Will I love The Little Prince?

One of my all-time favourite books and one of the greatest narratives about the power of the imagination.

Picture books are the best teachers of ideas because they delight the eye and because the lessons they offer never feel didactic. The opening chapter of this book offers one of the most unforgettable lessons about how to see that dimension of the visible world that is not given to sight. 

This novella taught me about the nature of love when I was a child, and I appreciate its wisdom just as much now that I am an adult. A fox teaches a boy how to tame it, or in other words, how to make a meaningful connection. Time, patience, and care are required, and the more one invests, the more precious and valuable the relationship becomes.

The fox voices the most famous quote in the book: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” I think about those words… show more.

I love stories that work as metaphors for our deeper selves, so The Little Prince was a natural choice. This story unfolds as an enchanting journey between a pilot and a young boy who’s traveled from a distant asteroid, each chapter feeling like a philosophical puzzle about life, love, and loneliness. Saint-Exupéry’s prose is deceptively simple—every line feels intentional, and it lingers in your mind long after you turn the page. There’s a soft, unhurried pace to it, like watching petals fall, yet it’s also heartbreakingly insightful, especially in its view on innocence and wonder.

This story resonates with me… show more.

I hadn’t read this as a child, but upon reading it the first time, it made me feel like a child. The deep introspection, written with the imagination and voice of a young child, was calming, and I felt as if he knew how I thought as a child and adult.

I was living in France at the time, and the story had a foreign mood but was familiar. The book reached into personal childhood daydreams and fantasies. The prince’s way of thinking and expressing himself was definitely not from the modern day and it inspired me to write “up”… show more.

Cryptic, allegorical, gentle and sweet, The Little Prince is a book that I read over and over again.

A little boy from a planet no bigger than a house who spends his days taking careful care of a pretty white rose is about as odd a premise as one could imagine, but after many reads as a child and many more as I read it to my own, this one truly stands the test of time.

Yes, it is unique and playful with lots of lovely little drawings to suit, but it is the beautiful depth of the meaning written… show more.

Ostensibly a children’s book, The Little Prince is much, much more.

It’s about the importance of savouring the breadth, length, height, and depth of life, rather than focusing on goals; and about the importance of maintaining your child-like wonder as you mature and what was once novel becomes familiar. While a fiction book, it is consistent with scientific research on what drives happiness is not so much your circumstances, but how you respond to and find joy in your circumstances.

The Little Prince is not the children’s story you think it is! It’s the philosophical story of a young prince who explores the universe, encountering various characters that symbolize different aspects of human nature. Through their encounters, the book imparts timeless wisdom about love, friendship, responsibility, and the importance of nurturing one's inner child. 

The simplicity of this transformative book inspired me to look at the world with fresh eyes. It encourages introspection and reflection, urging you to prioritize what truly matters in life and to appreciate the beauty of the simple and genuine connections we form. 

The Little Prince… show more.

How does a fiction-fantasy inspire a non-fiction writer? This classic touched my soul. Never, do I wish to lose touch with my soul to become an expert in any field.

I first read this as a cynical teen in 1970. This book awakened my affection for innocence, goodness, and the painful course of pure love and honesty existing within some hard realities. 

We live weaving love, inspiration, spirituality, and the wonders around us, all together. Meaningful relationships and learning from mistakes add real purpose to life. Any book that awakens such things in a soul will enhance whatever else you… show more.

The Little Prince is an existentialist philosophical story about life is not a question.

That it is full of wisdom and warmth does not need arguing. Yet with all its merits, what I love the most about this work of fiction is that it is romantically poetic - it is truly “only with the heart that one can see rightly,” and this work is to be read with one’s heart wide open.

Probably one of my earliest reading experiences, this is delightful book for all ages.

A pilot, who has crashed in the Sahara Desert, encounters a strange young boy who calls himself the Little Prince. He has traveled there from his home on a lonely, distant asteroid with a single rose.

It’s other-worldly in a simple and charming tale of the human condition and for a child, especially, it will spark the imagination from that point on to eternity.