Ah wisdom! Have you ever read a kid’s book and thought, damn, this is quite deep? Well, that had happened to me a few times, and in this article, I will share with you some of the best kids’ books that I have read and seen.
We will reflect on some amazing wisdom quotes and how they can help your kids be a better person in the future.
Before we start, remember that because it says kids’ books, it does not mean we (adults) cannot read and enjoy them! The idea is to read them when we are young and then read them again after a few years with a different mindset, experience, and a different (hopefully more enlightened) perception.
Let’s start with a famous one…
1. The Little Prince – by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”
Like the title says, this book is about the story of a little boy (a prince) who visits different planets, and during those trips the book talks about relationships, love, loneliness, and loss in a poetic way.
And, from all the important topics it mentions, one that I really liked can be expressed in the following quote:
“All grown-ups were once children…but only few of them remember it.”
I have seen how, over the years, people become bitter, angry, sad, as if they lost all the dreams they once had. Perhaps this can be because of the values that we are now promoting (to become products and sell ourselves), but this book reminds us of the wisdom of keeping that curiosity alive.
To appreciate things, to be present, and to not let envy, hate, and evil poison us. And, to end with something memorable from this book, don’t forget:
“It’s all a great mystery…Look up at the sky and you’ll see how everything changes.”
2. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – by Kate DiCamillo
“The heart breaks and breaks and lives by breaking. It is necessary to go through dark and deeper dark and not to turn. Stanley Kunitz, The Testing Tree: Poems.
The books start with this amazing poem, it talks about a Rabbit (a toy) who is quite a narcissist and selfish individual, owned by a little girl from a wealthy family, but then one day he gets lost, and his journey begins.
During his journey he meets different people from different backgrounds and starts to learn a bit more about life and, because of this, he becomes more human, he becomes grateful, he learns that love is the most powerful power in the world, and that we all deserve to love and to be loved.
This book is one of my favourite ones, I read it in one night and could not stop crying. I truly recommend it to everyone. To finish, from this wisdom masterpiece, here are two key points:
“If you have no intention of loving or being loved, then the whole journey is pointless.” “Open your heart. Someone will come. Someone will come for you. But first you must open your heart.”
3. The Boy Who Would Be King – By Ryan Holiday
“Through the pages of a book,” Rusticus said, “We can talk to people who lived long ago, and learn easily what they learned with great difficulty.”
The story of one of the best Roman emperors, Marcus Aurelius, but from a different perspective, one that kids can relate to, and which is easier to understand. I have written about Stoicism before, and my conclusion is that it is a philosophy that we all must learn from. It helps us be better and teaches us to do good and to be good with others.
Ryan Holiday is an amazing writer and plenty of his books (summaries) and work is available on YouTube. Another great work that is directed to parents is his new book “The Daily Dad”, which I also highly recommend. And, before we move to the next book, here is a great piece of wisdom from this title:
“The Gods choose things for us,” his mother said. “All we can choose is how we respond.”
4. Big Panda & Tiny Dragon – by James Norbury
“Sometimes, my head is just like this storm”, said the Tiny Dragon.“If you listen carefully”, said the Great Panda, “you will hear the raindrops hitting the rock. Even in a storm it is possible to find a little peace.”
What can a dragon and a panda teach me? You might wonder, well, this book teaches you the importance of being your own best friend, to learn to be surrounded by people that you love and love you back, to be grateful, and, like Big Panda said:
“Sometimes, just getting up is a victory.” To conclude from this book, always remember: “Which is more important,” asked Big Panda, “the journey or the destination?” “The company.” said Tiny Dragon.
5. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – by Charlie Mackesy
“What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said? asked the boy. ‘Help,’ said the horse.‘Asking for help isn’t giving up,’ said the horse. ‘It’s refusing to give up.”
This last book is a masterpiece, it teaches us to never give up, to be resilient, to never compare ourselves with others and that we must remember that we are important, and that we are loved. And what could be considered the most important lesson from this book: “I can’t see a way through,” said the boy. “Can you see your next step? Yes. Just take that said the horse.”
I hope you liked my list. I encourage you to learn more about the magical wisdom treasure hidden in these books and let us know your favourite titles in the comments below!
