I wanted to have a different life I have lived, I wanted to live other place and have another
different work, I was studying for that and preparing my future for a long time. But, suddenly a day
all my life changed for ever, and so every single fact that happens round you changed your life in a second.
With great sorrow from my part, we could ask to victims of Boston or the dead in Texas, all of them sure
have plans for their life. The dead have nothing to care about, but the injured have their life changed
in a second without any will from their part.
—–
Yes I am very sorrow about these tragedies and terrorist attacks, all my
condolences with victims and their families.
—–
My best dear Parviz, it is nice to talk with you, but not about these so bad events.
emiliano
I’m Rocky from India. I loved, love and will love your podcast. You do very great job.
Thank a lot for your nice podcast
Dear emiliano,
Actually there are three emilianos and I am not sure whom I am talking to.
Learning From Nature,
Let’s start by saying that for 97% percent of people LIFE is a mystery, and only (sadly) 3% of population live the way they want.
I am 33 years old. I hold a master’s degree in Genetics. As a kid, my mind was always occupied by thinking about Life, departure and destiny. I used to live an unhappy life, like everybody else around me did. Then, nearly two years ago I started to change my Attitude (thinking+feeling+behavior).
In part of my studies, I found out that every organism (from virus to human) has a perfect Genetic structure Called DNA which controls every movement inside our body. this is the common sense between all the creatures.
But as human beings we have another ability that enables us to think. Thinking is the highest from of creation we are endowed (given) by GOD. We think with our brain but, let’s understand this, mental activity, does not constitute thinking. because you may be remembering the past. that is mental activity but it’s not thinking.
By thinking I mean creating a picture of your future and get emotionally Involved with that picture and step out and do something to make it happen. Of course, in today’s life manifestation is difficult because of lots of distraction we face. But if you believe in it, you we see it. So have to be patient.
This style of thinking works exactly in the same way as the Genetic (DNA) does. Our DNA makes it happen whatever program it has. Its programs never change.
since two years ago I have been practicing This technique, and it works very well from.
For last note, I wish to recommend you (If I may), to look carefully at the trees or flowers in your house or garden to see their shape and lives mostly defined by their genetics (that is inside), you can also do that for your life. Age never matters in this scenario.
You see, My Happiness has nothing to do with Outside, it comes from inside, and so does my future that I am planning for today (at present). This is what I would call learning from nature.
Wish you Lock,
Hi,
Emiliano you are right.
I just wanna add to that: not just tomorrow is a mistery, but a few seconds from the now/at this moment.
Thanks Betty! always a pleasure reading from you. That was interesting and fun too.
Have a great weekend.
Welcome Rocky to ESL podcast and this our Blog, we like to have you
from India a nation so interesting with so much diversity of cultures
and religions.
My best dear, emiliano
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” For me this is very interesting kind of selflessness.
Hi There Parviz,
I have got a couple of questions for you. If I may.
I am so sorry to read you lived an un-happy life, and everyone around you too! I was wondering what country is that? or part of a country?
Why do you say “sadly” when you say ” 0nly 3% of the people live as they want”? I do not have/live what I want, but I am quite sitisfied the same. I am happily one of the 97%
By the way, where did you get that piece of information?, that piece of date.
Are you sure, thinking is the best of us? I do not know..I am not sure about that and I am not that sure/certain about some God too.
Has that thing you do a name? that technique of thinking, is it called “Manifestation”? could you please explain that better?
Thank you Parviz. Wishing you to achieve everything you want in life.
Parviz, Thanks, I think your are right and for me it is of high interesting thought what you have told me.
I´ll would try, be sure, and it could be the best to have a best living day after day with health and bit of
happiness.
By the way, are there three emilianos? First notice I have of that.
I do think I was the one, ja, ja, ……some months ago there was an Emiliano from Argentina but I think he didn´t
appears any more for long here.
Emiliano it is my name of always, but I have aslo the Nick name of “gatufo” when I write in my own blog
out from here
Just from the begining of this ESL blog I have been in it, may be six years already? except from some months last year that I was ill,
in fact I was out of the world for more than seven months, but ESL Blog has been always like home to me. Home that I returned last
November again.
My best for you Parviz, you have studied and incredible good caree, interesting by all means, congratulations.
May I know where are you from?. I am from Madrid, Spain. Thanks dear.
emiliano
Dear Dan and Emiliano,
I am really glad you find my quotes interesting.
