...for the object of education is to teach us to love beauty.
PlatoRead
The best morals kids get from any book is just the capacity to empathize with other people, to care about the characters and their feelings. So you don't have to write a preachy book to do that. You just have to make it a fun book with characters they care about, and they will become better people as a result.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Books can teach children empathy through engaging characters, rather than didactic messages.
In this quote, Louis Sachar emphasizes the importance of storytelling in children's literature. He argues that rather than delivering moral lessons in a preachy manner, authors should focus on creating relatable and enjoyable characters. When children form connections with these characters, they naturally develop empathy and a sense of caring for others, ultimately leading to personal growth and better citizenship.
Themes
EmpathyBooksChildrenMoralsStorytelling
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about children's literature at a school event.
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