Mom-ninja. Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm reading The Swiss Family Robinson aloud to my two older boys. They are having a hard time following. My 10 yr old gets more than my 7 yr old, but I still have to explain a lot. The writing style and vocabulary are hard for them. Do I scrap it for now and read an abridged version? Does reading the original aloud to them help them learn the style and teach them vocabulary? My 7 yr old is not enjoying the book much and asks me to read something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I would switch to the abridged version, if they're that bored with it. Better to read a version they'll enjoy now. An abridged version will still help them learn the language, but will be easier to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 You have to build up to difficult material, both as independent reading and as read alouds. Are they used to listening to you read challenging stuff? You might want to step it back a bit, but don't give up on the classics just because one wasn't popular. Here are few suggestions for a 10 yo and 7 yo: Cricket in Times Square Trumpet of the Swan Charlotte's Web James and the Giant Peach Little Farmer Boy Mysterious Benedit Society (not a classic but a darn good read) Harry Potter (see above) HTH, Stacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I wouldn't switch to an abridged version... but that's maybe just me. Nothing wrong with it though. Are the kids new to reading aloud? New to reading classics? I admit I haven't read Swiss Family Robinson since I was a kid myself (though I don't remember much about it, I admit...). I know that some people might balk at this suggestion, but I usually think it can help to watch a movie version first (or in the middle) to help kids anticipate the plot and therefore appreciate the language. Though I seem to remember the book and film might be too different in this particular case. If a book just isn't working for your kids, then I would ditch it unless I felt strongly that that specific book was one we needed to read. Is there a different classic that might work better - perhaps to build up their vocabulary level? Have you done The Wizard of Oz books, for example? My 6 yos found that to be very easy to understand. There are plenty of other titles you could consider as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldilocks Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 We read aloud a lot, and some of it is challenging, but we only made it through a few chapters of Swiss Family Robinson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 You have to build up to difficult material, both as independent reading and as read alouds. Are they used to listening to you read challenging stuff? You might want to step it back a bit, but don't give up on the classics just because one wasn't popular. Here are few suggestions for a 10 yo and 7 yo: Cricket in Times Square Trumpet of the Swan Charlotte's Web James and the Giant Peach Little Farmer Boy Mysterious Benedit Society (not a classic but a darn good read) Harry Potter (see above) HTH, Stacy I've read several Nesbit books aloud and they loved those. Do they count as challenging? I've read so many books I can't remember them. ;) Thanks for the suggested books. We have read E.B. White books, James and the Giant Peach along with a few others from Dahl, the whole Little House series, and Harry Potter. I know that some people might balk at this suggestion, but I usually think it can help to watch a movie version first (or in the middle) to help kids anticipate the plot and therefore appreciate the language. Though I seem to remember the book and film might be too different in this particular case. If a book just isn't working for your kids, then I would ditch it unless I felt strongly that that specific book was one we needed to read. Is there a different classic that might work better - perhaps to build up their vocabulary level? Have you done The Wizard of Oz books, for example? My 6 yos found that to be very easy to understand. There are plenty of other titles you could consider as well... They have watched the movie. Yes, we have done Wizard of Oz. They enjoyed it. We read aloud a lot, and some of it is challenging, but we only made it through a few chapters of Swiss Family Robinson. Well, that does make me feel much better. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I wouldn't read an abridged version - to me that spoils the real thing. My son LOVED Swiss Family when he was about 11/12 (as a read aloud). Its not an easy book. But if we had read an abridged version I don't think he would have wanted to read the original because he would already have known the storyline. I would just switch to something more age appropriate. You do have to build those classic muscles up- I never read anything they didn't like. If it wasn't successful we would start another book. But if you havent read classic versions of fairy tales yet, that is a great way to expose them to classics without having to read a long book. Peter Pan was the first "official" school book I read to my son when he first started homeschooling at age 7- he loved it- and i loved it. Dont presume a classic book suitable for a 7yo would be too young for a 10yo. Classics for kids tend to have an ageless charm about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I went back and forth on the whole abridged thing when my dc were younger. After lots of research on various forums (as well as Susan Wise Bauer's specific recommendation for these wonderful books, dh (who ONLY reads classics - he's a book-elitist snob :lol:) and I, decided that since the Troll Books are so nicely abridged and illustrated, we'll do as many of those as we can. We have most of the series. For other books, once the kids are older, we will read the originals - particularly British Literature, which we love - The Hobbit, LOTR, Dickens, Pride and Prejudice, and so on. Reading aloud (or for oneself) should be enjoyable. If not, the child will tune you out :banghead:. Personally, for me, Heidi was the first classic that I read and loved. The first Dickens was A Christmas Carol, followed by Oliver Twist. This is the cover of one of our favorite Troll books: I'm sad that they're all out of print, but we got most of them in Trinidad on a visit, and amazon has them used also. They are, without a doubt, our favorite abridged books. And we have many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Thanks for the recommendation of the troll books. I have a couple illustrated books here but they are not the troll books. So I haven't read them. My library has only 3 troll books. I'll check paperback swap as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalphs Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I'm reading The Swiss Family Robinson aloud to my two older boys. They are having a hard time following. My 10 yr old gets more than my 7 yr old, but I still have to explain a lot. The writing style and vocabulary are hard for them. Do I scrap it for now and read an abridged version? Does reading the original aloud to them help them learn the style and teach them vocabulary? My 7 yr old is not enjoying the book much and asks me to read something else. We did "Swiss Family Robinson" for a family read aloud two years ago. I would continue to read the book aloud, but take your time with it. I highly recommend the Illustrated Junior Library version. Or listen to the audio book of the classic at Librovox www.librovox.org As you read remember your children are learning. Please refer to the WTM chapter on "Words, Words, Words: Spelling, Grammar, Reading and Writing." If you decide to use an abridged version be sure to check to make sure the story follows the original text. Some of the abridgements bear no resemblance to the original story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 My DH just finished reading Peter Pan to my 7yo. They were both surprised by how much fun it was. