---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are too many coy books full of…"
description: "\"There are too many coy books full of talking animals, whimsical children, and condescending adults. (Some of the most famous animals in the world have ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/katharine-sergeant-angell-whit_adults_there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-tal_1402548.jpg"
---

#  There are too many coy books full of talking animals…

![“There are too many coy books full of talking animals, whimsical children, and condescending adults. (Some of the most famous animals in the world have talked, but they talked real talk and they weren't called silly names like Doody and Mooloo. They were called names like The Cheshire Cat and they…” quote by Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/katharine-sergeant-angell-whit_adults_there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-tal_1402548.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/katharine-sergeant-angell-whit_adults_there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-tal_1402548.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/katharine-sergeant-angell-whit_adults_there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-tal_1402548.jpg)

> “There are too many coy books full of talking animals, whimsical children, and condescending adults. (Some of the most famous animals in the world have talked, but they talked real talk and they weren't called silly names like Doody and Mooloo. They were called names like The Cheshire Cat and they asked sensible questions like "Did you say pig, or fig?")”

[Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote criticizes overly simplistic children's books that use talking animals and condescending adult characters, favoring more thoughtful, witty animal characters.

**In simple terms:** Critiques shallow children's literature with talking animals.

Key Takeaway

Seek depth and wit in storytelling.

Themes

literature children's books critique

Mood

reflective critical

Type

analytical literary

When to use this quote

- writing workshops
- book selection
- parental guidance
- educational curricula

Key Concepts

whimsy condescension characterization

Questions to Reflect On

- How can stories balance humor and depth?
- What makes an animal character resonate?

A Different Perspective

May overlook the value of imagination in child development.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-talking-1380602/) [Called Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-names-455958/) [Called Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-silly-3776927/) [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Cheshire Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheshire-cat/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children 's literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-s-literature/) [Condescending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condescending/) [Figs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figs/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Pigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pigs/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-talk/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Silly Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly-names-1403369/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-animals-232335/) [Whimsical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whimsical/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [“Evan ran his finger across the faded leather spines. He laughed at how silly some of the names were: Paint Your Roses Red, Edelweiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-b-bolton/evan-ran-his-finger-across-the-faded-leather-spines-he-laughed-at-how/)

[H.B. Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-b-bolton/)

> [I love being called silly, strange, weird, different, odd, etc. I always take it as a compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-called-silly-strange-weird-different-odd-etc-i-always/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I've been called over the top. How silly. If you don't go over the top, you can't see what's on the other side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-steinman/i-ve-been-called-over-the-top-how-silly-if-you-don-t-go-over-the-top/)

[Jim Steinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-steinman/)

> [“Europe enjoyed a heritage of fairy tales alive with talking animals--some almost real, other deliciously bogus-- to spark child's fantasies and gallop grownups to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/europe-enjoyed-a-heritage-of-fairy-tales-alive-with-talking-animals/)

[Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/)

> [“other tales, the sailors reach a land of intelligent talking animals who find humans disgusting and rather stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/other-tales-the-sailors-reach-a-land-of-intelligent-talking-animals/)

[Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/)

> [Everyone loves animals. so who doesnt love talking animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/google/everyone-loves-animals-so-who-doesnt-love-talking-animals/)

[Google](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/google/)

> [In Britain, the great hidden secret of talking animals and children's literature is how political it was in its bones, beneath the obvious cuteness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-o-hagan/in-britain-the-great-hidden-secret-of-talking-animals-and-children-s/)

[Andrew O'Hagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-o-hagan/)

> [What if man were required to educate his children without the help of talking animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/what-if-man-were-required-to-educate-his-children-without-the-help-of/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

> [“Thank God for talking animals, I say-especially smart assed ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikal-gilmore/thank-god-for-talking-animals-i-say-especially-smart-assed-ones/)

[Mikal Gilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikal-gilmore/)

> [When religion stops talking about animals it will be all downhill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/when-religion-stops-talking-about-animals-it-will-be-all-downhill/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

> [“Maybe it’s a door to N-Narnia,” Dimitri suggested. Ben grunted. “Don’t even say that in a house like this. You never know what kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/maybe-it-s-a-door-to-n-narnia-dimitri-suggested-ben-grunted-don-t/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [I believe that sometimes, when we talk about books, we're talking about the big picture - how they're relevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/i-believe-that-sometimes-when-we-talk-about-books-we-re-talking-about/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“The irony of talking to animals and an imaginary girlfriend, who keep me sane, even though I know I look like a raving lunatic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyse-draper/the-irony-of-talking-to-animals-and-an-imaginary-girlfriend-who-keep/)

[Elyse Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elyse-draper/)

> [“This profusion of questions, exclamations, and tales is the new version of the Society. Its members are spread all over the world, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-shaffer/this-profusion-of-questions-exclamations-and-tales-is-the-new-version/)

[Mary Ann Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-shaffer/)

> [Talking to animals' isn't a matter of words used, it is a matter of your thoughts, your expression, and above all the tone of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-woodhouse/talking-to-animals-isn-t-a-matter-of-words-used-it-is-a-matter-of/)

[Barbara Woodhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-woodhouse/)

## More by Katharine Sergeant Angell White

> [From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens - the garden outdoors, the garden of pots and bowls in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/from-december-to-march-there-are-for-many-of-us-three-gardens-the/)

[Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/)

> [As I write, snow is falling outside my Maine window, and indoors all around me half a hundred garden catalogues are in bloom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/as-i-write-snow-is-falling-outside-my-maine-window-and-indoors-all/)

[Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/)

> [With a few exceptions, the critics of children's books are remarkably lenient souls… Most of us assume there is something goodin every child; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/with-a-few-exceptions-the-critics-of-children-s-books-are-remarkably/)

[Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/)

> [Consider the many special delights a lawn affords: soft mattress for a creeping baby; worm hatchery for a robin; croquet or badminton court; baseball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/consider-the-many-special-delights-a-lawn-affords-soft-mattress-for-a/)

[Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/)

> [Fragrance, whether strong or delicate, is a highly subjective matter, and one gardener's perfume is another gardener's stink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/fragrance-whether-strong-or-delicate-is-a-highly-subjective-matter/)

[Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/)

> [Home would not be home to me without a lawn, and if there are, as I've recently read, twenty-five million home lawns in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/home-would-not-be-home-to-me-without-a-lawn-and-if-there-are-as-i-ve/)

[Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/)

[Explore all 7 Katharine Sergeant Angell White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/)

## More Adults quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/)

[Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/)

> [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/)

[Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/)

> [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/)

[K. Anders Ericsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-anders-ericsson/)

> [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/)

[One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/)

> [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/)

[Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/)

> [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/)

[Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/)

> [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/)

[Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/)

[Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There are too many coy books full of talking animals, whimsical children, and condescending adults. (Some of the most famous animals in the world have talked, but they talked real talk and they weren't called silly names like Doody and Mooloo. They were called names like The Cheshire Cat and they asked sensible questions like \"Did you say pig, or fig?\")",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Katharine Sergeant Angell White"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-talking-animals-whimsical/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Adults"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-talking-animals-whimsical/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/katharine-sergeant-angell-whit_adults_there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-tal_1402548.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/katharine-sergeant-angell-whit_adults_there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-tal_1402548.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/katharine-sergeant-angell-whit_adults_there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-tal_1402548.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There are too many coy books full of talking animals, whimsical children, and condescending adults. (Some of…” — Katharine Sergeant Angell White",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Katharine Sergeant Angell White",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There are too many coy books...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-talking-animals-whimsical/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/there-are-too-many-coy-books-full-of-talking-animals-whimsical/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
