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Which classics don't you like and why?


lisabees
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The Well Wishers, and, Magic Or Not

Absolutely *adore* Edward Eager's first 5 magic books (Half Magic, Magic By the Lake, Knight's Castle, The Time Garden, and Seven Day Magic), BUT... his final two books were almost as though he were embarrassed by the idea of magic and seem to say children must grow up -- sad and dull, books in which the children spend the whole time asking, "Gee, do you think that was magic or just coincidence?" :eek:

Oh, no! We've just finished The Time Garden, and haven't read those yet. But even in the Time Garden, the oldest boy spent almost all his time chasing girls and doubting any magic ever happened.

 

My daughter showed up last night and demanded I get started on Alice through the Looking Glass. ha ha

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The Well Wishers, and, Magic Or Not

Absolutely *adore* Edward Eager's first 5 magic books (Half Magic, Magic By the Lake, Knight's Castle, The Time Garden, and Seven Day Magic), BUT... his final two books were almost as though he were embarrassed by the idea of magic and seem to say children must grow up -- sad and dull, books in which the children spend the whole time asking, "Gee, do you think that was magic or just coincidence?" :eek:

 

I like these, but I agree that they're vastly inferior to the awesomeness that is Half Magic.

 

Right now I'm just relishing the fact that no one has mentioned Moomins yet. It must mean everyone loves their weirdness, right?:D

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The Well Wishers, and, Magic Or Not

Absolutely *adore* Edward Eager's first 5 magic books (Half Magic, Magic By the Lake, Knight's Castle, The Time Garden, and Seven Day Magic), BUT... his final two books were almost as though he were embarrassed by the idea of magic and seem to say children must grow up -- sad and dull, books in which the children spend the whole time asking, "Gee, do you think that was magic or just coincidence?" :eek:

 

Now, see, this is useful information: it always seems to happen that we start a series, and it just somehow peters out . . . now I know to *let go* of the last two books! and feel okay about it!! thanks, Lori!

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Stuart Little was one of my favorite books as a child. Go figure.

 

My thumbs-down goes to Call of the Wild. There I am, reading it to sensitive Middle Girl, and while reading the description of the sweet family pet who has been sold as a sled dog, I see on the next page that she's about to have her face torn off. Uh, no thank you. I put it back on the shelf, and it'll be a long time before it comes down again.

 

ETA: She does love her some Moomins! No canine atrocities there.

Edited by Sharon in Austin
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I remember being deeply disturbed by Stuart Little as a child. His parents were HUMAN but she gave birth to a MOUSE. I cannot tell you how much that freaked me the freak out.

 

I couldn't stop thinking about it. Why did she have a mouse? Was his real father a mouse? How did that work? Could it happen to anyone? Could I have a mouse baby someday? What did the doctors say when the mouse-baby emerged from a human mother? Why a mouse and not some other animal? I couldn't really concentrate on the story at all and don't remember much else.

 

When we were given a copy as a gift my elder son stopped me almost right away and said "Wait. She had a mouse!?" I told him that we had better books to read. I was pregnant at the time and didn't want to confuse matters.

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Oh, you guys are making me feel so much better! I started my older two kids on AO this spring, and I feel like we just keep ditching one classic after another.

 

Robinson Crusoe--I barely made it through the first chapter, and then dropped it to dd's great relief. He just went on and on and on...without actually saying anything.

 

Wind in the Willlows--we listened to most of it on audiobook, and I kept wondering when the story would kick in. And I just couldn't stand Toad.

 

Pinocchio--ds loved this, and so I downloaded an audio version after I suffered through the first 10 or 12 chapters. I just wanted to shout at Pinocchio. I guess I really can't handle stupidity and thoughtlessness in main characters.

 

I'm sure there's more, but I should have been in bed two hours ago...

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I can't stand Mary Poppins because she seems to be a sinister and abusive character but is presented as wonderful and good.

