10 Inspirational Quotes from Manimal Tales
There’s no feeling like curling up on your couch to re-read your favorite children’s books. I used to think it was their familiarity that lent itself to the warm, fuzzy feeling I got from them. I’ve only recently realized that what I love about them is the author’s way of making huge lessons fit into the simplest of situations — it’s so much fun to learn about honesty from a lion, caring from a little mouse or bravery from pictures in bright colors splashed across the page. It reminds me of all the tiny things I forget to remember in the bustle of being an adult. Honestly, if it were up to me, I’d say the only place worth taking philosophical advice from is children’s books! What’s also great is how pithy those lessons can be — how you can fit a lifetime of advice into two lines.
So without further ado, here are my top ten favorite quotes from Manimal Tales that lend themselves to great life lessons:
#1
May you always know right from wrong,
May your convictions be just and strong,
May you never be afraid to stand up and say:
“No, no, this is just not OK.- Dedication, The Orangey-Tan
All our Manimal books come with the option of dedicating them to your kid. This particular quote features at the beginning of the Orangey-Tan and it goes out from you to your child!
#2
We should never take our freedoms for granted.
Tyranny is a weed that spreads easily once planted.- Dandylion, The Orangey-Tan
At the end of Orangey-Tan’s treacherous reign, Dandylion gets his kingdom back. He uses his homecoming speech to remind every Manimal to be grateful for their freedoms because they’re so easily taken away, a lesson that has great resonance in today’s world.
#3
The plan is to constantly resist!
We must pretend like Orangey doesn’t exist.
We’ll undo his every decision, ignore his every action,
And we’ll keep doing it till we get a reaction!
But for it to work, we need to be united,
All the Manimals can’t be so divided.- Your child, The Orangey-Tan
When Dandy approaches your child for help on how to rid the Manimals from Orangey’s terrible reign, they suggest a peaceful non-violent protest drawing from the likes of Gandhi and Mandela to get rid of the vile Orange King. Your child cautions the Manimals that for the plan to work, they must be patient and persevering in their resistance, and in their protests because the plan would only succeed when they got a reaction from Orangey-Tan He/she stresses the need for all Manimals to be united for this plan to work.
#4
You must decide what Manimal Land is to be,
This land of the brave and home of the free.
Are you to be your best selves, a shining city on a hill?
Or do you put yourselves first, and wish the rest ill?”- Your child, The Orangey-Tan
With echoes of Martin Luther King, your child gives a stirring speech to all the Manimals to talk about Orangey-Tan and his (mis)rule. He asks them to reflect on who they are and what values they wish to uphold. Again, this speech has great resonance in today’s times!
#5
“May all your adventures be super fun,
May you be great friends with everyone,
May your imagination run free and wild,
May you dream many dreams, dear child.”- Dedication, The Grumpopotamus
Personally, I think this should be the aspiration for every human being! It’s such a lovely paragraph and to me really encapsulates the best of childhood.
#6
“I’ll un-grump the Grumpo’, wait and see!
You all are just plain wrong about me!”- Anonymouse, The Grumpopotamus
When Anonymouse volunteered to ungrump the Grumpo, all the Manimals thought it was a daft idea. They assumed that since she was so small, she wouldn’t succeed. When she does (yay!), it teaches us to not judge someone based on the way they look.
#7
Yes, that’s why he’s been so grumpy!
He’s been alone too long without company.
Fact is, he needs friends, but hasn’t any.- Your child, The Grumpopotamus
With your child as the hero, The Grumpopotamus highlights the importance of friendships in helping people get over grumpy days. Sometimes a little affection and support is all it takes!
#8
“First, I thought you had to be big to be brave,
But your child and ‘Mouse showed us how the brave truly behave.
Second, I confused feeling sad for being bad.
No Manimal should live alone like ‘Grumpo had.- Dandylion, The Grumpopotamus
At his end-of-the-book speech, Dandylion has a mea-culpa and honestly admits that he made two mistakes. He apologizes to Anonymouse for thinking that because ‘Mouse was tiny, she couldn’t possibly be brave, in essence confusing physical strength with strength of character. He also realizes that a grumpy person isn’t always a bad person and shouldn’t be shunned just because you don’t understand what they’re going through.
#9
But if I may say something, it is this:
To have such great friends is absolute bliss.
In the end, that’s what you must try to do:
Surround yourself with those that love you!- Narrator, The ZooKeeper
The Zookeeper follows your child’s attempt to break a Manimal out of the evil clutches of the Zookeeper, teaching them bravery and the need to be there for your friends to help them out of a tough spot. At the end of The ZooKeeper, the author reflects on how important it is to have people who care about you because they’re always the ones to go the extra mile when you’re in trouble!
#10
A long walk,” he said, “is food for the soul!’
- Dandylion, The ZooKeeper
On a gloomy day, Dandylion attempts to convince the Manimals to take a stroll with him in the brisk air. When his effort fails, he sets out alone on the walk, singing to himself. Sometimes other people may not see the benefit of what you’re doing, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on the idea.
What are the quotes that you use as your daily inspiration? Let us know in the comments!
Originally published at https://manimaltales.com on March 5, 2021.
