Writing for children is bloody difficult; books for children are as complex as their adult counterparts, and they should therefore be accorded the same respect.
Mark HaddonRead
If kids like a picture book, they're going to read it at least 50 times. Read anything that often, and even minor imperfections start to feel like gravel in the bed.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Repeated exposure to a book can reveal its flaws, but it also signifies deep engagement and enjoyment.
Mark Haddon highlights how children's love for a picture book often leads them to read it multiple times. This repetition allows them to notice even the smallest imperfections, emphasizing both their dedication to the story and how their familiarity transforms their reading experience into something nuanced and complex, akin to noticing the gravel in a comfortable bed.
Themes
BooksChildrenReadingEngagementEducation
In practice
Example use cases
During a school assembly, a teacher can use this quote to illustrate the impact of reading habits.
More from Mark Haddon
All quotes →As to the number of novels I've abandoned... I shudder to think. I have thrown away five completed novels, and that's a gruesome enough figure. But not necessarily a waste of effort.
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At twenty life was like wrestling an octopus. Every moment mattered. At thirty it was a walk in the country. Most of the time your mind was somewhere else. By the time you got to seventy, it was probably like watching snooker on the telly.
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And Father said, "Christopher, do you understand that I love you?" And I said "Yes," because loving someone is helping them when they get into trouble, and looking after them, and telling them the truth, and Father looks after me when I get into trouble, like coming to the police station, and he looks after me by cooking meals for me, and he always tells me the truth, which means that he loves me.
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From a good book, I want to be taken to the very edge. I want a glimpse into that outer darkness.
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And I know I can do this because I went to London on my own, and because I solved the mystery…and I was brave and I wrote a book and that means I can do anything.
Mark HaddonRead
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