10 Children’s Books to Remind Yourself That You’re Old and Life Was Better the First Time You Read Them

Looking to reinvigorate your literary world, find simple motivation, and numb yourself to impending adulthood? You’ve come to the right place! I present a comprehensive list of great books that are both good for the soul and nostalgia benders:

  • Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
    • For when you need to feel better about how idiotic you can be!
  • The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
    • Plot: A lovely tree endlessly gives herself (not sexually) to a boy named Sheldon.
    • Takeaway: Remember the virtues of The Giving Tree when your friend asks for a bite of your Knead Donut.
    • Memorable quote: “It is hard to forget, I said, when the
      re is such an empty space when you are gone.” This is perfect to get you in the feels about your pet at home. Al
      though, could anyone possibly miss their pet more than I miss this organic masterpiece???
  • Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett JohnsonPlot: Name’s pretty self-explanatory: follow Harold as he creates a whole new world with a purple crayon.
      • Memorable quote: “But luckily he kept his wits.”If only we could all be so lucky!

     

  •   Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne
    • Moral: This lovable little bear will help you deepen your self-love. 
    • Memorable quotes:
      • “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Great words of wisdom before any exam.
      • “One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries.” Yeah, that’s why I can’t see the floor in my room–for discoveries!
      • And as you saw on every high school graduation post ever: “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
  • The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
    • For when you’re looking for external motivation for your environmentalist agenda (I have personally tested out this technique): “I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.”
  •  Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
    • Plot: Join a bunny as it bids bonne nuit to all around it. It’s also great to passive-aggressively read aloud when you are trying to sleep and your roommate is not getting the message!
    • “Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere.” And goodnight to your loudass HUMIDIFIER. Why is your skin so dry??? We’re in MOIST New England!! (Sorry to all those people who have an aversion to the word ‘moist.’ Mooooiiiissstt.)
  •  Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
    • Perfect for some subtle life choice contemplation.
    • Memorable quote: “When you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” It’s like he’s directly calling out sophomores.
  •  Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, no Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
    • Plot: Watch as Alexander navigates through a very un-fun series of events.
    • “It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. My mom says some days are like that” and she’s right! They’re called Mondays.
  •  The Frog and Toad Collection by Arnold Lobel
    • Meet Frog and Toad and the silly antics they stir up.
  • Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
    • Plot: “In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines…” and we follow the little one named Madeline through her shenanigans.
    • “We love our Bread, we love our Butter, but most of all we love each other,” but most most of all, we love Ivy Room smoothies still being served at 11:46 :’-).
    • And, as with this article, “That’s all there is, there isn’t any more.”

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