Redefining Children’s Books: 9 Alternative Illustrations by Millennial Artists

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Our perception changes as we get older, so it’s not surprising that we find new meanings in the books we read. Depositphotos asked millennial artists to revisit some fairy tales from their childhoods and challenge their traditional interpretations.

Hidden Messages in Children’s Books is a project that encompassed nine popular books that the millennial generation enjoyed as a child. The task was a little tricky: the artists had to recall their childhood experiences and analyze the books with an adult perspective.

We invite you to delve into the worlds of JRR Tolkien, Lewis Carroll, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and many other authors to meet your favorite literary heroes and learn some unexpected life lessons from them.

The hidden message in The Hobbit: The journey you take is the best practice of self-exploration. “Bilbo has a very clear moral compass. He understands that he can be a noble hobbit, and he does everything to stay on the side of good,” said the illustrator.

The hidden message in The Little Prince: Don’t let your love become the only thing you value. “We all want a special relationship, which is normal. But what is not normal is dedicating yourself entirely to others. Love that requires sacrifice is not love,” the artist told us.

The hidden message in The Giving Tree: For Some, We Are Not Friends, We Are Resources. “If I could rewrite history, I would have the tree analyze its behavior and the situation at hand. For example, why do you keep calling a man a boy, and how that can help him to self-realize with his own inner resources,” commented the digital painter.

The hidden message in The Little Mermaid: It’s important to be true to yourself. Otherwise, people will only know you by your persona. “I used to think that a happy ending for Ariel would be a marriage to the prince. Now, I see that after countless experiences and problems, she got what she deserved: the real her,” said the artist.

The hidden message in The Secret Garden: Anyone can heal themselves by setting new goals and working hard to achieve them. “The main character is doing her best, but her uncle’s strategy leaves many questions. He leaves the children and waits for someone else to solve his own setbacks and those of the children,” believes the illustrator.

The hidden message in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: By fleeing adulthood, you flee life. The artist’s opinion: “The protagonist leaves me very intrigued. If he’s a boy who doesn’t want to grow up, why is he so harsh and selfish? Maybe it’s just a defense mechanism, as people like him aren’t easily accepted by other people.”

The hidden message in the Pippi Longstocking book series: Loneliness is something that often pushes us forward and makes us strong. “Pippi and her friends eat peas and pretend it will cure them of growing up, at the end of the book. Allowing us to draw our own conclusions. For some people, children will grow up and inevitably turn into insensitive adults. And others will believe that they can keep their inner child in their hearts,” assumes the illustrator.

The hidden message in the Mary Poppins book series: Would Mary Poppins be able to complete all her tasks without magic? The millennial artist’s take: “I was fascinated by magic when I was younger and didn’t care much about the characters. Now I am saddened by the toxic relationship between them. I would recommend that Mary not push the children, but try to understand them. And when it comes to parents, it would be great if they could be more receptive.”

The hidden message in Alice in Wonderland: Sometimes we just need a good nap. “Alice woke up and did not dream until the end. We can only imagine what happens next. I would advise not to get carried away by fantasies and balance the inner and outer worlds,” suggested the illustrator.