Scan barcode
Reviews
Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise by Katherine Rundell
trix898's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
jlewis's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Really enjoyed this, as I have always read and re-read children’s books, and it expressed everything about why I do. My main criticism is that it is too short
bethd2828's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.5
frozenheartv's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
3.75
3.75 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌖
🧠 My thoughts
As a person who used to think that children's books were too simple and childish to read, this book caught my attention right away when I saw it. My thoughts has changed drastically though time. For me, nowadays, children's books are the comfortable places that I pay a visit to whenever I'm in a reading slump or I'm just too tired of my complicated life.
This book is in an essay form. I'm glad that the author pointed out so many good points to convince the readers why children's books are necessary for all kinds of readers. I agree with the author’s points. I just wish that the arguments were clearer and easier to follow.
👍 What I like
- Convincing points
- Short and nice to read
- Has many good quotes and mentions many other great children's book' authors
👎 What I don't like
- Sometimes, it's hard to follow the arguments
- Some arguments are not as strong as the others
🌕🌕🌕🌖
🧠 My thoughts
As a person who used to think that children's books were too simple and childish to read, this book caught my attention right away when I saw it. My thoughts has changed drastically though time. For me, nowadays, children's books are the comfortable places that I pay a visit to whenever I'm in a reading slump or I'm just too tired of my complicated life.
This book is in an essay form. I'm glad that the author pointed out so many good points to convince the readers why children's books are necessary for all kinds of readers. I agree with the author’s points. I just wish that the arguments were clearer and easier to follow.
👍 What I like
- Convincing points
- Short and nice to read
- Has many good quotes and mentions many other great children's book' authors
👎 What I don't like
- Sometimes, it's hard to follow the arguments
- Some arguments are not as strong as the others
tamarant4's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
..children’s fiction necessitates distillation: at its best, it renders in their purest, most archetypal forms hope, hunger, joy, fear. Think of children’s books as literary vodka. [loc. 127]
Rundell's essay on the experience of reading children's books as an adult, and rediscovering the hope, the subversion, the miracles that overcome chaos. Rundell is immensely eloquent, and uses her own experience as a popular writer for children to describe the crafting of stories that contain 'the things that I most urgently and desperately want children to know and adults to remember'. She writes about how the best children's books describe the world as a huge and mysterious place, full of things yet to be learnt or encountered or overcome: and she reminds us that children, politically and economically powerless, have a different perspective on the world. The big emotions in children's books -- the victories over darkness, the importance of bravery and loyalty and love -- are a counterbalance to the great unknowns: they're layered with the darker knowledge of the adult writing, and often with a weight of myth and legend that won't necessarily be known (or even perceived) by a child reading, but will add depth to their experience of the book.
I do read quite a few children's books, even though I am so old. (Still, forever, working on wisdom.) And I love the sense of recognition when I'm rereading an old favourite, and the envy I feel for children reading today with so many more marvellous, diverse, questioning and fantastical books to read.
Fulfils the ‘about books’ rubric of the Something Bookish Reading Challenge.
Fulfils the ‘Non-fiction recommended by a friend ’ rubric of the 52 books in 2024 reading challenge. Thanks, Claire!
madhamster's review
5.0
Oh, if I quoted the bits of this book which sung in my heart - I would be quoting the book in its entirety.
Yes, I am prejudiced. I am a children's librarian who unashamedly reads children's books. Sometimes, in preference to adult books.
But, this quote is fabulous:
Ignore those who would call it mindless escapism: it's not escapism: it is findism. Children's books are not a hiding place, they are a seeking place.
Yes, I am prejudiced. I am a children's librarian who unashamedly reads children's books. Sometimes, in preference to adult books.
But, this quote is fabulous:
Ignore those who would call it mindless escapism: it's not escapism: it is findism. Children's books are not a hiding place, they are a seeking place.