Don't fear death, fear the un-lived life
Natalie BabbittRead
I write for children because I am interested in fantasy and the possibilities for experience of all kinds before the time of compromise. I believe that children are far more perceptive and wise than American books give them credit for being.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the inherent wisdom and imagination in children, suggesting that literature should reflect this understanding.
In this quote, Natalie Babbitt expresses her belief that writing for children allows for the exploration of fantastical ideas and experiences, free from the compromises often imposed by adult perspectives. She argues that children possess a remarkable perceptiveness and wisdom that is often overlooked by authors and the literary world, highlighting the need for books that truly engage with their imaginative capacities.
Themes
ChildrenImaginationWisdomFantasyLiterature
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about children's literature, this quote can highlight the importance of valuing children's perceptions.
More from Natalie Babbitt
All quotes →Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.
Natalie BabbittRead
Similar quotes
Readers, after all, are making the world with you. You give them the materials, but it's the readers who build that world in their own minds.
Ursula K. Le GuinRead
Schools teach you how to work for money, but don't teach how to make money work for you
Robert KiyosakiRead
People who graduate are more resilient financially, and they weather economic downturns better than people who don't graduate. And, throughout their lives, people who graduate are more likely to be economically secure, more likely to be healthy, and more likely to live longer. Face it: A college degree puts a lot in your corner.
Elizabeth WarrenRead
It is not enough for the teacher to love the child. She must first love and understand the universe. She must prepare herself, and truly work at it.
Maria MontessoriRead
I myself owe everything to French books. They developed in my soul the sentiments of humanity which had been stifled by eight years of fanatical and servile education.
Cesare BeccariaRead
I believe unconditionally in the ability of people to respond when they are told the truth. We need to be taught to study rather than believe, to inquire rather than to affirm.
Septima Poinsette ClarkRead