Why the British Tell Better Children’s Stories
Children, before they are squashed by cynicism, are natural visionaries. They can tell you clearly and firmly what the world should be like. There should be no war, no pollution, no cruelty, no starving children. There should be music, fun, beauty, and lots and lots of nature. People should be trustworthy and grownups should not work so hard. It’s
... See moreRob Hopkins • From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want
Only fiction has the power to cross the mental barricades, to make strangers intelligible to each other, because it moves people’s hearts as well as engaging their minds.
Ian Leslie • Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It
The children fell in love with stories easily and lived in stories too; they made up play stories every day, they stormed castles and conquered nations and sailed the ocean blue, and at night their dreams were full of dragons. They were all storytellers now, makers of stories as well as receivers of stories. But they went on growing up and slowly t
... See moreSalman Rushdie • Languages of Truth: Essays 2003-2020
These stories often feature exaggerated elements of rebellion, autodidact mastery, subversive hacking, heroic confrontations with villainous teachers and schoolyard bullies, genius non-neurotypical personal innovations and breakthroughs, and powerful experiences outside formal learning. These stories often sound like self-serving tales told by midd... See more
Venkatesh Rao • What Makes a Good Teacher?
I often turn to children’s books at times like these, when I’m yearning to escape into a world that is beautifully rendered and complex, and yet also soothingly familiar.