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Original poster

Beautiful lines from children's books

243 replies

NettJarrp · 14/05/2017 21:37

Just came across this line in DD's current favourite bedtime story:
"Then Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh walked hand in hand down the forest path and they said goodbye. So they went off together. But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the forest a little boy and his bear will always be playing."
I'm in tears. It's times like this that I wish that I could share these feelings with DD's father (I'm widowed - not a thread about that though).

What lines in children's stories pull at your heart strings?

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Helenluvsrob · 14/05/2017 22:03

My favourite Winnie the Pooh

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think"

And also the epitome of " roots and wings" from mole in the wind in the willows

He saw clearly how plain and simple – how narrow, even – it all was; but clearly, too, how much it all meant to him, and the special value of some such anchorage in one’s existence. He did not at all want to abandon the new life and its splendid spaces, to turn his back on sun and air and all they offered him and creep home and stay there; the upper world was all too strong, it called to him still, even down there, and he knew he must return to the larger stage. But it was good to think he had this to come back to, this place which was all his own, these things which were so glad to see him again and could always be counted upon for the same simple welcome.

readyforno2 · 14/05/2017 22:03

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be"

The last page when the son reads it to his daughter.
The book makes me cry EVERY time I read it. My ds calls it 'the book which makes you cry'

MegsMog · 14/05/2017 22:04

For those who don't know it:

Tattoo was the mother of Pinkle Purr, 
A little black nothing of feet and fur; 
And by-and-by, when his eyes came through, 
He saw his mother, the big Tattoo. 
And all that he learned he learned from her. 
'I'll ask my mother,' says Pinkle Purr. 

Tattoo was the mother of Pinkle Purr, 
A ridiculous kitten with silky fur. 
And little black Pinkle grew and grew 
Till he got as big as the big Tattoo. 
And all that he did he did with her. 
'Two friends together,' says Pinkle Purr. 

Tattoo was the mother of Pinkle Purr, 
An adventurous cat in a coat of fur. 
And whenever he thought of a thing to do, 
He didn't much bother about Tattoo, 
For he knows it's nothing to do with her, 
So 'See you later,' says Pinkle Purr. 

Tattoo is the mother of Pinkle Purr, 
An enormous leopard with coal-black fur. 
A little brown kitten that's nearly new 
Is now playing games with its big Tattoo… 
And Pink looks lazily down at her: 
'Dear little Tat,' says Pinkle Purr.

whitehandledkitchenknife · 14/05/2017 22:05

"Ruby" by Maggie Glen. Ruby is a tenacious toy bear, made late on a Friday afternoon by a tired machinist. Not up to standard, she gets rejected by the bear inspector and dumped in a box with other rejected toys, to be thrown away.
Ruby masterminds their escape through a vent. Away they run. Some run to the town, some run to the countryside and some................

"climb into the beds of lonely children"

I can't read that line without a lump in my throat. Gets me every time.

sausagepastapot · 14/05/2017 22:07

Oh god, Paper Dolls. I can't read it without choking up.

'And the paper dolls flew into the little girl's memory where they found white mice and starfish soap...and more and more lovely things each day, and each year'.

The kind granny who only exists now in the little girls memory, and the end...'and the little girl grew into a mother'...cries

AlcoholAndIrony · 14/05/2017 22:07

Gosh. Haven't RTFT but welling up. Flowers

AFingerofFudge · 14/05/2017 22:07

ready I was going to say "I'll love you forever" book. I'm not a cry-er but that makes me sob. I tried to read it to the DC's once and couldn't get through it.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 14/05/2017 22:08

"I've brought you the moon...the bright yellow moon and all the twinkly stars." From Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?

The Places You'll Go is the one that gets to me, though.

whitehandledkitchenknife · 14/05/2017 22:08

ready - I bought that for book for my son when he went to uni.

Dontrocktheboat · 14/05/2017 22:09

But the wild things cried, oh please don't go
We'll eat you up - we love you so
And Max said, no.

Always sends a pleasant chill through me! I think it's the idea of love as literally all consuming, and at the same time parental love allowing the child to explore but always come back to a safe place (or something like that!)

