--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always been interested in a certain…" description: "\"I've always been interested in a certain kind of sophistication in children's literature. I loved Roald Dahl; I loved the underlying nastiness of some ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/david-small-15837_always_i-ve-always-been-interested-in-a-certain_1112226.png" --- # I've always been interested in a certain kind of… ![“I've always been interested in a certain kind of sophistication in children's literature. I loved Roald Dahl; I loved the underlying nastiness of some of his - darkness of his tales.” quote by David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/david-small-15837_always_i-ve-always-been-interested-in-a-certain_1112226.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/david-small-15837_always_i-ve-always-been-interested-in-a-certain_1112226.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/david-small-15837_always_i-ve-always-been-interested-in-a-certain_1112226.png) > “I've always been interested in a certain kind of sophistication in children's literature. I loved Roald Dahl; I loved the underlying nastiness of some of his - darkness of his tales.” [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children's books can contain sophisticated, dark elements that appeal to mature readers, reflecting complex human emotions. **In simple terms:** Kids' books can be dark and sophisticated. Key Takeaway Appreciate layered storytelling. Themes literature children darkness complexity artistic taste Mood analytical contemplative Type critical educational When to use this quote - teaching - writing workshops - book selection Key Concepts psychology storytelling cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How do dark themes affect child readers? - When is darkness appropriate in children's literature? A Different Perspective Not all children enjoy dark themes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-literature/) [Children'S Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-s-literature-2/) [Dahl Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dahl-loved-2967815/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-loved-2967816/) [Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved/) [Loved Roald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-roald-2967817/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roald-dahl/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Sophistication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sophistication/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Underlying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underlying/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I also really liked playing Mr. Tumnus in 'Narnia'. I got to play my favorite character in children's literature, which I loved. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-also-really-liked-playing-mr-tumnus-in-narnia-i-got-to-play-my/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [“Nina had been told regularly since she was a child that she needed more fresh air, at which she would take her book and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-colgan/nina-had-been-told-regularly-since-she-was-a-child-that-she-needed/) [Jenny Colgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-colgan/) > [I wrote a screenplay for 'The Witches,' which Alfonso Cuaron was producing, but we couldn't get it made! The studio just wouldn't greenlight that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/i-wrote-a-screenplay-for-the-witches-which-alfonso-cuaron-was/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [I loved reading Roald Dahl when I was young but I had forgotten a lot about the books. I read the 'BFG' on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lampard/i-loved-reading-roald-dahl-when-i-was-young-but-i-had-forgotten-a-lot/) [Frank Lampard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lampard/) > [If the day gets really bad, I can always pull out fan mail. Who else gets mail where kids write to you and say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/if-the-day-gets-really-bad-i-can-always-pull-out-fan-mail-who-else/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [Any conversation including the mention of Roald Dahl, Ray Bradbury, or Emily Dickinson is one worth getting into or at least eavesdropping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-roff/any-conversation-including-the-mention-of-roald-dahl-ray-bradbury-or/) [Don Roff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-roff/) > [I love Roald Dahl, Sharon Olds, Nizar Qabbani, who is a poet, and Junot Diaz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/i-love-roald-dahl-sharon-olds-nizar-qabbani-who-is-a-poet-and-junot/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [My earliest, most impactful encounter with a book was when I was seven and awoke early on Christmas morning to find Roald Dahl's 'Charlie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/my-earliest-most-impactful-encounter-with-a-book-was-when-i-was-seven/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [I was very excited to do 'The Witches.' It was with one of my favorite directors, Nick Roeg, and I loved his work from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelica-huston/i-was-very-excited-to-do-the-witches-it-was-with-one-of-my-favorite/) [Anjelica Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelica-huston/) > [The great thing about Roald Dahl is he tackled the big questions of life without any fear of being shocking or brutal, because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/the-great-thing-about-roald-dahl-is-he-tackled-the-big-questions-of/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Roald Dahl (1916–1990)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/those-who-don-t-believe-in-magic-will-never-find-it-roald-dahl-1916/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [“Benjamin glanced at his eager driver. “The children’s author Roald Dahl said of Romanée-Conti: ‘Sense for me this perfume! Breathe this bouquet! Taste it!