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaBearTeacher Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 We are thinking of reading this soon. How hard is this? We are currently reading Tom Sawyer and have read A Christmas Carol and Julius Caesar unabridged successfully. How does this compare? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 We are thinking of reading this soon. How hard is this? We are currently reading Tom Sawyer and have read A Christmas Carol and Julius Caesar unabridged successfully. How does this compare? We haven't read Sawyer or Caesar yet, but we did Christmas Carol in Dec. Christmas Carol was easier for my 10 yr old to understand than Swiss Family so far. I asked him today if he wanted me to stop reading and move on to something else. He said no that he was enjoying it. My 7 yr old had a different answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Put it away and wait a while if it's too difficult and go with another classic if that's important to you. There are no age-leveled read-aloud books in this world, IMO. And it's perfectly OK if you, like me, loved the book as a child, but your own children don't care for it. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 They can really kill the desire to read the real thing later. My exceptions would be retellings of the really difficult stuff from the Ancient and Middle Ages like Homer, Robin Hood, and Authurian legends. We liked our picture book versions of Black Ships Before Troy and the Wanderings of Odysseus. There are so many great books available in the author's own voice, why use an abriged book when you can use a "real" one? I wouldn't read an abridged version - to me that spoils the real thing. My son LOVED Swiss Family when he was about 11/12 (as a read aloud). Its not an easy book. But if we had read an abridged version I don't think he would have wanted to read the original because he would already have known the storyline. I would just switch to something more age appropriate. You do have to build those classic muscles up- I never read anything they didn't like. If it wasn't successful we would start another book. But if you havent read classic versions of fairy tales yet, that is a great way to expose them to classics without having to read a long book. Peter Pan was the first "official" school book I read to my son when he first started homeschooling at age 7- he loved it- and i loved it. Dont presume a classic book suitable for a 7yo would be too young for a 10yo. Classics for kids tend to have an ageless charm about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I agree with PP, choose an easier classic. I had a few fails as well, not realizing we weren't quite "there" yet. Last year I tried Treasure Island, and the kids were not capable of enjoying it. I pushed on chapter after chapter until I realized it wasn't time, and that's okay. I know I want to conquer these books, so... we will. Eventually most of these classics on my shelf will be read. There are so many excellent books that are perfect for that in between period, I say take the time to soak them up. The kids will get to a point where those books will be too young for them. For us, now's a good time to double check our reading list and make sure we've read the slightly younger classics. This year we're reading Gulliver's Travels, the Iliad (http://www.amazon.com/Iliad-Kingfisher-Epics-Nick-McCarty/dp/0753457229), and other slightly more advanced classics. I think they're supposed to be hard. We're realizing that's part of the appeal. It's a challenge, and you do get better at it. Sometimes I feel like a blow it, because I'll see other families reading books we're not ready for. I just have to remind myself, it's not a contest, it'll happen. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Mom Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Or you could try an audiobook (unabridged). We had a long car ride last summer, and my ds7 LOVED listening to Swiss Family Robinson! The narrator was just pompous enough to keep us in stitches. :lol: It was this version, which we got from the library. Listening to this book made it an instant favorite with ds. Have a long vacation coming up? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Or you could try an audiobook (unabridged). We had a long car ride last summer, and my ds7 LOVED listening to Swiss Family Robinson! The narrator was just pompous enough to keep us in stitches. :lol: It was this version, which we got from the library. Listening to this book made it an instant favorite with ds. Have a long vacation coming up? ;) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Embassy Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 We haven't read Sawyer or Caesar yet, but we did Christmas Carol in Dec. Christmas Carol was easier for my 10 yr old to understand than Swiss Family so far. I asked him today if he wanted me to stop reading and move on to something else. He said no that he was enjoying it. My 7 yr old had a different answer. Try splitting them up for read alouds. I did that with my boys this year and it has been wonderful. It was difficult to find a good fit for both of them before that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen+4dc Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Or you could try an audiobook (unabridged). We had a long car ride last summer, and my ds7 LOVED listening to Swiss Family Robinson! The narrator was just pompous enough to keep us in stitches. :lol: It was this version, which we got from the library. Listening to this book made it an instant favorite with ds. Have a long vacation coming up? ;) :iagree: We did this with Treasure Island a couple summers ago and it was AMAZING the difference it made to have a professional who could really do the accents. All of a sudden my kids wanted to finish the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Cover less and have them narrate it back to you. In all honesty, I really would not switch to the abridged. The lesson in the book is not only the tale, but the language with which it's told, and SFR is a small bite on the way to bigger, harder language bites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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