If you visited my home library, you’d probably think I have at least three children. There on the shelves are so many children’s books, some of which I wrote or translated. But I have no children. It’s just my husband and me and our two dogs.

All the children’s books are part of my personal collection because I have lots of love for them. When I was little, my mother would read to me all kinds of stories from Grimms’ fairy tales to Aesop’s fables. I think it’s something that’s stuck with me and what makes me love reading in general.

Whenever I’m anxious and depressed, I find peace in books. And as an adult, I still often lean toward children’s books, and here are the reasons:

They’re easy reads.

When life gets rough, I usually feel lethargic. All I want to do is sleep, but that can’t be good for my physical and mental health. I know I need to do something to get out of it, but it’s hard to feel like doing anything when I’m in this state. This is when Children’s books save me. They are easy to read, and even when I’m tired, I have no problem getting into the stories. They slowly help me gain strength and move on to other books with more complicated contents.

Children’s books take me back in the good old days.

I like to collect different versions of my childhood favorites and revisit them. They bring back fond memories and lift my mood. Last week, I read a version of Hansel and Gretel (just for fun) and thought about my big brother. Growing up, we were so close. I’d pretend to go on an expedition with him. On one family trip, when we saw a small house made of sweets that reminded us of the story, we giggled and wanted to eat the whole thing. When I mentioned this to my family, my brother and our mom said they, too, remembered the trip. This is one of the sweet memories I want to cherish and reminisce, especially during hard times. And children’s books help me do just that.

Books for children are not only for fun.

Even as an adult, I still appreciate the merits of children’s literature. As we grow older and get busy with work and caught in the process of growing up, we forget simple things about life that we used to know by heart when we were young. Bed-time stories often remind me that life could be so simple and happiness is in my hands. The heroes and heroines who put me to sleep and gave me hopes and dreams still help me feel more calm and confident. Here comes Christopher Robin! Everything will be fine again!

My family moved quite a lot when I was very young, so unfortunately many books were lost. This might be one of the reasons I often look for children’s books, old and new, to add to my collection. I also love to read children’s literature for pleasure; they’re simply good reads. Providing an escape from the chaotic real world, children’s books are my safe haven. And looking at the books on my shelves, I find my memories, peace, and myself.

Next time when you feel blue, don’t forget to grab a cup of hot chocolate and sit down with your favorite story.

Thank you for reading. Follow me for more article like this. 🙂

— Petra