Lately Will and I have been enjoying this classic illustrated edition of Peter Pan, a tale that I never read in its original form when I was a child. Will is so intrigued by the idea of Neverland and pirates, fairies and children in flight that he is quite willing to put up with the wordy, whimsical writing – which in many ways seems aimed to entertain adult readers as much as children. The pictures also keep Will desperate to read more. He often studies the book alone on the couch when we aren’t reading together.We are also enjoying Ragweed by Avi (the story of a town mouse who heads to the city).
Now I am on the hunt for more children’s books that are illustrated but more interesting than some of the formulaic Magic Tree House books we’d been plowing through over the summer. In a recent NPR interview, author Lesley Blume offered her own list of classic children’s books, some of which are more illustrated than others. There are some old favorites here (like Twenty One Balloons and all things penned by Roald Dahl) that I’m looking forward to revisiting when the time is right for Will.
Now I am on the hunt for more children’s books that are illustrated but more interesting than some of the formulaic Magic Tree House books we’d been plowing through over the summer. In a recent NPR interview, author Lesley Blume offered her own list of classic children’s books, some of which are more illustrated than others. There are some old favorites here (like Twenty One Balloons and all things penned by Roald Dahl) that I’m looking forward to revisiting when the time is right for Will.
What are you reading with your kids -- or what are your kids reading on their own?
3 comments:
Ella is reading anything she can get her hand on! Last night she came down 1 hour past bedtime and said "Mama, I love reading so much I can't sleep, thinking about my book. I can't wait until the morning to read." LOVED it.
She read Peter Pan too. Rent the disney classic movie from the library. They loved that.
Books- we have a stack of $1 abridged classics mom got at Books a Million. These include: Heidi, Little Women, Black Beauty, Alice in Wonderland (Will would like that one I bet).
Other:
all the little house books
We are lucky to have several 1950s readers that were in my grandmothers house when she died (she was a teacher). The girls love those old fashioned stories.
Try Cynthia Ryland's chapter books at the library. There is a set about a family of mice that Ella liked.
yes- Nora, 7, has discovered the classics. The Big bookstores make it easy to discover them as Puffin Publishers had famous artists illustrate the paperback editions. . . . She has worked her way through The Little Princess, Heidi (her very favorite- she's already read it twice), Wizard of Oz (when asked if it's better or worse than the movie she said "well, just different- better because there are all sorts of things that really explain the story better than the movie." The for instance was about the tin man and a kinda gory story about why he doesn't have a heart), The Secret Garden, and more. She did find Oliver Twist a horrible read and nor did Tom Sawyer catch her fancy.
I love to read about Ella and Nora's reading -- and about how it keeps them awake at night wanting more... We'll try some of your suggestions.
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