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Classics suitable for children

16 replies

sunshine75 · 18/01/2018 20:47

Currently reading abridged classics (especially for children) with dd aged 10 - sharing the reading, out loud, at bedtime. All very pleasant and often followed by watching the movie/tv series.

Anyway, thinking of moving onto 'full' classics. However, it does take a long time to read a book when you're doing out loud and sharing the reading with a child. So, I think I might give War and Peace a miss or we will still be reading when she's 25! Any suggestions for slimline classics that we can share.

OP posts:
cheminotte · 18/01/2018 20:50

Are you reading the ladybird series? We’re enjoying Gullivers travels at the moment (me reading to ds2 who is 7).
What about Little Women? Or Swallows and Amazons?

EvilCleverDog · 18/01/2018 20:50

Would you consider Lord of the Flies a classic? DS was a similar age when he read it and it led to some interesting discussions.

MagicFajita · 18/01/2018 20:50

My dd11 loves pride and prejudice. To read and to watch.

PoohBearsHole · 18/01/2018 20:51

Not slimline but slimmer-
Secret Garden
The Little Princess
Winnie the Pooh
Little Women
The Velveteen Rabbit
Ballet Shoes
Harry Potter
War Horse
Phillip Pullman

yummyeclair · 18/01/2018 20:54

Winner the Pooh & Compliation which has chapters from various classics and poems called Read Out Loud.

jennawadesdaughter · 18/01/2018 20:54

Fab ideas - I love P&P and Lord of the Flies.

Ljgstorm · 18/01/2018 20:56

Anne of green gables series or what Katy did? I remember enjoying these when I was younger

Leeds2 · 18/01/2018 20:58

When I was that age, I read - and loved - What Katy Did, Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. Read by myself though.
You could try Secret Garden, A Little Princess, Street Child, Stig of the Dump, Family From One End Street.

SingingSeuss · 18/01/2018 21:03

The secret garden?

PoohBearsHole · 18/01/2018 21:11

Stig of the Dump - fab and 5 children and It.

LyraPotter · 18/01/2018 21:33

A Tale of Two Cities is brilliant and quite accessible for children

The Red Pony (gorgeous but very sad so a judgement call!)

101 dalmatians (the book is WONDERFUL, was my favourite as a child)

Treasure Island

Bolshybookworm · 18/01/2018 21:36

Call of the wild is a fantastic book.

sycamore54321 · 18/01/2018 21:38

Not sure if it hits the Classic category and it isn't particularly short, but my dad read The Hobbit with us at bedtimes around this age. I have very fond memories of that time.

Great idea OP.

Anasnake · 18/01/2018 21:38

Wind in the Willows

gingerclementine · 19/01/2018 10:46

I'd keep giving them a grounding in myths that form the basis of all other stories, so a good book of Greek myths for children. Ditto Norse myths, Arabian Nights, Mahabarata, Bible stories etc.

Something simple and fun - like My Family and Other Animals

There are great children's classics to introduce at that age too:
The Silver Sword - Ian Serrallier (much better than Machine Gunners imo)
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Blackhearts in Battersea (Joan Aitken - in fact, anything by her)
Holes (absolutely brilliant) or Small Steps (the sequel) - both by Louis Sachar. Or There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom - despite the silly title, a really thought provoking book for that age group
Narnia Series
Inkheart or The Thief Lord - Cornelia Funke
Charlotte's Web
anything by Eoin Colfer or Philip Pullman

If they like gory stuff and aren't easily scared, the original Grimms and Hans Anderson stories are fascinating (I was more terrified than DC, reading those.)

At that age, my DC enjoyed classic poety - Old Possum's Cats - TS Eliot was a good bedtime read. So was The Rime of The Ancient Mariner and some of John Clare's and William Blake's nature poetry. Snippets of Shakespeare, like the witches' curse from Macbeth or the mechanicals play in MSND

When they're a bit older, moving onto short easy classics like The Third Man (Graham greene) of Mice and Men - Steinbeck, Christmas Carol, Jeckyl and Hyde etc. But I'd tread carefully, as lots of the shorter classics can be a bit dark emotionally and they miss so much of the point of a story, and are just left with the grim stuff.

SallyLockhartsDog · 20/01/2018 20:46

Little house on the prairie series! Mine and DDs fave! (one of the DCs name is inspired by them Grin)

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