--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Children's literature is as valid an art…" description: "\"Children's literature is as valid an art form as any other.\" — Lloyd Alexander" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/lloyd-alexander-1645_art_children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art_801778.png" --- # Children's literature is as valid an art form as any other. ![“Children's literature is as valid an art form as any other.” quote by Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/lloyd-alexander-1645_art_children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art_801778.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/lloyd-alexander-1645_art_children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art_801778.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/lloyd-alexander-1645_art_children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art_801778.png) > “Children's literature is as valid an art form as any other.” [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) ## 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 stories deserve the same artistic respect as adult literature. **In simple terms:** Kids' books are true art. Key Takeaway Value all literature equally. Themes literature art children's media Mood appreciative encouraging Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - education - library curation - publishing decisions - parental choices Key Concepts Literary merit cultural value Questions to Reflect On - How can we elevate children's literature? - What criteria define artistic value? A Different Perspective May ignore market pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-form/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [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/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Valid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-valid-6137647/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Valid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valid/) [Valid Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valid-art-1448393/) ## Related quotes > [I think that any way that we are able to express ourselves as people is valuable and valid - whether it is through art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-think-that-any-way-that-we-are-able-to-express-ourselves-as-people/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [“Children's literature is considerably more functional than a good portion of adult literature. If I were cynical, I might say: Children's books are written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/children-s-literature-is-considerably-more-functional-than-a-good/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“On the level of high art, in their common efforts to express human truths, relationships, attitudes, and personal visions, children's literature and adult literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/on-the-level-of-high-art-in-their-common-efforts-to-express-human/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“Children's literature as a literary aberration or at best a minor amusement is a notion held most strongly by people who read the fewest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/children-s-literature-as-a-literary-aberration-or-at-best-a-minor/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [I've always liked science fiction as a way of commenting on ourselves and it's wrong that it is seen as less valid than other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-ve-always-liked-science-fiction-as-a-way-of-commenting-on-ourselves/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [I think any good literature, whether it's for children or for adults, will appeal to everybody. As far as children's literature goes, adults should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/i-think-any-good-literature-whether-it-s-for-children-or-for-adults/) [Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/) > [No one spoke in terms of children's literature, as opposed to adult literature, until around the 1940s. It wasn't categorised much before then. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/no-one-spoke-in-terms-of-children-s-literature-as-opposed-to-adult/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [There is no such thing as children’s literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-v-m-gonzalez/there-is-no-such-thing-as-children-s-literature/) [N. V. M. Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-v-m-gonzalez/) > [“There’s a different flavor to children’s literature you read after you grow up than there was reading it as a child. Things that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mizuki-nomura/there-s-a-different-flavor-to-children-s-literature-you-read-after/) [Mizuki Nomura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mizuki-nomura/) > [There are no gatekeepers in children's literature. There are children who like what you write because it's funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/there-are-no-gatekeepers-in-children-s-literature-there-are-children/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Of course all children's literature is not fantastic, so all fantastic books need not be children's books. It is still possible, even in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/of-course-all-children-s-literature-is-not-fantastic-so-all-fantastic/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I haven't been very enthusiastic about the commercialization of children's literature. Kids should borrow books from the library and not necessarily be buying them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-haven-t-been-very-enthusiastic-about-the-commercialization-of/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [Children's literature - the product of adult guesswork - often fails to account for its audience's slippery grasp on the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumaan-alam/children-s-literature-the-product-of-adult-guesswork-often-fails-to/) [Rumaan Alam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumaan-alam/) > [I have three kids, so children's literature is a big part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-k-smith/i-have-three-kids-so-children-s-literature-is-a-big-part-of-my-life/) [Tracy K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-k-smith/) > [“The writer whose words are going to be read by children has a heavy responsibility. And yet, despite the undeniable fact that the children’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/the-writer-whose-words-are-going-to-be-read-by-children-has-a-heavy/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) ## More by Lloyd Alexander > [“There are heroes and heroes. I don't deny he's acted bravely on occasion. He's fought beside Lord Gwydion and been proud of himself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/there-are-heroes-and-heroes-i-don-t-deny-he-s-acted-bravely-on/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“I shall not lie!" Eilonwy cried, "not for this traitor and deserter." "It is not for him," Taran said quietly, "but for the sake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-shall-not-lie-eilonwy-cried-not-for-this-traitor-and-deserter-it-is/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“He learned that the lives of men are short and filled with pain, yet each one a priceless treasure, whether it be that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/he-learned-that-the-lives-of-men-are-short-and-filled-with-pain-yet/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [King Constantine IX of Regia had been killed three times and was bored with it. He wanted a bath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/king-constantine-ix-of-regia-had-been-killed-three-times-and-was/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“There is an exuberance in good fantasy quite unlike the most exalted moments of realistic fiction. Both forms have similar goals; but realism walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/there-is-an-exuberance-in-good-fantasy-quite-unlike-the-most-exalted/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Stale water is a poor drink. Stale skill is worse. And the man who walks in his own footsteps only ends where he began.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/stale-water-is-a-poor-drink-stale-skill-is-worse-and-the-man-who/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Forgive me…I called you an idiot. I spoke too hastily. You are not. Had I given it more thought, I would have called you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/forgive-me-i-called-you-an-idiot-i-spoke-too-hastily-you-are-not-had/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“On the level of high art, in their common efforts to express human truths, relationships, attitudes, and personal visions, children's literature and adult literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/on-the-level-of-high-art-in-their-common-efforts-to-express-human/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [What seems to be love beyond any question is usually a simple case of indigestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/what-seems-to-be-love-beyond-any-question-is-usually-a-simple-case-of/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [The art is more important than the artist. The work is more important than the person who does it. You must be prepared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/the-art-is-more-important-than-the-artist-the-work-is-more-important/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“Once," he added, "you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/once-he-added-you-told-me-that-the-seeking-counts-more-than-the/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [I came to fantasy fairly late. For some ten years, I had been happily writing fiction and non-fiction for adults. But I always loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-came-to-fantasy-fairly-late-for-some-ten-years-i-had-been-happily/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Talented people are finding that writing for young people is as demanding of high quality as writing for adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/talented-people-are-finding-that-writing-for-young-people-is-as/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“In some cases we learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/in-some-cases-we-learn-more-by-looking-for-the-answer-to-a-question/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [A crown is more discomfort than adornment. If you have learned that, you have already learned much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/a-crown-is-more-discomfort-than-adornment-if-you-have-learned-that/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) [Explore all 220 Lloyd Alexander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Children's literature is as valid an art form as any other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lloyd Alexander" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art-form-as-any-other/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art-form-as-any-other/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/lloyd-alexander-1645_art_children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art_801778.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/lloyd-alexander-1645_art_children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art_801778.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/lloyd-alexander-1645_art_children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art_801778.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Children's literature is as valid an art form as any other.” — Lloyd Alexander", "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": "Lloyd Alexander", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Children's literature is as valid an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art-form-as-any-other/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/children-s-literature-is-as-valid-an-art-form-as-any-other/#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 } } ] } ```