Alice in Wonderland- 1st Grade?

[sleepymommy]

While doing WWE with ds6, he really got into the passages about Alice in Wonderland (or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) by Lewis Carroll. He wants for that to be our next read aloud chapter book.

 

Forgive my ignorance, I never read the original Lewis Carroll book, just the abridged type stories and I watched the movie:tongue_smilie:.

 

So, would the Lewis Carroll version be to much 'over his head' at this age?

 

If yes, which versions does the Hive recommend?

 

Thanks!

[stripe]

It's a bit denser than you might expect. Dodgson (alias Carroll) was a logician, after all. You might want to read it first to see; I tend to think...not. I tried it once. Some parts are easy to understand, like the beginning. It gets more complicated and, some might say, weird.

[ondreeuh]

We read the Classic Starts version last year, and I'm sure it would be fine for a first grader. I really like Classic Starts - they aren't babyish and don't "talk down" to the reader.

[snickelfritz]

We listened to the audio book (unabridged) last year and my older dd liked it.

[fireball]

We read it (the unabridged book) last year when my kids were 7 and 5. Some parts were hard for them to understand, but overall they liked the book very much and were able to follow the story. This is a book that I would want to read to them or with them again when they are older - every time I read it I discover something new. So I do not regret not saving for later "when they would get more out of it", it is such a wonderful book to be enjoyed on so many levels.

[Spryte]

We just finished this, and DS (6) loved it.

[Rivka]

I read the unabridged version to my 4yo and she really loved it. I totally agree, though, that it's a book with a lot of layers and that an older child will get different things out of it.

 

This probably counts as heresy among Alice fans, but I really like the version illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

Our library had an oversized copy of it with lots of big illustrations, we read this last year.

[Elizabeth in MN]

My daughter had no problem with it being a read-aloud when she was four. She also had no problems reading it to herself at nine. She REALLY loved it each time.

 

We do have an annotated version, but I never read that aloud to her.

[linders]

Read it to my guys last year when they were 9 and 6. They loved it.

[Jamee]

I think as a read-aloud it would be fine. After reading it myself, I decided to go the the audio version for my DS who is 10. It's a fantastic story, but the writing structure is very difficult. I found myself stumbling a couple times. The boys loved listening to it though.

[LittleIzumi]

Our library had an oversized copy of it with lots of big illustrations, we read this last year.

We're reading that now too, with dds 3 & 5.

[Milknhoney]

I think it all really depends on the child. We are doing WWE1 this year, and my son struggled to understand the passage about the court trial. It has been a long time since I read the book myself, but I know it has a lot of word play. My son is very, very literal. He hasn't developed a perception of irony yet, which I think is essential for a book like Alice in Wonderland. So we are waiting for that one.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I think it all really depends on the child. We are doing WWE1 this year, and my son struggled to understand the passage about the court trial. It has been a long time since I read the book myself, but I know it has a lot of word play. My son is very, very literal. He hasn't developed a perception of irony yet, which I think is essential for a book like Alice in Wonderland. So we are waiting for that one.

 

My daughter is very literal also. Thank you for the heads up. We are going to read this later on in the spring.

[sleepymommy]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts! I'm glad to hear it's worked out for some of your younger kids. I will try to give it a go with ds.

 

I will check our library to see if they have a larger illustrated one, I think he would really like that as he is a very visual person. He sits there and stares at the small little picture on the narration pages of the WWE books every time I read a passage.

[sarahv]

We are in the middle of it right now - and loving it. It was a request of my ds 6. I was planning on saving it for later this year or maybe next, but they (ds' 6 and 5) wanted it next, so I went ahead.

 

It's a keeper. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a repeat at some point since there is just so much richness for an older child to get as well.

ETA: We're reading the unabridged version.

Edited December 4, 2010 by sarahv

[kmacnchs]

We read the Classic Starts version last year, and I'm sure it would be fine for a first grader. I really like Classic Starts - they aren't babyish and don't "talk down" to the reader.

 

:iagree:us too :)

[Pata]

I read an unabridged, unillustrated version to my dd when she was 6 yo and she loved it. We've read it together several times since then. I'd definitely capitalize on his interest.

[sleepymommy]

Okay I probably went a little overboard, I placed on hold at the library at least five different books with different illustrators! When they get there ds6 and I will go and I'll let him pick the one he likes the best. I'm sure the librarian is going to think I'm nuts with all those holds on the same book!