arwen521 Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 My daughter is nearing the end of her 3rd grade year. She's a voracious reader and has read just about everything on the recommended literature list for her school year. Some have been the actual classics, but some have been those geared towards children as recommended in "The Well Trained Mind". Jane Austen is my favorite and it's listed on her recommendations but the language is too high for my daughter to really follow and enjoy. Has anyone found a good abridgment geared to children for any of her works? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 (edited) I honestly wouldn't bother. So much of Austen is in the voice - without that it's frocks and bonnets and 'Oh Lah'. I listened to a fascinating In Our Time podcast about Emma and the revolutionary narrative technique: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06pd3b9 Edited May 22, 2017 by Laura Corin 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReadingMama1214 Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I would not read Austen in 3rd grade. So much of the nuances of the language and the cultural context of the stories will be missed at that age. There's also some issues such as marital affairs that I would want to wait on. Does Barnes and Noble Abridge Austen? I loved the Abridged and then the regular Dickens at that age. I believe I did Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol both abridged and regular around that age. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I say hold off on it...and I love Austen. I understand wanting to share somethings you love with your child -- perhaps Anne of GG might be a good substitute? Or the Enchanted Forest Chronicles? Or Ella Enchanted? There are plenty of good books to fill the gap! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 A lovely book with a period feel, perhaps as a read-aloud, is The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. http://www.elizabethgoudge.org/index.php/2016/07/16/the-little-white-horse/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraBeth475 Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 What about these introductions to Pride and Prejudice? https://www.amazon.com/Pride-Prejudice-Young-Reading-Level/dp/1409523918/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495492481&sr=8-1&keywords=Pride+and+prejudice+Usborne+Reading https://www.amazon.com/Lizzy-Bennets-Diary-Inspired-Prejudice/dp/0763670308/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495492555&sr=1-1&keywords=lizzy+bennet%27s+diary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 My daughter asked to read Pride and Predjudice and I told her NO WAY because she'd miss the best parts of it and either end up finding it boring or (maybe even worse) thinking she understood it while missing out on the best parts. Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 My dd enjoyed listening to me read Jane Austen aloud, but only after a couple of years of periodically watching the BBC vids. I'd either do that or leave it until she's old enough to read the original. Nah. Definitely watch the vids. Ds used to make me dance with him during the ball scenes. :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicianmom Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 (edited) * Edited May 21, 2022 by musicianmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 There's no way to run out of good books for this age. If she's really read all the great children's classics already (though... really? All of them?) then there are always great books that are more recent. To be well read is to have read older and newer things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwen521 Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 Just to clarify, the recommended list I'm referring to is the one for her grade level in "A Well Trained Mind" that tries to stick to the time period from history that she's learning about. Hope that helps clarify. I was really surprised Austen was on the list and just wondered if any other moms had found a good version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reign Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 I took her recommendation for Austen at that level to mean her poetry. I have a kindle version and Austen is listed between Blake, Wordsworth, and Tennyson. I just created my book list for next year and was not familiar with her poetry. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 I guess we could pull out our WTM and see. I don't remember seeing the JA novels listed, and that would be pretty absurd for 3rd/4th. If you want to challenge her, you might consider adapted Shakespeare instead. She's probably just finishing up Medieval. My dd really enjoyed the Oxford comic book Shakespeare series around that age. VP sells it. She could also begin studying opera. Bulla has a number of opera story books and also the book by Fiery is excellent. At the Opera: Ann Fiery, Peter Malone: 9780811827744: Amazon.com: Books My dd was an avid, avid reader (which I assume you are from your name, hehe). I kept her in books with TruthQuest, VP, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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