Should have read classics discussion

Starting in May our classics book group will be adding a "children's classic" read for each month. Although many classics can be found on both general and children's classics lists, we will try to focus on those children's classics that are either a bit easier to read or a bit shorter in length. By adding a children's choice each month you might be inspired to reread books that you haven't touched in a long time, or ones that you have seen the movie of but never really read. Also, you might even be inspired to read these to your own children. You could make it a family event. Whatever the case, we hope by adding a children's classic book choice each month will give you another option for possibly a simpler, less time consuming option to our regular monthly classic choice. We hope our children's choice will get you acquainted with some truly beloved classic children's literature.

Yippee! My favorite genre! When can we start nominating?

Andrea wrote: "Yippee! My favorite genre! When can we start nominating?"
Andrea, we would love to hear some of your nominations. We actually have a few books in mind ourselves but when we heard about the upcoming Mr. Popper movie and neither Lisa or I had read this children's classic we thought it would be a good one to start with. Glad to see from your other comment that Mr. Popper's Penguins is one that you have enjoyed.

Woohoo! I can't wait. I feel I missed out on so many children's classics growing up that I don't even know where to start my list.

Thank you for thinking of it!

I've never eve meard of Mr. Popper's Penguins.

Me neither,so don't feel too badly, Kelly.

I think I'll pass on this one--have too many to read as it is.

I am glad you are excited about the children's classics. I am so excited too because I didn't read many of these as a kid and it will give me a good excuse to read them with my own children. And maybe that will give me a chance and the encouragement I need to actually finish a book that I start!

Hi Everyone, I just posted the children's classic read for June and would also like to take any additional suggestions/nominations for other children's classics that you would like to read in the future. Let us know your ideas.

How about 5 Little Peppers and How they Grew, Heidi, Mary Poppins, the Borrowers, Anne of Green Gables, or my all time fave, The Secret Garden? I've got a million more suggestions where these came from...

Super, I love it! I had planned on putting the Secret Garden on the "Battle Challenge" but then I opted for The Little Princess. Also, how can you go wrong with Anne of Green Gables?! Matter of fact, I'll be in Anne's land at the end of this month. Can't wait. We will have a few of the next few childrens classics from the battle list and we will incorporate a few of your suggestions before the end of the year. Thanks for sharing those great suggestions.

I have a suggestion for this one. How about The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. Another one of my childhood favorites!

My kids LOVED L of the R G W! I liked it too. Since then Andrew's book "Mandy" has bee on my TBR list...

Andrea wrote: "My kids LOVED L of the R G W! I liked it too. Since then Andrew's book "Mandy" has bee on my TBR list..."

I had no idea that she wrote more! Still amazes me that she is Mary Poppins!

I have L or the RGW on my summer reading list...notice I didn't say which summer. LOL Just kidding, would like to read it this summer. Maybe we will have it as a monthly read in the fall.

Is there going to be a children's classic read for October?

I wanted to read one of the Seckatary Hawkin's books like The Gray Ghost that was mentioned in TKMB but they are out of print and my library doesn't have them so I am still thinking. Anybody else have a suggestion or do you what to put one of the "challenge" books up for the month?

I have been trying to think of some creepy Halloween stories but an drawing a blank. Still looking though!

I can recommend The Happy Prince and Other Stories: The Young King; The Devoted Friend; The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde. The stories are a little sad but they're a wonderful read.

How about Anne of Green Gables or A Little Princess soon!

Jamey wrote: "How about Anne of Green Gables or A Little Princess soon!"

We read A Little Princessback several months ago, but we can definitely consider Anne of Green Gables.

Kerri wrote: "Jamey wrote: "How about Anne of Green Gables or A Little Princess soon!"

We read A Little Princessback several months ago, but we can definitely consider Anne of Green Gables."

I'd like to read Anne of Green Gables

We just finished Anne of Green Gables -- my girls LOVED it.

To all of you hoping to read Anne of Green Gables soon...I have it down for our January childrens read but haven't listed it yet on the upcoming reads. It is one of my all time favorites and I also loved the DVD set that featured Megan Follows as Anne. If you have never seen those, you should definitely check them out. Even my husband and sons like them!

Secret Garden, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island, Peter Pan, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Pippi Longstocking, Alice in Wonderland?

I'm looking forward to reading Anne of Green Gables.

Blarneygod, those are all great suggestions.

Yay! I loved the Anne of Green Gables movies, so I'm excited to read the book.

What are we reading in February?

I think there is a poll up ....

Yes, there should be a quick poll deciding between three Jules Verne novels: Mysterious Island, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in 80 days.

