The Little Prince question

"No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty." --C.S. Lewis

"I am almost inclined to set it up as a canon that a children's story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children's story. The good ones last." --C.S. Lewis

i think this is an adult book. children younger than 10 might nott even get the proper message. "do not listen to the grownups". tats the message that i got btw.

Not only do I think it's perfectly fine for adults to read children's books if they want to, I don't particularly consider The Little Prince to be a children's story. I'm very glad I didn't read it until I was an adult.

I received this book as a child. My father inscribed inside the book: pay attention to the fox. As a child I both enjoyed and cherished this book but I continued picking it back up as I grew. Now as an adult, this book is much more meaningful and its weight is very known to me and I appreciate it so much more. It is both a children's and an adult's book. It can grow with you and each time you read it you can get a different message.

I agree with those above who said The Little Prince is not a book for children. I think this is a book for adults, or rather, it's a book for children that adults will enjoy more. I think Winnie the Pooh falls into this category as well.

well it could be known as a children book but i don't see an experation date that says young adults or adults period can't read this book.

I believe we might all be better beings if we read it and thought about it as adults.

It has an impact when you are a child, and that draws you (or most) back to it as an adult.

I wish I had read it as a child. It was on my mother's list of Stupid/Bad Books.

Yes, as a matter of fact, she is crazy — literally, lol.

Maryann wrote: "What do you think about adults reading children's books?"

This book is one of those that should be read several times troughout life. Once you're a kid, you'll interpret it in a way and then, the next time you read it (when you're older) you'll obviously understand the book and it'll mean something to you. You'll learn a lot.

This book is universally age-appropriate. While it does contain a reference or two to alcoholism (i.e. 'the drunkard'), it's entertaining to young kids with imaginations, who enjoy fairytales about princes that travel through space and talk to flowers. While kids may not catch the symbolism, the adults do, which is why the book ages so well. I read it for the first time, as an eighteen year-old having taken literature classes and it warmed my heart. The more I think about it, the more the metaphors give me to consider. I think they may be making a theme park in France inspired by the book, as well...

I read this book and had my students read it as well. This book is great for both adults and older children maybe about fourth and fifth grade and up. I had my students read it and they had learned some life lessons through the book. I believe every upper grade students should read this book. It seems to me there are not enough of these type of books available to children anymore.

This book is fantastic for both children and adults. I believe it is best enjoyed when children and adults read it out loud together, many wonderful experiences, ideas, and discoveries can then be shared!

No I don't think it is. This book has so much symbology and meaning in it that's it's hard to believe it seems like a children's book. This book has so much detail, you just have to look closely. I get more out of it every time I read it.

I think it's proper for adults more than the children!
It has lots of meaning that maybe children can't understand them completely.

I think this book could be for anyone any age because the theme is easy to connect to at any age>

I wouldn't say the book is a childrens book, but more of a classic. My dad is over 50 and he reads the book once a year. The book is beautifully written and it makes me feel happy!

Maryann wrote: "What do you think about adults reading children's books?"

I actually hate it when people claim that it's bad to read children's lit because I know that many adults read children's lit all the time. In my humble opinion, it takes skill to write for children because it's different. Furthermore, they make you think just as much as any adult work would; the only difference is the target audience. I just think it's a good idea to at least test the waters with reading children's lit as an adult because it's truly enriching!

As far as The Little Prince goes, it can be read as children's or adult's lit. It has elements of both.

Gosh, I've been rambling on, haven't I? Oh well, I feel strongly about this topic, so...

This book should be for everyone, not just kids because it can teach people how to brave and be true to who you are.

I first read the book when I was 21 and I would have read at least 7-8 times and every time I read it, I get a new feeling which is very soothing and enlightening.

It is a book for every one irrespective of their age.

I think this is a very especial book because anyone who read it (adult, child or whatever) understands it in a different way, according to his experiences. If you give this book to a child and you ask him about its argument, he'll probably say that it's about a little boy like him who lives adventures with a pilot whose airplane crashed down in a desert. However, an adult is more able to understand the profound background of the novel, but if he has started it thinking that it's only a children's book, maybe he won't see the book in a different way than the child did.

The problem is that people use to think that when the main character of a book is a child, it can't has a complex argument or be an adult novel. Other examples are 'The book thief' or 'Ender's game', which are sold as young adult novels, but if you read them, you'll realise that they can perfectly be in the adult section of a bookshop.

This book is not for children. I first read it when I was about 10 and I didn't catch the idea. Then I read it again at the age of 19 and things seemed completely different. I do agree when people say this book should be with you all your life since with aging comes that wisdom you don't learn by reading. And you need that wisdom to understand this book properly!

I love children's books! I have bookshelves full of them, as I love to collect them for illustrations and different reasons. I never read 'Little Prince' till I was an adult. I love it. Great children's books stretch the imagination and are good at any age.

I read this book as a child, but I've read it over and over since then, and I agree with others who have said it's not really a children's book. Not that it's not appropriate for children to read--it depends on the age and on the child--but I do think it's intended for an adult as much as a younger audience.

i gave my copy to my twelve-years-old-cousin and im repetant for that..

I too read children's books all the time. I love them. And I am probably older than all of you - nearing 3/4 of a century. It is fun to go back to something I read as a kid, or read to my children and grandchildren. Right now I am reading a biography of Mark Twain, one of his books, and Shadow Mountain about wolves - none are children's books however.

I read this a kid, and again when I was about 18--it was like a whole new book. I now read it every couple years.

I think it is fine.
I do not think adults should only read "adult" books.
I think this book is great at any age.

Some of the best writing in publishing is in the realm of children's and young adult books, but The Little Prince is not a children's book. I daresay there are many adults who would fail to gasp it, however simple the vocabulary may be. One of my very favorite books.

Actually not! I think it's very philosophical an can be applied to todays sovciety. I'm glad I read it not as a child but as adult :)

I read children's books all the time. They are often sweeter and less scary than adult books, with many less upsetting things. I think the best ones are often written better than their adult counterparts because the authors have to condense their ideas into the space of a child's attention span. Thus, the writing tends to have less fluff and be more efficient. I work in children's at a library so I may be a bit biased, though ;-) I even love picture books!

I consider myself a professional children's book reader! LOL! I suppose it's because I work in the Youth Services area of my library but I think Children's books have some WONDERFUL stories to tell, plus you can finish one in a couple of hours so you don't have to COMMIT to them like you would to something epic like Game of Thrones. Also, it's very useful to read children's books to people who are learning a language. When my mom was first learning English her teachers would assign her Newbery winner and she would get lots of great vocabulary from them.