A fantastic cornucopia of quotations. Some are familiar, and some I did not know. Ideal for encouraging well-being and thought-provoking, the book can be dipped into by individuals or read by or to a class. It would be fun to look up people’s birthdays. The quotes encourage discussion, and children might want to find out more about their authors and the contexts. The illustrations are diverse and appropriate in a range of different contexts. I particularly liked the cherry blossom in March, the flamingos in April, the turtles on the beach in June, the fountain in July, the Ferris wheel in August and the ship in September.
I love the January 1st quote from Alan Bennett’s “The History Boys”
The best moments in reading are
when you come across something –
a thought,
a feeling,
a way of looking at things –
which you had thought special and particular to you.
Now here it is,
set down by someone else,
a person you have never met,
someone even who is long dead.
And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours.”
Other favourites include:
Jan 8th J.R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
Not all those who wonder are lost.
February 7th Albert Einstein
I have no special talents.
I am only passionately curious.
March 4th Barack Obama
Change will not come
If we wait for some other
Person or if we wait for some other time.
June 26th Dolly Parton
If you want the rainbow,
You gotta put up with the rain!
July 22nd Stephen Hawkin
Remember to look up at the stars
And not down at your feet.
August 11th
Alice Oseman, Solitaire
But books – they’re different. When you watch a film,
You’re sort of an outsider looking in. With a book –
You’re right there. You are inside. You are the main character.
December 8th
The only way to have a friend is to be one.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I like the index of authors, and the credits which would enable further research.
A treasure trove of a book, to refer to again and again.
Thank you!
Brenda Marshall
Tomorrow Bright Before Us: An Inspiring Quote for Every Day of the Year by Victoria Bell
Nosy Crow
ISBN 9781839942303
£25.00
Published 2026
