Read more children’s books

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Read more children’s books
Next time you want to read, grab a children’s book. Courtesy | Wikimedia Commons

Dad goes to the shelf as his 4, 6, and 8-year-old boys climb into the king-size bed. “Mystery on the Docks!” they shout as they bounce on the bed in their pajamas. Dad finds the book, slides into his spot on the bed, and begins to read as his sons help turn the pages.

Of course, dad has already read “Mystery on the Docks” about a thousand times, but somehow the book still manages to make his sons smile and wiggle with excitement. That’s the charm of children’s books: they’re timeless.

When we read children’s literature, we reconnect with our experiences and memories as children. As we enter adulthood, many of us look back at childhood as a fun time in the past and something to be forgotten. Yet if we revisit the books of our childhood, we re-awaken that part of ourselves. The literature allows us to retrace our steps, see our growth over the years, and seize the moments that once brought us so much joy. Sometimes we might read the books only for nostalgia’s sake, but often, we come to discover a truth about ourselves that we didn’t realize — we learn how to become children again.

We also come to better understand children through reading their literature. We learn how to speak their language and realize that they have matters that require attention just as much as ours do. For some reason, we come to think our problems are more important because we are “adults.” Yet, true empathy is all about placing oneself in the shoes of the other person. How are children an exception to this rule? 

Reading children’s books evokes the world of imagination. Think of “The Winged Watchman” by Hilda van Stockum. The story gives a fictional, but historical, account of a Dutch family that unknowingly acts as part of the resistance during the Nazi occupation in Holland. Stockum works suspense, excitement, and intrigue throughout the book to build a living picture of the era. In the book, she writes, “A certain amount of knowledge is necessary for wisdom, and without wisdom, knowledge is not only useless, it’s dangerous.” In this passage, she reveals the political leaders of the time who used their power and knowledge to create destruction rather than life. 

Adulthood requires fact, productivity, and control, creating a melancholic spirit toward life. Children’s books are a source of experiencing life in a mystical and thrilling sort of way. They create their own little worlds that encourage us to experiment with life. Read early 20th century children’s writer E. Nesbit. “The Enchanted Castle,” “The Phoenix and the Carpet,” or “The Railway Children,” are all about letting the mind wander rather than placing it in a stifling box.

Children’s books give us lessons on simplicity. Many of us might feel the obligation to read Fyodor Dostoevsky or Søren Kierkegaard, but children’s literature is invaluable. Look at “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle, which presents several striking themes or the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, which is full of rich description. So much of children’s literature is unappreciated by adults because people disregard it as exclusively for children.

The most exciting part of reading children’s books is the element of fun and the reminder to enjoy life. One great example is the literature of Robert McCloskey. In one of his books, “Homer Price,” McCloskey captivates the humor and lovable absurdity in children’s lives. Homer, a young boy, is entrusted with the task of dismantling a donut machine and putting the parts back together. Homer manages to start and fix the machine                              only upon discovering a new problem — the machine will not stop making donuts. We don’t have to be 4, 6, or 8 years old to read and enjoy children’s literature. Rather, we can keep discovering the charm of children’s books or revisiting the ones we already know, and realize how much more exciting and full life becomes. So, what book will it be?