--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The surprising thing is where I’d found…" description: "\"“The surprising thing is where I’d found him – not up a tree or sulking in the shade, or splashing around in one of the hill streams, but in a book. No..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/lloyd-jones-20724_books_the-surprising-thing-is-where-i-d-found_3076104.png" --- # The surprising thing is where I’d found him – not up a… ![“The surprising thing is where I’d found him – not up a tree or sulking in the shade, or splashing around in one of the hill streams, but in a book. No one had told us kids to look there for a friend.” quote by Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/lloyd-jones-20724_books_the-surprising-thing-is-where-i-d-found_3076104.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/lloyd-jones-20724_books_the-surprising-thing-is-where-i-d-found_3076104.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/lloyd-jones-20724_books_the-surprising-thing-is-where-i-d-found_3076104.png) > ““The surprising thing is where I’d found him – not up a tree or sulking in the shade, or splashing around in one of the hill streams, but in a book. No one had told us kids to look there for a friend.”” [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children often seek companionship in obvious places, but true friendship can be found in unexpected, quiet sources like books. **In simple terms:** Friends can be found in books. Key Takeaway Look for companionship in reading. Themes friendship imagination learning Mood curious reflective Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - reading time - school library - quiet moments - loneliness - creative play Key Concepts literature solitude unexpected discovery Questions to Reflect On - How can a book become a friend? - What does this say about imagination? A Different Perspective Books may not replace human interaction for all needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Hill Streams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hill-streams-5226054/) [Streams Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streams-book-5226055/) [Surprising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprising/) [Surprising Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprising-thing-372702/) [Told Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-kids-389395/) ## Related quotes > [Life, if you live it right, keeps surprising you, and the thing that keeps surprising you the most…is yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-deresiewicz/life-if-you-live-it-right-keeps-surprising-you-and-the-thing-that/) [William Deresiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-deresiewicz/) > [The surprising thing about this paper is that a man who could write it would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/the-surprising-thing-about-this-paper-is-that-a-man-who-could-write/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The most surprising thing I discovered was how rich of a life I've led. 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Now I want to share it with the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-meloni/the-surprising-thing-about-fatherhood-was-finding-my-inner-mush-now-i/) [Christopher Meloni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-meloni/) > [Landing the role of Stephen Hawking was the most positively surprising thing that has happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/landing-the-role-of-stephen-hawking-was-the-most-positively/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [I had found a new friend. 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I told the kids, "You all have a manure pile of memories. Nothing you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-o-donnell/i-used-to-teach-at-an-abused-children-s-home-i-told-the-kids-you-all/) [Rebecca O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-o-donnell/) ## More by Lloyd Jones > [“Pip is an orphan who is given the chance to create his own self and destiny. Pip's experience also reminds us of the emigrant's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-jones/pip-is-an-orphan-who-is-given-the-chance-to-create-his-own-self-and/) [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) > [Men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-jones/men-who-try-to-do-something-and-fail-are-infinitely-better-than-those/) [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) > [The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try nothing and succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-jones/the-men-who-try-to-do-something-and-fail-are-infinitely-better-than/) [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) > [“The moving landscape provides an absorbing diversion which frees the mind & gives us a fresh viewpoint, & we’re most at ease with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-jones/the-moving-landscape-provides-an-absorbing-diversion-which-frees-the/) [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) > [“I was one of those heart seeds us kids had heard about in class. 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So can an open door.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-jones/i-had-discovered-that-the-plainest-house-can-crown-a-fantasy-or/) [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) > [“Let’s all do it,” said Mr. Watts. “Close your eyes and silently recite your name.” The sound of my name took me to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-jones/let-s-all-do-it-said-mr-watts-close-your-eyes-and-silently-recite/) [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) > [“For six days I didn’t get up except to make a cup of tea, or fry an egg, or lie in the skinny bath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-jones/for-six-days-i-didn-t-get-up-except-to-make-a-cup-of-tea-or-fry-an/) [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) > [I do not know what you are supposed to do with memories likes these. It feels wrong to want to forget. 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People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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