Bloodybridget · 14/05/2017 22:10

In Noel Streatfeild's The Growing Summer, when the children say goodbye to Aunt Dymphna at the airport. They have come to appreciate her kindness despite her eccentricity and the Spartan conditions at her run-down house, and give her a special farewell present:

'It's not for eggs, we knew you wouldn't want one of those,' Robin burst out. 'It's a sermon timer. It takes exactly fifteen minutes, we've timed it.'
Aunt Dymphna gave the sermon timer a little pat. She seemed as if she was trying to say something. Then she gave her cloak a flap, tossed back her head, and she was gone.

CoolCarrie · 14/05/2017 22:10

Bring me the two most precious things in the city", said God to one of his angels and the Angel brought him the leaden heart and the dead bird.
"You have chosen wisely", said God, " for in my garden of paradise this bird will sing for ever, and in heaven the happy prince will be happy for ever".
From The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde, a wonderful book, as are all his fairy tales which Oscar wrote for his sons. The tales like The Selfish Giant always make me cry.

readyforno2 · 14/05/2017 22:11

Someone bought it for the nursery I work in.
I point blank refuse to read it at work. The old manager took the piss out of me for days before she read it herself. She proper sobbed in front of the kids.

WhooooAmI24601 · 14/05/2017 22:12

On The Night You Were Born is my favourite. The whole book is just beautiful; both DCs still love to read it at bedtime despite being humungous.

Heaven blew every trumpet
And played every horn
On the wonderful, marvellous
Night you were born

tideishighbutimholdingon · 14/05/2017 22:14

" “Real isn't how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

The Velveteen Rabbit.

StealthPolarBear · 14/05/2017 22:14

Pretty much all of the snail and the whale ... The sea and the sky and rhe tiny sea snail

And they sang to the sea as they all set sail

And tiger who came to tea "all the cats had their lights on"

WhooooAmI24601 · 14/05/2017 22:14

Also I've just bought a copy of Oh the places you'll go for a little boy i work with who is suffering enormously with anxiety. I'm already excited to read it with him.

BalloonSlayer · 14/05/2017 22:14

coolcarrie so glad you did the bit from the Happy Prince for me. I can never read it without howling. The DC just gawp at me the stonehearted little buggers.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 14/05/2017 22:14

Helenluvsrob - that's not A.A.Milne though, it's Disney. Poor old Milne. His actual Winnie the Pooh writing is sublime and subtle but he gets landed with all the Disney schmalz as well!

ilovepixie · 14/05/2017 22:16

'Daddy! My Daddy!' or was that just in the film?

Oh yes gets me every time.

Also The Silver Sword love that book. Gets me everytime too.

Golondrina · 14/05/2017 22:16

From the Big Big Sea, about a mum who wakes her little girl to walk by the sea in the moonlight one night. "and mum said to me, remember this time, it's the way life should be":

RonBurgundyspanpipe · 14/05/2017 22:16

Just bought the places you'll go for my dc and quotes for my classroom wall.

cookiefiend · 14/05/2017 22:16

In giraffes can't dance "remember that that lovely moon is playing just for you. Everything makes music if you really want it to". Catches my throat. How I want my children to feel about the world.

Paper dolls and the lovely grandma. Sniff.

affectionincoldclimate · 14/05/2017 22:16

Always that one from Jungle Book

"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack."

Such a beautiful way to express how community is key and no man is an island.

And "Now, don't be angry after you've been afraid. That's the worst kind of cowardice"

So much wisdom in this book.

Misty9 · 14/05/2017 22:17

Ooh we've got a different version of No Matter What by Debi Gliori - ours says "but what about when you're dead and gone? Will you love me then? Does love go on?" Large held Small tight as they looked out at the stars: "Small, look at those stars, how they shine and glow. But some of those stars died a long time ago. Still they shine in the evening skies; love, like starlight, never dies". I can't decide which version I prefer :)

The one which makes me tear up is I Love You Little Monster. The whole thing! But I do like: 'believe in yourself and believe in your dreams and you'll be what you dream you can be'