“A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.”
This quote is by C.S. Lewis, one of the many writers whose writing has enriched my life. I’m impressed by the creative ways he approaches writing about truths, both through his nonfiction and fiction works. Among the many books for which he is best known are The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven books generally considered to be children’s literature. Lewis is also known for his books about the teachings of Christianity. Some of his best known works of this type are Mere Christianity, The Problem of Pain, and Miracles.
When I read C.S. Lewis’ quote, it immediately resonated with me based on my own experience. I very much enjoyed the books that I read to my daughter when she was a child and those that I now read to my grandchild, in addition to loving having that special time with each of them. Even the board books for very young children are not just enjoyed by them but are also appreciated by adults. The various authors’ creativity, the many topics and themes of their books, the impact of seeing the stories’ characters interact in positive ways or show courage and determination when dealing with a difficulty—all of these aspects and many more add to children’s healthy development as well as to their enjoyment, and speak to adults as well.
If you’ve read my other posts, you know that I encourage people to read quality nonfiction and fiction. I use the word quality because there are also books that lack quality that we shouldn’t waste our time reading. Through reading, we expand our knowledge about myriad topics, we get a sense of what it is like to live in other places and what is was like to live during other eras, we better understand other people’s personalities and approaches to life, we can even gain a better understanding of ourselves. This applies to nonfiction topics, such as reading about Jungian psychological concepts, and also to fiction where we might gain insight about ourselves through the personalities and interactions of the characters in the stories.
I also encourage people to read books to their children starting at an early age. It is one of the best things we can do for children as a parent. And of course this applies to grandparents, day care providers, and others who spend time with and care for children. This time together is nurturing for the children in addition to providing the benefits of hearing the stories and seeing the illustrations. Reading to children also helps them to learn to read and write, and it plants the seed for becoming lifelong readers themselves.
There are many wonderful children’s books to share with your children. And, as C.S. Lewis says, to enjoy as adults as well.