First of all, I can not describe everything in This little space we are provided with by Our Dear teachers in ESL pod Cast. But in the post discussed the definition of happiness I mentioned some of the people with their books. you can go try on your own.
secondly, I am from the country of Iran, well-known to you as being a third-world country in technology and science. where people live simple Life.
I grew up herding goats, living in a dirt house within a very big family of 13 members. when I was 1.5, I Suddenly lost my dad, then our happy life turned into a disaster, even though we were Rich. when I was three I had a truck-load questions about life, and destiny, only to know that no one could I find to answer my questions. I made my way to college, end up studding genetics. It wasn’t a happy life. My misery continued until, Until I decided to turn that around. And by changing my attitude, I changed my conditions, circumstances and then environment.
Now I am in the Middle of a big process that shapes my LIFE. You see, to change my life I had to change 1) who I am communicating with and 2) What I am doing with my time. I did that then my life changed in a click.
Thirdly, I’m not sure either a real God exists or not. THAT IS NOT EVEN IMPORTANT. But science will tell Us that everything we need to live a happy life is already here. For example, the way to fly the air , internet, electricity,…. they have always been here. The problem was we were not aware of how to use them, until some cool guys like Late Edison, the Wright brothers and… become mentally conscious about their existence.
Don’t go far, Ask our genius Dr Jeff about where he got the Idea of pod casting. First he did a little dreaming, then started right away with what he had.
My brother, if you can’t see something, doesn’t mean you should reject it.
thanks very much,
Parviz,
Dear Dan,
I am really sorry if I mad you inconvenient by dividing people into two groups.
I am glad you are satisfied with your life. But I m Afraid, you may not be using your potential to full extent. When you are satisfied, it could mean that you are compromising with life. But if you study your self more thoroughly you may learn that you could have done better and been in a better position, been happier.
By 97% of population let their condition control their thinking. That is why they Just keep doing the same day after day, week after week, month after month and so forth.
3% of population of people ARE FULLY aware of the secrets of life. They are the dreamers who try to change the face of the world. They forgo the safe zone. They are the one who overcome barriers to get to what they want.
I didn’t use 100% instead of 97%, because I didn’t want to invalidate the existence of ESL podcast (just kidding).
cheers,
As they walked, Trisha said, “Gramma, do you think I’m … different?”
“Of course,” her grandmother answered, “to be different is the miracle (something good that you can’t explain) of life.”
I like this one the best..
I`m reading lots of children’s books and love them, just because of the wisdom..combined with humor.
I loved to read for my own children, and nowadays, for my grandchildren, to see their eyes and eagerness is amazing..
I might be able, thanks to this English language learning, to read these my favorite books for them one day..
First I do every morning it is just to look into the Blog searching for new comments of the blogers, some days there are but other there are not.
Today I only could see the last from emiliano, this name sounds me.
Second thing I use to do is searching for the new mails, but usually I found mails from companies that wants to sell me something…..it is
like a custom that I have adquired along the last years.
I would like to go for a walk outside, but outside there is nothing that appeals me. There are not forest, lands, sea, or mountains. Only the
same buildings I have seen so many times.
Yes, I miss the sea or the mountains.
Dan, you are a fortunate person having all these sights at hand, the posibility of going for a walkd to see the birds, the threes, the flowers, the colours
of the spring just beside home.
What are we doing here in a big ciy like Madrid?. Well, sometimes we can´t do what we would like to do and now it is difficult to us to be living
far away from civilizations with all its healthy cares and so forth.
Beside without a car what can I do living in the countryside?. No way my friend emiliano, you need to drive again and have health sites close
near home.
Well, I´ll continue looking for some news about what is happening now in Boston, all the papers here writes about this big tragedy. I am really sorry
for the victims of these terrorist acts.
My best for you friends and good sunday.
emiliano
Yesterday evening we were watching “”Les Miserables” movie based on the 1862 French novel by Victor Hugo. The film is directed by Tom Hooper, scripted by William Nicholson, Boublil, Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer. With Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried.
The film tells the story of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who becomes mayor of a town in France, the movie is amazin and we (Cuca, gatufo and me) liked the movie absolutely.
It is long, more tan two hours and a half, but it is so good made that time doesn´t count.
Now I have discovered a great actor who is Hugh Jackman, I don´t know why this actor didn´t win the Oscar by his role one of the most difficults I have ever seen, and he acts in an absolutely incredible way. Bravo for him despite he didn´t win the Oscar but he have won the admiration of millions watchers that have seen his good work.
