Believe In the World: Wisdom for Grown-Ups from Children's Books

An inspiring and delightful illustrated collection of quotations from a diverse range of our most beloved children's books that will help teach all of us how to live in the world today, perfect for gift season and for readers of books like The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse and Storey's own How to Love the World.

Everything we need to know as adults can be found in the brilliant, imaginative, diverse world of children's books. That is the simple yet powerful promise that Believe In the World offers. This illustrated, gifty collection, with witty and inspirational quotations organized in chapters such as "How to Believe in the World" and "How to Have Fun in the World," reminds us not to lose sight of the values we learned as kids—to be courageous, to do good deeds, to respect our imaginations, and maybe even to break a few rules every once in a while. Some quotations will bring readers back to old favorites like The Little Prince or Ramona Forever while others will lead to new discoveries inspired by the exciting new variety of children’s books being published today. And all provide a roadmap to doing and being good in the world.

As one reviewer wrote about Believe In the World's predecessor, What the Dormouse Said, published by Algonquin in 1999, “Whether you’re looking for wisdom about goodness or sadness or even more practical matters, you will surely find it in this delightful collection.”

Believe In the World lands in the sweet spot of nostalgic and entertaining; fresh and enlightening. And at the same time, it reminds us of the exhilaration of being a reader, young at heart, venturing forth into the world of storybooks and unforgettable characters and confirming that we are never too old to recapture the lessons, pleasures, and exuberance of childhood.

About the Author

Amy Gash is an executive editor at Algonquin Books, where she acquires and edits narrative nonfiction and fiction for adults. Her first collection of quotations from children’s books was What the Dormouse Said. She lives in New Jersey.

Elise Howard has worked for many years as a publisher and editor of children’s books. She once toured the stacks of the Library of Congress with Beverly Cleary, where they found a mis-shelved copy of Ramona and Her Father. Another time, she drove Kevin Henkes and Peter Sís around in a circle instead of to their book signings. With her husband, Elise divides her time among the children’s literature capitals of New York, Paris, and coastal Maine.