Bullseye Step Into Classics series

[Kara in FL]

My husband and I were trying to plan ahead and buy some "classic" reading books for 3rd/4th grade. WTM recommends the Bullseye series for many titles, but some reviews of Knights of the Round Table by Gwen Gross were very bad, and even went so far as to say to avoid the entire series. (It didn't say whether or not they had actually read any of the other books) Has anyone else found this to be a problem? With just a book or two, or the entire series. Or, what series would you recommend for books like Treasure Island, Tom Sawyer, Knights of the Round Table? TIA! -Kara

[Kara in FL]

Bump

[angela in ohio]

I recommend waiting until dc are old enough to read the original or reading the original aloud to them. There are so many other classic children's books at the 3rd/4th grade level, you don't need the Bullseye books.

[Sophia]

does read a bit like The Magic Treehouse books with their simple choppy sentences. Not quite as bad, mind you~ I can't even sit through the MTH books anymore :ack2:

The Bullseye books are each adapted by different writers, however, so they are not all quite the same.

 

I have a stack my older two read and really enjoyed several years ago.

In fact, I forgot I had them and will pull them out now for my 9 y.o.

 

Reading adaptations did not affect my older dc negatively at all.

In fact, my 12 y.o. was excited to discover the unabridged versions of some of her favorite books and get the "whole story."

 

Maybe your library has some that you can preview?

[TundraAcademy]

We have used several of the "Classic Starts" books to indroduce our kids to some of the classics. I think they are well written and short enough to for them to sit through at their ages.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

Mine have greatly enjoyed the Great Illustrated Classics versions. I know some do not think they should be reading the children's versions of classics, but I think it is just fine. Mine were very excited to learn that there are more complicated books for them to read when they get older. Being introduced to the stories in this manner works just fine for us.

[Fourmother]

My husband and I were trying to plan ahead and buy some "classic" reading books for 3rd/4th grade. WTM recommends the Bullseye series for many titles, but some reviews of Knights of the Round Table by Gwen Gross were very bad, and even went so far as to say to avoid the entire series. (It didn't say whether or not they had actually read any of the other books) Has anyone else found this to be a problem? With just a book or two, or the entire series. Or, what series would you recommend for books like Treasure Island, Tom Sawyer, Knights of the Round Table? TIA! -Kara

 

 

My ds11 read Knights of the Round Table when he was in first grade. I agree that does come across like a Magic Tree House book which might be more appropriate for readers who are younger than grades 3-4. On the other hand, ds enjoyed it immensely and recommended it to his little brother as soon as he learned to read. LOL! We didn't read any other books from the Bullseye series, though.

 

My kids are big fans of the Great Illustrated Classics series, too.

[mcconnellboys]

I've done this with my younger son, too. It has worked well. He'll be somewhat familiar with the stories when he reads the originals later, at an older age. My older son read many versions of the Iliad and Odyssey, etc. for children before he read the actual works. I think being very familiar with the story already helped him to get through the more complicated text when it was time to do that.

[moosemomma]

We get the Dover Thrift Classics from Dover Publications and have enjoyed them very much. The cost is around $3 a book. When my sons get older I plan to start getting their Evergreen Classics, which are the unabridged classics.

 

Jill