A book that is definitely a classic in England but not well know in the States is Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazona. Since we had English grandparents who believed that books were the best Christmas and Birthday gifts (and they were SO right!), over time my sister and I wound up with the whole set of 12 books, but Swallows and Amazons is the first of the series, and one of the best.

I still vividly remember my introduction to the books. My mother, one summer day after my sister (2 years older than me) had gotten S&S for her birthday, said she would start reading it to us. I said I wasn't interested in a book about birds and fat women, so went about my business, but as I was walking past where she was reading I heard all this neat stuff about children and boats and camping. So I was quickly hooked, and have been hooked on AR for fifty plus years!

The books are being re-issued in England, they might not be easily available in the US but they can be ordered new from ABEbooks and I get them in less than a week for only a few dollars shipping. Or your library may have S&A, or can get it on interlibrary loan.

Everyman wrote: "A book that is definitely a classic in England but not well know in the States is Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazona. Since we had English grandparents who believed that books were the best Chr..."

My daughter and I absolutely LOVE this series! The characters are so engaging and the stories delightful. It would be a great children's read!

Everyman wrote: "A book that is definitely a classic in England but not well know in the States is Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazona. Since we had English grandparents who believed that books were the best Chr..."

I'm so glad to know that my library actually has these!

:))

I'm excited about A Wrinkle in Time. I tried to read it as a child, and could never get very far. I'm sure I'll have a different perspective now!

I have picked it up several times myself but have yet to read it. Thought it was about time since it is the 50th anniversary of the book this year!

i love that book. I have to go find my copy now

Just got A Wrinkle in Time at the library
=]

Just completed the first chapter.

I have just ordered the MAY children's book choice.
I have not come across this book before, it looks fun!. I work at a school and help pupils with reading so I do enjoy young literature.
My son is 6 so it may be a bit too old for him going by reviews but if not I will enjoy it alone! Lol!.

Welcome and I hope that you enjoy the book! I have been pleasantly surprised by many of the choices in this catagory.

Furny wrote: "I have just ordered the MAY children's book choice.
I have not come across this book before, it looks fun!. I work at a school and help pupils with reading so I do enjoy young literature.
My son i..."

Yes, it might be a bit more difficult for a six year old to understand but give a try...I started it a few years ago with my boys and am going to try again this next month now that they are 12 and 9.

Kerri is on vacation right now but she was thinking about reading Little Women for September.

Little Women was wonderful. I'm very surprised that no one has nominated any Dickens books.....my youngest is 12, so I've about exhausted kids' books :) Mine are 24, will be 22 the end of this month, 19, 14, & the 12 year old! He's been through the whole HP series, the Narnia series, the Percy Jackson series, Jerry Spinelli's books, & is now working on the new Percy Jackson spinoff series.

Recently read Kenneth Grahame's 'The Wind in the Willows'. Loved it so much. If you're interested you can read my review at http://thethiessenreview.wordpress.co...

What would everyone like to read for this month or two? Kerri is busy so to keep the reading going, let's get some suggestions going!

I help with a summer reading competition in my county and this year I had to read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, James and the Giant Peachand Ribsy. The other books to read were Harriet the Spyand The Indian in the Cupboard. It was fun to re-read some books from my childhood, while introducing them to a new generation.

How about some nominations for the childrens read for April? Does anyone have a book in this category?

Can I recommend something from the Moomin series by Tove Jansson. I've discovered these books as an adult and I really love them. Wonderfully surreal. Comparable to Alice in Wonderland without the character of Alice. Other than that I'll vote for the Wind in the Willows as well. Read it about four times. Adore it. Or anything by Roald Dahl. I really love children's fiction by the way.

Isobel wrote: "Can I recommend something from the Moomin series by Tove Jansson. I've discovered these books as an adult and I really love them. Wonderfully surreal. Comparable to Alice in Wonderland without the ..."

I second the vote for Dahl. I picked up an entire set of his books when I read The Witches for another group. They've been sitting on my shelves and a little extra incentive to read one wouldn't go amiss.

Oooh yes! Dahl!

Roald Dahl is great. Lots of the adults in his books are so mean and scary. It's kind of shocking, when we want children to feel supported and encouraged by adults, to have this children's author tapping into the notion that kids are really pretty much on their own and need to protect themselves from many of the adults in their lives. But a lot of reality is like that, although not quite so fantastical as Dahl's stories. So his books are powerful and very interesting for kids, I think.

[Also, I have vague memories of reading Wind in the Willows as a kid, but I'm really not sure if it was that or the Adventures of Toad or what.... Ooops, never mind. I see this group read Wind in the Willows back in 2011.]

-Julie