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Confession time! Tell us your literary sins to win an entire set of 20 Puffin Classics

383 replies

EmilyMumsnet · 13/04/2015 10:57

Literary shame is a powerful thing - if you've ever nodded sagely while your friends discussed Bleak House or chuckled knowingly about the The Wizard of Oz - the film is the same thing isn’t it? – you'll know what we're talking about. But now we're giving you the chance to 'fess up! Tell us which Puffin Classic you have never actually read, and you'll be in the running to win the entire set.

The Puffin Classics are back, and with a bold new look – twenty brand new covers for the classic tales, from Huck to Dorothy to Alice to Peter. One lucky poster will receive all twenty, while 5 randomly-selected runners-up will win a copy of their never-read tale.

Here's the full set list:
The Call of the Wild, Tom Sawyer, The Wizard of Oz, King Arthur, The Jungle Book, Black Beauty, Huckleberry Finn, Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, The Odyssey, A Little Princess, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, The Wind in the Willows, Treasure Island, Heidi, Peter Pan, Little Women, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

This competition is now closed. And the winners are:

Belo - full set of Puffin Classics
happysouls - The Call Of The Wild
Punkatheart -Heidi
Miisty - Tom Sawyer
Pigeonpea - Huckleberry Finn
kohl - Wind In The Willows

Thanks for all your contributions, we'll be in touch with the winners shortly

Confession time! Tell us your literary sins to win an entire set of 20 Puffin Classics
OP posts:
SallySwann · 15/04/2015 21:01

Not sure I've actually fully read any of them!

Susangilley7 · 15/04/2015 16:32

I am sorry to say I haven't read The Call of the Wild or The Odyssey. Shame on me!!!

Michigander · 15/04/2015 10:18

My literary confession is that my kids have read more of these books than I. Perhaps I should change my name to Anne Green of Fables....

Miisty · 15/04/2015 07:21

I have never read Tom Sawyer

Shameem123 · 15/04/2015 06:26

I have never read the Alice in wonder land story. But have seen it on t.v.

Clawdy · 14/04/2015 23:06

Never read The Call Of The Wild! I suspect it was regarded as a boys' book when I was little, although I was given Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn!

Devora · 14/04/2015 22:57

I loved A Little Princess, Heidi, Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, Little Women, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Black Beauty, Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, the Jungle Book, Treasure Island and Call of the Wild.

I've never read Wind in the Willows, Journey to the Centre of the Earth or The Odyssey, though I almost feel like I have. I always found Wind in the Willows a bit offputting - unpleasantness and wet animals not a good combination for me.

dewdneyk · 14/04/2015 21:54

A Little Princess. Title is - and always has been - enough to put me off. I wanted action and boys books even as a little girl and was desperate for books where girls saved the day, hence my love of The Railway Children.

miaowmix · 14/04/2015 21:33

Hmm, I have never read any of these:
The Call of the Wild, Tom Sawyer, The Wizard of Oz, Black Beauty, Huckleberry Finn, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Treasure Island.

But conversely I have read and adored all of these: Heidi, Peter Pan, A Little Princess, Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, Little Women, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Do I win a prize? Smile

JoyceDivision · 14/04/2015 21:28

I find Jane Austen really boring Blush

I've neverread the wizard of oz, or seen the film. But I have seen and Love Return to Oz!

When I watched Se7en, and the cops were discussing the list of books that are flagged when people borrow them... I paused the film and wrote them down to try and borrow them Grin

I found a couple and they were boring! haha!

juleslucas · 14/04/2015 21:23

I read a lot as a child, I think the only one I never got around to was Huckleberry Finn.

mrsgiraffe · 14/04/2015 20:59

Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Given how much I love a great sci fi read, how on earth have I not found time to read this over the years??! Shock

ataraxia · 14/04/2015 20:37

Anne of Green Gables. I've even been to Green Gables farm with red hair in plaits and kept quiet that it was the sum total of my knowledge of the book!

babster · 14/04/2015 20:02

I've never read The Odyssey, which regret as I loved Classics at school. Percy Jackson is the closest I get to this these days.

SHORTMAN · 14/04/2015 19:56

I've read most of these but I have to say that although they are good stories because of the way they are written most of them are quite hard going children.

Fiendarina · 14/04/2015 19:34

Thought I would have read most of these, but actually there are several I haven't: The Call of the Wild, The Jungle Book, King Arthur, The Wizard of Oz, The Odyssey and Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
Inspiration for the library list I suppose!

MrsMoo3 · 14/04/2015 19:16

Hmmm there are lots a few I haven't read. But thankfully many have been made into films so I can nod knowledgeably when the books come up. Think the jungle book is probably the one I've lied exaggerated about reading the most!Grin

FeelingSmurfy · 14/04/2015 17:49

The odyssey - I am ashamed to say I don't even know what its about, not sure how that one managed to pass me by

Teladi · 14/04/2015 16:37

I've never read The Odyssey - I started once and just thought... no.

But I see this is a retelling, so maybe I should read this version!

I think I've read everything else.

katiewalters · 14/04/2015 16:33

Haven't read black beauty, little women, Tom Sawyer, call of the wild.

Weezey · 14/04/2015 15:10

Like most people on this thread I haven't read "The Call of the Wild"! This is a great list for me though, as it has given me a place to start for introducing my avid reader of a 5 year old son to the greats! Thanks :)

Iqueen · 14/04/2015 15:08

I was always reading as a child and teenager. Our Public Library had a large collection of fairy tales and legends books, from all over the world. I read the lot, before moving on to adult novels.

Having to read The Hobbit at school (aged 12) put me right off Lord of The Rings forever. Surprisingly, after all my earlier reading, I just didn't 'get' the fantasy genre, and still don't! Confused

Until last year, I had gone through a 10-year break from novels - no idea why. I had continued to read non-fiction regularly, to improve my skills and learning, and I still do.

Since last year, I have been, again, reading masses of novels, mainly who-dunnits. Currently, I am just finishing Alastair Maclean's Circus, which I bought in 1976, and never got round to reading! Blush

All but 3 of the Puffin Classics, I have read at least 3 times: once to myself, once to my older 2 DCs and then to my younger 3 DCs. All of them love reading.

The only 3 Puffins that I haven't read are: Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess, and The Secret Garden.

My favourite Puffin was given to me as Christmas present, A Puffin Book of Verse, when I was a child. I loved it and wish I still had it.

shash1982 · 14/04/2015 14:54

I'd never admit this in RL but I think I've only read about two classics on that list, it's embarrassing!

I love to read though.

serendipity1980 · 14/04/2015 13:58

There are lots I haven't read but feel I should have, in particular the Wizard of Oz because our children were given a boxset of Oz and I still haven't read it! I've seen the film too, and enjoyed it!

Librarina · 14/04/2015 13:26

I am a Librarian and I have to confess to never having read (off that list) The Call of the Wild, Tom Sawyer, King Arthur, Huckleberry Finn, Journey to the Centre of the Earth or Treasure Island.

I suspect that it is because, as a child, I thought of those a 'boys' books and they therefore didn't appeal to me. I didn't really have anyone to guide me through classic literature, I was just let loose on the Library bookshelves so much of my reading was Judy Bloom and Paula Danziger.

I have to compound my shame by adding that it is now my job to encourage other people to read and one of the books I offer to my Reading Groups for discussion is Treasure Island. I can converse on it with some authority despite never having read it.

However the books on that list which I have read, I read repeatedly and loved deeply. Anne Shirley, Sara Crewe and Jo March will be my friends until I die.