Is "quality literature" necessarily old? Is old literature necessarily "quality"?

[Roxy Roller]

I read several books a day as a child, but no one guided my reading. I gained little from years of reading forgettable science fiction and Sweet Valley High books. I wish desperately that someone had taken an interest in turning me on to classic literature at the time.

 

Me, too!

[Laura Corin]

I initially hid the sequel from DD the Elder so we could make it a read aloud. Haroun and the Sea of Stories is one of my favourite children's books. Another is Summerland by Michael Chabon, also recommended by Laura IIRC.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed Summerland. It's fun watching great writers for adults try writing for children. I've come across some disasters (Isabel Allende - her teen novel was embarrassing) but Chabon, Rushdie and McEwan have all produced interesting work.

 

Laura

[Sushi's Mom]

We absolutely love The Mysterious Benedict Society series. My daughter has read all three books several times each. (not for little kids) if you have an academically gifted child, he may especially like this series as the characters are gifted.

 

The Penderwicks books are good, too.

 

 

We recently finished and enjoyed two by Kate DiCamillo

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Because of Winn Dixie

 

 

 

We are now doing some from Linda Sue Park The following are ones we have finished, but there are others.

 

The Kite Fighters

A Single Shard

Archer's Quest

Keeping Score

(Boys would like all of the above 4 books.)

Storm Warning (39 Clues)

 

Jim Weiss has an awesome narration of The Swiss Family Robinson. We listened to it in the car and sometimes we didn't want to get out of the car because we wanted to keep listening. I had tried to read the book but found it too boring to read. We all loved this audio version, though.

 

We also loved The 39 Clues, but I guess those are probably considered in the fluff category. (not for little kids either)

[stripe]

I was a Nancy Drew addict when I was young. My mother kept trying to get me to read Faulkner and Shakespeare independently. I wish I'd had an intermediate step. I too wasted too much time on some teen drama that unfortunately I have not forgotten, like one about a teen boy raising his son on his own that included an intimate scene with way too many bodily fluids mentioned. Yech. Makes me cringe just thinking about it.

[KerriBerri]

:bigear:

 

Just marking this so I can come back. So many great ideas!

[Carol in Cal.]

 

 

 

 

 

We are now doing some from Linda Sue Park The following are ones we have finished' date=' but there are others.

 

The Kite Fighters

A Single Shard

Archer's Quest

Keeping Score

(Boys would like all of the above 4 books.)

[/quote']

 

We have enjoyed many books by LS Park, but most of them are historical fiction. One that is not that is excellent is "Project Mulberry".

[BeckyFL]

I haven't read through all of the responses (sorry), but have you seen the list of vocabulary words from the children's book Peter Pan?

 

diffidence, placid, adhere, quietus, miscreant, quixotic, reproof, condescend, somber, enigma, phlegmatic,

undulate, sublime, resolute, strident, din, amicable, amorous, raconteur, profound, dejection, placid, amiably,

tedious, mea culpa, perplex, impede, interpose, incisive, impassive, admonish, aperture, avidly, perfidious,

miasma, abject, portal, fain, sanguinary, retort, imperiously, hauteur, patronize, aloof, blithe, boon, cypher,

wince, defray, genial, cadaverous, remonstrate, nether, upbraid, solicitous, conveyance, mauve, hitherto, suc-

culent, artifice, proffer, ardent, tremulous, recriminate, assail, virulent, insinuate

 

It is an example (like the old 8th grade final that was circulating for a while) of how we have dumbed things down. That being said, we are studying critical thinking and both of the subject statements are general statements that just aren't true. There are plenty of modern masterpieces out there and plenty of "old" books that don't amount to much of anything.

It would be interesting though to see some sort of study put together on some of the differences. Just as there have been studies on the effects of classical music on the brain, perhaps we need some on the effects of reading classic literature vs modern.