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-alaux/benjamin-glanced-at-his-eager-driver-the-children-s-author-roald-dahl/) [Jean-Pierre Alaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-alaux/) > [“Curiouser and curiouser." Startled,I glanced at him. "I say that sometimes." Even with his face tight with worry, Dad managed to look a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/curiouser-and-curiouser-startled-i-glanced-at-him-i-say-that/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [I think. as a child, there's something frightening about certain adults, particularly when you're in their clutches or power. That must be the reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertie-carvel/i-think-as-a-child-there-s-something-frightening-about-certain-adults/) [Bertie Carvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertie-carvel/) > [And we've read scary books and watched scary movies and TV shows together. He's met monsters, ghouls, and demons on the page and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/and-we-ve-read-scary-books-and-watched-scary-movies-and-tv-shows/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) ## More by David Small > [Even though I have this solid career in picture books, I've not only been thinking about kids - because I don't think that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/even-though-i-have-this-solid-career-in-picture-books-i-ve-not-only/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [I open journal, I look at the picture and I remember where I was. And I remember the time of day, the temperature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-open-journal-i-look-at-the-picture-and-i-remember-where-i-was-and-i/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [I don't like my parents; I never will. I didn't cry at either of their funerals. I haven't missed them for five seconds. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-don-t-like-my-parents-i-never-will-i-didn-t-cry-at-either-of-their/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [Humanization and coming to understand somebody as a human being is about as good a kind of forgiveness as you can get, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/humanization-and-coming-to-understand-somebody-as-a-human-being-is/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [I feel sorry for kids nowadays, because in the majority of schools across the country, the arts have been eliminated from the curriculum. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-feel-sorry-for-kids-nowadays-because-in-the-majority-of-schools/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [I do keep up at night. I try not to let my mind go to extremes in the middle of the night because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-do-keep-up-at-night-i-try-not-to-let-my-mind-go-to-extremes-in-the/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [I think all kids feel that their lives are tough, and that they've, been given an unfair shake for one reason or another. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-think-all-kids-feel-that-their-lives-are-tough-and-that-they-ve/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [Writing stories, adopting other characters, making up fantastic stories and tales, this is a way of perhaps enhancing who I am. Writing stories takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/writing-stories-adopting-other-characters-making-up-fantastic-stories/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [I found great value in teaching students from the outset of their studies how to draw very realistically. Otherwise, you're starting deep into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-found-great-value-in-teaching-students-from-the-outset-of-their/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [I used to teach on a college level, and I've taught in schools where kids just wanted to be artists, and I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-used-to-teach-on-a-college-level-and-i-ve-taught-in-schools-where/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [I'm not a writer. I know a lot of writers; I know a handful of really excellent, great ones, and I know what they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-m-not-a-writer-i-know-a-lot-of-writers-i-know-a-handful-of-really/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [Mama had her little cough. Once or twice, some quiet sobbing, out of sight... Or the slamming of kitchen cupboard doors. That was her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/mama-had-her-little-cough-once-or-twice-some-quiet-sobbing-out-of/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [By the time that book So You Want to Be President? came along, we had already had enough presidents that had shown us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/by-the-time-that-book-so-you-want-to-be-president-came-along-we-had/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [Leaders of the world, my message to you is simple: to achieve universal peace and understanding on this planet you have only to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/leaders-of-the-world-my-message-to-you-is-simple-to-achieve-universal/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [My friend advised me to go into studying art, which at first shocked me because art was so easy. It was just something I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/my-friend-advised-me-to-go-into-studying-art-which-at-first-shocked/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) [Explore all 40 David Small quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always been interested in a certain kind of sophistication in children's literature. 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