I have sweet memories of cuddling in the covers with my grandchildren, pajamas and bare feet, little cheeks smelling like soap fresh from the bathtub, and a stack of books waiting to be read before lights out. Some of the things we read were so much fun, and we laughed together. Even in the midst of fun, there were lessons for child and grandmother too—lessons that form character and help us get through this world. There are some real classics in children’s literature that speak volumes of truth. Here are a few of my favorites.

Everybody remembers “The Little Engine that Could.” My mom used its message to help me with hard tasks. Often, she would encourage me with, “Just give it a try. You can do it. Say, ‘I think I can. I think I can,’ and soon you’ll be saying, ‘I thought I could! I thought I could! I thought I could!”’

Some of the characters in books for children are unforgettable. I remember Benjamin Rabbit in Irene Kellers’ book. Benjamin had a hard time sleeping at night because he was convinced there was a monster under his bed. According to Benjamin, the monster was as big as a house and it had one huge red eye in the middle of its forehead. When Benjamin cried out, Mother Rabbit came quickly and sprayed under the bed with “Monster Remover.” Even though the monster remover looked just like a can of air freshener, after Mother swooshed it around and turned on the light, that monster was gone.

I feel just like Benjamin Rabbit on nights when it seems that little monsters have come from under my own bed to perch on my shoulder and whisper dreary predictions. But when I turn on the light and open my Bible and read, all the little monsters disappear.

My fifth-grade teacher introduced me to Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women.” I don’t remember if it was Meg, Jo, Beth, or Amy, but one of them said: “I’m not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

In the silliness of the Dr. Seuss books, we stumble on great wisdom: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

A.A. Milne gave us a treasured gift with the lovable character of Winnie-the-Pooh, who told us, “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” From Winnie-the-Pooh, we learn how to be a true friend: “Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” We also remember our faith when he says, “Never fear the shadows, they simply mean there’s a light shining somewhere.”

I have fun browsing the children’s sections in libraries and bookstores. A couple of years ago, I found “The Prayer of Jabez for Young Hearts.” It tells the story of Jabez, whose name means Pain. His mother gave him that name because Jabez’s birth caused her so much pain. However, Jabez worked around that rejection knowing that there was a God who loved him, a God he could talk to. He prayed: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand be on me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” God answered that prayer. This book is written by Bruce Wilkinson, and the illustrations by Sergio Martinez are priceless. The message is that no matter how many mistakes we’ve made, no matter how much pain we’ve caused, God still loves us and welcomes our prayers.

Email Virginia Dawkins at jtdawk06@aol.com.