Customer Reviews

What the Dormouse Said: Lessons for Grown-ups from Children's Books

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This is a delightful collection of quotations that anyone who loves children's books will enjoy. Sources range from Alice in Wonderland to Winnie-the-Pooh to Narnia to Harry Potter. The book is divided into chapters, including Imagination and Adventure; Animals; Character and Individuality; Greed, Envy, Pride, and Sloth; Songs and Stories. There's an index of titles so you can look up your favorites. Here are a couple of my favorites: "Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." ("The Wind in the Willows"); "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." ("The Hobbit").

What the Dormouse Said is a terrific resource for anyone who loves children's literature or benefits from a little wisom and wit...and that include everyone! It is also a great tribute to the writing talents of children's authors. This attractive little treasure is my gift of choice for the holidays, I am giving it to teachers and anyone I know who works with children or is young at heart. The selections are diverse, well-organized and just plain fun to read.

I just happened upon this book in my local bookstore, and I feel lucky really. It's a gem. Filled with wonderfully witty and wise quotations from childrens books through the ages. The quotations brought back lovely memories of my own childhood and my own childhood reading. They also reminded me of how beautiful and eloquent and wise the simple thoughts are from great children's literature. Thank you, Amy Gash, for putting together such a thoughtful and moving collection. I plan to buy many as gifts for friends and for my own children's teachers. There's a lot to learn from children's literature--wisdom and perspective and, perhaps most of all, a sense humor. I can't think of a better introduction to the world of children's literature--and what it has to offer to grown ups too--than What The Dormouse Said.

Thank you Amy Gash, for creating this beautiful volume of quotes from children's books. It's a real treat to revisit the classics through the poignant quotes in this book. This book is at the top of my gift-giving list!

This book is a based on a terrific premise, teaching that oftenthe most insightful comments come from the most simple expressions.It would make a perfect holiday gift this coming season.

Yes, you can go back home. Most of these quotes come from books that either I remember reading as a young girl or that I read to my sons when they were growing up. As an adult/grown-up they have an entirely new meaning and perception that is heartrendering at times and at others very up lifting. I liked it and have purchased another to pass along.

this is a book to treasure. Ms. Gash has done a remarkable job compiling it. I've purchased this book for at least a dozen of my male friends, and they're not even gay. Don't let this one fall between the cracks. The lessons are inspirational on many levels; Gash's selections, geared to adults, from the greatest children's books are consistently entertaining and thought-provoking, no small feat in these crazy, meaning-challenged times. I can't say enough about this unique, compelling book, unless I already have.

Children's books are often dismissed as a lesser form of literature when compared to books aimed at adult audiences. However, children's literature often contains universal truths that can benefit readers of all ages.

What the Dormouse Said: Lessons for Grown-ups from Children's Books, is a charming collection of literary quotations. Amy Gash first became interested in children's books after the birth of her son. She began to seek out good children's books after her son was old enough to request the same story over and over again. This was an act of self-preservation, one to which many parents can relate. Ms. Gash soon found that not only was she reading children's books to her son; she was also reading them for her own enjoyment. Along the way, she was able to glean wisdom for adult living from these tales intended for children.

The book covers subjects such as love and friendship, imagination, wisdom, courage, acceptance, nature, character and individuality, growing old and hidden truths. The quotations are from a wide variety of sources: Charlotte's Web, Mary Poppins, The Water-Babies, Ella Enchanted, The Little Prince, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Goodnight Moon, The Velveteen Rabbit, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Sarah, Plain and Tall; just to name a few. There are wonderful illustrations by Pierre Le-Tan interspersed throughout the book.

I read many of the books quoted in What the Dormouse Said as a child, more of them as an adult, and have discovered many titles that were new to me that I will seek out in the future. It's a delightful book for anyone who enjoys children's literature.

I'd like to close my review by sharing some of my favorite quotations from What the Dormouse Said with you:

"Each thing she learned became part of herself, to be used over and over in new adventures." -Gypsy, Kate Seredy

"Grownups sure do a lot of pretending and call it politeness." -Miss Charity Comes to Stay, Alberta Wilson Constant

"You saved me once, and what is given is always returned. We are in this world to help one another." -The Adventures of Pinocchio, C. Collodi

"The Dormouse sulkily remarked, `If you can't be civil, you'd better finish the story for yourself.'" -Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

This is a really awesome idea. There are truly so many gems out there. Most of them you will remember reading too. I would like to see an even more indepth version with more children's books. But, what an awesome start. This could start the next great "Chicken Soup..." or "...for Dummies" movement in books.

This little book is packed full of great writing prompts and ice-breakers (for middle school students) to use each day for teaching. Of course, it is also a dynamite resource for concepts to teach and knowing the book to pull that goes with what you're teaching. I absolutely love it. In fact, I bought it for a friend for Christmas and kept it for myself once I looked through it. I have plans to order another one for her because I know I will keep this one for a lifetime. Well worth the purchase. Now I am hoping there will become a series (hint, hint).