--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lot of (children's literature)…" description: "\"“A lot of (children's literature) beginners get bogged down by morals. A moral should never be driving the story. And a moral should never be confused ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/patty-smith-48177_books_a-lot-of-children-s-literature-beginners_193560.jpg" --- # A lot of (children's literature) beginners get bogged down… ![“A lot of (children's literature) beginners get bogged down by morals. A moral should never be driving the story. And a moral should never be confused with a plot. You can't preach to kids, and you can't talk down to them, either. It's amazing how they sense condescension.” quote by Patty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/patty-smith-48177_books_a-lot-of-children-s-literature-beginners_193560.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/patty-smith-48177_books_a-lot-of-children-s-literature-beginners_193560.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/patty-smith-48177_books_a-lot-of-children-s-literature-beginners_193560.jpg) > ““A lot of (children's literature) beginners get bogged down by morals. A moral should never be driving the story. And a moral should never be confused with a plot. You can't preach to kids, and you can't talk down to them, either. It's amazing how they sense condescension.”” [Patty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories should prioritize narrative over didactic lessons; morals belong as subtle undercurrents, not plot drivers. **In simple terms:** Moral should not drive plot. Key Takeaway Focus on story, not preaching. Themes writing children's literature storytelling Mood thoughtful reflective Type guidance instructional When to use this quote - author workshops - editing sessions - classroom reading - parental guidance Key Concepts Narrative integrity subtlety authorial voice Questions to Reflect On - How can you embed values without preaching? - What makes a story feel authentic to children? A Different Perspective Moral lessons can feel condescending if forced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children'S Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-s-literature-2/) [Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The subjectivist in morals, when his moral feelings are at war with the facts about him, is always free to seek harmony by toningdown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-subjectivist-in-morals-when-his-moral-feelings-are-at-war-with/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I have no morals, yet I am a very moral person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-no-morals-yet-i-am-a-very-moral-person/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Ethics are not always ethical just as morals are not always moral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/ethics-are-not-always-ethical-just-as-morals-are-not-always-moral/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/a-true-war-story-is-never-moral-it-does-not-instruct-nor-encourage/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [I never fixed a story. I didn't make judgments, I let the listener make judgments. When I got to the end of the story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-t-hall/i-never-fixed-a-story-i-didn-t-make-judgments-i-let-the-listener-make/) [Tom T. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-t-hall/) > [If a story seems moral, do not believe it. If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/if-a-story-seems-moral-do-not-believe-it-if-at-the-end-of-a-war-story/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Well, the moral of the story, The moral of this song, Is simply that one should never be Where one does not belong. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/well-the-moral-of-the-story-the-moral-of-this-song-is-simply-that-one/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [When romances do really teach anything, or produce any effective operation, it is usually through a far more subtle process than the ostensible one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/when-romances-do-really-teach-anything-or-produce-any-effective/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Every story has a moral you just need to be clever enough to find it - the Dutchess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/every-story-has-a-moral-you-just-need-to-be-clever-enough-to-find-it/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“This story has no moral, this story has no end, this story only goes to show, that there ain’t no good in men…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-cochet/this-story-has-no-moral-this-story-has-no-end-this-story-only-goes-to/) [Charlie Cochet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-cochet/) > [What I like best is a good story with a moral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-micheaux/what-i-like-best-is-a-good-story-with-a-moral/) [Oscar Micheaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-micheaux/) > [A true war story is never moral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/a-true-war-story-is-never-moral/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [I often feel that with a crime story, the moral standards have to be higher. You're deal with real victims and with real consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grann/i-often-feel-that-with-a-crime-story-the-moral-standards-have-to-be/) [David Grann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grann/) > [Every step is basically a word, especially with musical theatre, because you're not doing it for dance's sake, you're promoting a story - and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/every-step-is-basically-a-word-especially-with-musical-theatre/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [A story with a moral appended is like the bill of a mosquito. It bores you, and then injects a stinging drop to irritate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-henry/a-story-with-a-moral-appended-is-like-the-bill-of-a-mosquito-it-bores/) [O. Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-henry/) ## More by Patty Smith > [“Trus, is a word that has to be earned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-smith/trus-is-a-word-that-has-to-be-earned/) [Patty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-smith/) > [“Trust, is a word that has to be earned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-smith/trust-is-a-word-that-has-to-be-earned/) [Patty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-smith/) > [“One smile upon your face can save another's day from waste.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-smith/one-smile-upon-your-face-can-save-another-s-day-from-waste/) [Patty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-smith/) > [“A hand held tightly, never to really let go. 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