Years ago he seems to me an atractive good looking actor making another kind of movies and also was nominated as “Sexiest Man Alive.” by the magazine People.
Yesterday he gave me tha big surprise of watching a great actor.
Anne Hathaway is incredible good too, and the Oscar she won was very good given. He made a long, very long sequence of five minutes with his face in the foreground singing.
Just so amazing that I repited the scene for three times, being at home it is possible but not being in the theatre you can do that, may be that is the reason I like to see movies
at home in a big screen.
We were absolutely enchanted with the musical movie and with the good work of all the staff, why didn´t win the movie more Oscar prizes? Just another mistery for me.
Highly recommended film.
emiliano
Thanks Parviz,
I could read now your reply and again it seems to me really interesting.
I would like to have more writings from you, they give me something
special to think on.
Thanks dear, all my respects for you, your family and your people.
The old country of Persia is always a respetful land to me.
I wish the best for you Parviz.
emiliano
Thank you Parviz,
I am glad to read from someone from Iran.
To tell you the truth your Country here it is not known, at least by myself, as third world Country.
We know very little about Iran, that is why I am glad you are here. As they say: the more the merrier.
I wish there was someone for each Country of our nice Globe.
Bye!
Dear emiliano!
(thanks a lot for the last comment to me=)
I always love to read your posts, especially your words about your dear ones..which tell me a lot of you!
A month ago, I listened to a great audiobook..De elendige (les miserable).. it is really a good book, actually, one of the best I`ve
ever read..so..I think I won`t see the movie..as to the fact that I`m always getting this kind of disappointment if I first read, then
watch the movie.. or..should I??
I wish you and your lovely wife a great day!!
You are really nice with me Oyvor, thanks, it is true that feelings means a lot about the person but I have the great
fortune of having my dear Cuca who gives me all my strengh to be a better person. Always with me close together
makes life too much easy to go along the way.
We have a close friend Camila, one of the best persons I have met, that now are very sick with a bad tumor. She
was in the hospital nearly three months after taking off the tumor, but still she is really sick. She has always gave
us her love, her help and so many times take care of Cuca and me when we need her and our other friend Alicia
who lives with her together for several years.
Just in this moment I have been talking with Alicia asking her about her dear Camila, I was really worried since last
saturday. They are now at home, but Camila scarcely eat any food.
All of this comes to tell you how a person could be when she is necessary and Alicia, her friend, has been with her
day after day from the morning to the following morning without going a moment off from her.
From August till now she has been close to her side in the hospital and at home, doing everything just incredible
such resistance of a person like Alicia.
I do think it is love, too much love, which gives her the necessary strenth to stay on with her loving friend.
Love is the meaning of everything and why persons are or do what they do for years.
Even so, only a woman could do such a thing as to be inside a hospital for months without any rest.
I have been in the hospital with Cuca, my mother or my father several times and I could say it is really very tired.
Ye, I can´t think in other thing more tired as to be along months with the person you love in a hospital.
Women could do that, day after day, with more strengh that men, more patience and strengh to be hours woring
or caring a love one.
A person who has some one to love or is loving for only a single one it is a fortunate person, that is the true for
me. Such a thing gives ever sense to our life.
—-
In relation with the movie “Les Miserables” you may have in consideration that it is a musical, I do think that has nothing to do
with the novel of Victor Hugo, despite the story it is based in the novel and the name of characters should be the same.
As a rule books are always better that movies when the story it is translated to the TV or the Cinema.
But this one it is really good as musical based in a good book, and some how the characters are good shaped.
My best dear, if you see the movie forget the book, I´ll always do the same to enjoy a good film.
emiliano
Dear Warren,
I hope to always remember every lesson behind these sentences; but the one that impressed
me the most was this one: “I don’t see how he can ever finish, if he doesn’t begin.”
The reason for that is because all of us want to improve our lives, everybody has amazing
projects and ideas, but the difference is that not so many of us are willing to start them, or
even most common to finish them.
Thanks for this podcast.
Best Regards,
Jesus P.
Dear emiliano!
Thanks so much for the answer to me! I know a great deal about people suffering too, my life hasn`t been so easy either,
so I have no problem to visualize the situation..touching story really..and hard to deal with I´m sure. At our age..you
experience a lot, and..in spite of the sad things I have to say that you learn a lot from them.. People like Alicia is amazing,
And your Cuca.. thanks for sharing, and let`s hope Camila get some good moments, love can do everything!
As for “Le Miserable”, oh, a musical..well, that`s different..
i wish you all the best, and thanks again!