The first time a children’s book made me cry was 18 or so years ago. I was in the children’s section of the Little Professor bookstore in Homewood back when it was attached to a small cafe with the best veggie plate in town. A sitter was with my three-year-old daughter and year-old son at our house a couple of miles away, and I was relieved to have some time to eat a nourishing meal that I didn’t have to prepare and peruse stacks of books without anyone needing me.

After my lunch of Creole cabbage, mashed potatoes, stewed green beans, and a perfect corn muffin, I wandered over to the children’s section to pick out a new book for our small but growing collection of picture books. I picked up a copy of the original Olivia book by Ian Falconer, read it, and sat down on the floor and cried. Olivia reminded me of my daughter, Riley, and this book permitted me to admit my intelligent, busy, creative, and exhausting child wore me out. At that time in my life, I was deeply enmeshed in white Evangelical culture and communities. I didn’t have much freedom to be honest about any difficulties I was experiencing, especially in mothering my children full-time with few breaks or opportunities to use my mind and creativity in other ways.

Reading Olivia validated my present reality when I felt so much judgment for not loving every second of mothering my two young children. This book gave me the courage to take a tiny step toward a different parenting path I’d follow more fully within a few years, a path that invites truthfulness about parenting struggles without condemnation or fear of what others may think when we say the things out loud that some people don’t want to hear or acknowledge.

Over the years, I have read hundreds of books to and with my children. Those books were primarily for my daughter and son, but also for me. Children’s literature has been a balm to my mind, heart, and soul in many ways for many reasons. Stories and lessons intended for my kids have ushered me into much flourishing through gentle invitations that encourage play, expand curiosity, introduce new ideas, hold complex emotions, acknowledge injustice, and more.

I have at least a dozen more thoughts on the value of kid literature for people of all ages, but right now, I want to tell you about the last children’s book that made me cry.

Because I’m hosting a Thoughtful Readers Gathering featuring Maggie Smith and her new children’s book, My Thoughts Have Wings, I received and read a digital version this morning via email. After finishing the book, I sat on my sofa and cried. This book made me think of my 21-year-old daughter, my 19-year-old son, my seven-year-old godson, and me and how we all need this book right now. We all have thoughts that keep us up at night because this world is full of many things worthy of our attention and worry.

I don’t want to give too much away about this book. Just know that all of us need this book regardless of age. Parents need this book. Kids need this book. People who aren’t parents need this book.

I’m thankful for Maggie Smith and her words, work, and presence. I look forward to our conversation on February 12th about her new book and the power of children’s literature for people of all ages–-how good books with beautiful words and illustrations help us parent our kids and illustrations help us persist in this life regardless of our age, obligations, or season of life.

Thoughtful Readers Gathering with Maggie Smith and My Thoughts Have Wings

Charlotte Donlon’s writing and work are always rooted in helping her readers, audience, and clients notice how art and other good things help them belong to themselves, others, the divine, and the world. Charlotte is the founder of Thoughtful Books Etc.™, One O’Clock Central, Spiritual Direction for Writers® , Spiritual Direction for Belonging™, and Parenting with Art™. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. Her next book on Spiritual Direction for Writers will be published by Eerdmans in 2024 or 2025. Charlotte’s essays have appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and a certificate in spiritual direction. To receive Charlotte’s latest updates, news, announcements, and all kinds of good things, subscribe to Thoughtful Readers Etc. + Five Good Things.