Event Basics
- During the month of January, read as many Children’s Classics as you wish and post about them on your blog and/or leave a comment on the event page on this blog. I will have a link page starting the first of the year to gather posts so that we may share as we go.
- The optional RAL title: The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. I plan on discussion the weekend of January 23-25.
- I’m not going to be the “children’s classics” police. Use your own judgement for what fits the category but if you want some guidelines, these are what I’m going by:
- I think many of us have read more recent children’s books that we may already deem “classics” (for example, many people feel that way about the Harry Potter books), but for this event, I’d prefer if we read books that were written prior to 1964. This will still allow a lot of options, and will hopefully avoid the “but what is a classic” dilemma! (And yes, 1964 is rather arbitrary. Rebel if you wish, but 50 years old seems a good age.)
- Defining “children’s,” especially prior to 1900 or so can be a challenge as some books we think of as “children’s” today may not have been intended that way at the time. Personally, I’d say books appropriate for approximately an elementary-school aged child or preteen (to read or to have read to them) should be fine. I’d personally also count the various fairy tales, even though some of the earliest versions were not exactly family friendly.
- Feel free to include books from any country, in translation or not. I have limited exposure to non-American children’s lit, so I’d love to learn about books from other countries myself.
- Feel free to double up with other events or challenges if you wish.
- And if you need ideas I posted
- A suggestion list in 2013
- Some more ideas in 2014
- There is no deadline for joining or participating (other than, of course, the end of January).
Most important: Have fun!
Last year I was able to complete The Wizard of Oz, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Once and Future King and Prince Caspian. Wow! I'm not so ambitious this year so we'll see how many I can complete. And please join us if you feel in a children's books mood!
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Oh, I don't know if I can fit this in! But I may try - I do love Children's Lit. I'm thinking Little Princess might be good to read in January. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, another good choice. I think at some point in the future, I'm going to pick Burnett and concentrate on her works.
DeleteI left myself a way out with My Father's Dragon, in case time gets away from me. It's so short.
A Little Princess would be excellent in January! Now I want to reread it…
DeleteHm, I would like to do this but I have so many other things scheduled in January. I should think I could manage at least one children's classic though! I read Pinocchio to my son not long ago too.
ReplyDeleteIf you pick a short book, couldn't you fit it in? I know how much you love children's literature.
DeleteI do know what you mean about your January schedule. Mine is loaded and I'm still trying to finish up for 2014. Aaagh!
Oh, I'm sure I can manage something! I'll be limited to my own shelves because I pledged not to check out library books in January, but that's no hardship. : ) I will be happy to see what everyone else chooses too.
DeleteOh! Read The Trumpet of the Swan! That was one of my favorites in elementary school. I've never heard of Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, so I'm looking forward to learning more about it. I'm happy to have you reading along in January. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read The Trumpet of the Swan since I was about 8 years old, so I'm really looking forward to it.
DeleteCarry On, Mr. Bowditch is awesome ---- I've read it once before. It's about a real person, Nathaniel Bowditch, who was a mathematician and a sailor. It's wonderful reading!