Enjoy these best-loved children’s book quotes to get your little ones excited for World Book Day, which is fast approaching this year.
Featuring lessons on love, friendship and life, these inspiring quotes are almost as famous as the classic children’s books themselves and are enjoyed by readers young and old.
From Roald Dahl to Lewis Carroll, A.A. Milne to J.K. Rowling, there’s a whole world of characters to admire for their wit and words. Not to mention plenty of inspiration and ideas for World Book Day for your child’s World Book Day costume!
So take a trip down memory lane and enjoy these inspiring children’s book quotes for you and your little ones.
Our favourite inspiring children’s book quotes
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A classic Roald Dahl quote from one of his juiciest books.
“A little magic can take you a long way.” – James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl.
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The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a beloved French tale first translated and published in English in 1948.
“All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.” –The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
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This poignant second quote from The Little Prince also makes it into our most inspiring children’s books quotes.
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
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A heartwarming quote from none other than the Cheshire Cat in Alice In Wonderland.
“You’re mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But i’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.” – Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll.
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Another valuable lesson for children to learn from Lewis Carroll’s classic children series.
“Door: Why it’s simply impassible!
Alice: “Why don’t you mean impossible?
Door: No, I do mean impassible. (chuckles) Nothing’s impossible!” – Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll.
A heartfelt quote adored by kids and parents alike.
“I love you right up to the moon – and back.” – Guess How Much I Love You, Sam McBratney.
A quote to remember to always have faith from our favourite forever child.
“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.” – Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie.
Another magical extract from Peter Pan to make our most inspiring children’s book quotes list. Because fairies do exist…
“When the first baby laughed for the first time, it’s laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of the fairies.” – Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie.
An enchanting quote from the 1922 classic The Velveteen Rabbit – which follows a young rabbit’s quest to become real.
“One you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” – The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams.
A funny little reminder that it’s okay to get things wrong from time to time – from none other than Roald Dahl.
“Meanings is not important,’ said the BFG.
‘I cannot be right all the time. Quite often I is left instead of right.”” – The BFG, Roald Dahl.
An important lesson from the master of rhymes – Dr. Seuss.
“A person’s a person no matter how small.” – Horton Hears a Who!, Dr Seuss.
A gentle reminder for the boys from The Railway Children. This children’s classic follows the adventures of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis after they move to a new home next to a railway station.
“Girls are just as clever as boys, and don’t you forget it!” – The Railway Children, E. Nesbitt.
Another Girl Power quote courtesy of everyone’s favourite flame haired female – Pippi Longstocking.
“‘He’s the strongest man in the world.’
‘Man, yes,’ said Pippi. ‘But I am the strongest girl in the world, remember that.”” – Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren.
George’s grandmother has some wise words for her boy in another terrific Roald Dahl tale.
“Never grow up. Always down.” – George’s Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl.
Adventures do have a way of finding Paddington Bear in the beloved children book series.
“Things are always happening to me. I’m that sort of bear.” – A Bear called Paddington, Michael Bond.
Teaching children the importance of friendship and kindness, this classic quote had to make our most inspiring children’s books quotes.
“‘Why did you do all this for me?’ he asked. ‘I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.’
‘You have been my friend,’ replied Charlotte. ‘That in itself is a tremendous thing.”” – Charlotte’s Webb, E.B White.
A bold statement from one of the many bunnies in Watership Down. What child isn’t fond of this classic fairy tale?
“If there’s going to be a story, don’t you think I’ve got as good a right as anyone to choose it?” – Watership Down, Richard Adams.
Aesop’s fables are renowned for featuring some fundamental morals and we couldn’t agree more with this sentiment.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – The Lion and the Mouse, Aesop.
Because what child doesn’t hope to answer the door to a friendly tiger inviting one in for dinner?
“Sophie opened the door, and there was a big, furry, stripy tiger.
The tiger said: ‘Excuse me, but I’m very hungry. Do you think I could have tea with you?”” – The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Judith Kerr.
A motivational quote from a monster of a children’s tale.
“Inside all of us is hope. Inside all of us is fear.
Inside all of us is adventure. Inside of all of us is… A Wild Thing.” – Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak.
We love this pep talk quote from the mighty Matilda – another of Roald Dahl’s iconic characters.
“Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog.
Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable.” – Matilda, Roald Dahl.
Reminding children everywhere not to take home comforts for granted is this quote from Dorothy from the infamous The Wizard of Oz.
“There is no place like home.” – The Wizard of Oz, L Frank Baum.
Encouraging children to have courage and confidence, this quote is another highlight from The Wizard of Oz and one that had to make our most inspiring children’s book quotes edit.
“‘You have plenty of courage, I am sure,’ answered Oz. ‘All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger.
The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.”” – The Wizard of Oz, L Frank Baum.
Quite possibly Roald Dahl’s ugliest, smelliest and nastiest of characters, the Twits did however offer this gem of a quote to it’s young readers.
“If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” – The Twits, Roald Dahl.
Teaching children the value of caring for others and objects, this quote is a highlight amongst our most inspiring children’s book quotes.
“Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.” – The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Another quote from the children’s classic – The Secret Garden – reminding readers everywhere of nature’s beauty.
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” – The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Highlighting the bare necessities in this quote, Rudyard Kipling tells children anger is not the answer in scary situations.
“Now, don’t be angry after you’ve been afraid. That’s the worst kind of cowardice.” – The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling.
Roald Dahl carefully reminds his young readers that overcoming our fears can lead to exciting life adventures in this compelling quote.
“Most of the really exciting things we do in our lives scare us to death. They wouldn’t be exciting if they didn’t.” – Danny the Champion of the World, Roald Dahl.
A lesson to learn from this children’s book quote in Goodnight Mister Tom – that vulnerability and weakness are in no way the same.
“It occurred to him that strength was quite different from toughness and that being vulnerable wasn’t quite the same as being weak.” – Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian.
Perhaps one of the most famous lines from the Harry Potter series. Uttered, nonetheless, by one of it’s wisest wizards – Albus Dumbledore.
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling.
Another Dumbledore saying to feature in our most inspiring children’s book quotes list.
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling.
Bestselling children’s author J.K. Rowling delivers this reality check to readers in her debut Harry Potter novel.
“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling.
Everyone’s favourite yellow bear is full of wise words including this particularly inspirational children’s book quote.
“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.” – Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne.
This heartfelt quote is another phrase from the Winnie the Pooh book series which teaches young kids the importance of feeling.
“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” – Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne.
This A.A. Milne quote from The House at Pooh Corner has become somewhat iconic amongst fans of the beloved bear series. A reminder children and adults need every once in a while.
“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together… there is something you must always remember.
You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart… I’ll always be with you.” – The House at Pooh Corner, A.A. Milne.