 

I don't enjoy Alice in Wonderland. I feel that it is so close to having a deeply meaningful underlying message but doesn't quite get there, leaving us with a ridiculous story full of unlikeable characters.

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I remember being deeply disturbed by Stuart Little as a child. His parents were HUMAN but she gave birth to a MOUSE. I cannot tell you how much that freaked me the freak out.

 

I couldn't stop thinking about it. Why did she have a mouse? Was his real father a mouse? How did that work? Could it happen to anyone? Could I have a mouse baby someday? What did the doctors say when the mouse-baby emerged from a human mother? Why a mouse and not some other animal? I couldn't really concentrate on the story at all and don't remember much else.

 

When we were given a copy as a gift my elder son stopped me almost right away and said "Wait. She had a mouse!?" I told him that we had better books to read. I was pregnant at the time and didn't want to confuse matters.

 

This post had me :lol::lol::lol:

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Where was this thread a week ago?! We started Stuart Little last week and have been slogging through it. My boys keeps telling me that it is not like the movie at all. I keep expecting it to get better. And now I hear about the weird dating thing! That's what I get for not reading it first!

 

We gave up on Robin Hood last year. My oldest is still too young. I think that is one pressure I've felt: to read books too soon. There are a number of books I remember reading in high school or even college that are suggested reading for much younger kids. That could explain why they aren't enjoyable. Wrong context.

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There are degrees of dislike. Thornton Burgess goes into the "eh, I don't get the fuss because it's boring to me" category. Henty goes into the "oh heck no" category. :D

 

:iagree: This is so me! I have some Henty books on DS's list for this year because the coincide with our history; however, there is NO way I'm reading them aloud and if he doesn't want to read them I won't make him.

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There are degrees of dislike. Thornton Burgess goes into the "eh, I don't get the fuss because it's boring to me" category.

 

Out of curiosity did you just read his, "The Bird Book" or "The Animal book" or did you read his "Adventures of.... " books. It makes a big difference. One is like a textbook, the other are sweet nighttime stories for kids. In fact he called the series, "Bedtime stories".

 

I personally found his, "Animal book", "Bird book" and "Seashore book" boring.

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Out of curiosity did you just read his, "The Bird Book" or "The Animal book" or did you read his "Adventures of.... " books. It makes a big difference. One is like a textbook, the other are sweet nighttime stories for kids. In fact he called the series, "Bedtime stories".

 

I personally found his, "Animal book", "Bird book" and "Seashore book" boring.

 

I had never heard of him before this board (and I'm someone who has been obsessed with children's books long before I had kids). I read one of the Adventures of... books online and was just like, eh, I don't get it. I decided not to read them to the kids - so this doesn't express their opinion. Who knows, they might have liked them.

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I had never heard of him before this board (and I'm someone who has been obsessed with children's books long before I had kids). I read one of the Adventures of... books online and was just like, eh, I don't get it. I decided not to read them to the kids - so this doesn't express their opinion. Who knows, they might have liked them.

 

I can see how some might find his books boring. :)

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When we were given a copy as a gift my elder son stopped me almost right away and said "Wait. She had a mouse!?" I told him that we had better books to read. I was pregnant at the time and didn't want to confuse matters.

 

:lol:

 

I read on some blog once -- I want to say it was a baking blog by a Singaporean woman, but I really don't remember ! -- anyway she said she read the abridged Little Women and liked it so much more because it subtracted all the preaching. It was pretty funny.

 

My mom gave me my old copy of Uncle Wiggily. And another one in the series. I remembered one fondly, and read it to my kids. Then I got out the other one, and it is all these wolves and foxes trying to eat him all the time. He is in constant peril. My kids were so scared!

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I remember being deeply disturbed by Stuart Little as a child. His parents were HUMAN but she gave birth to a MOUSE. I cannot tell you how much that freaked me the freak out.

 

I couldn't stop thinking about it. Why did she have a mouse? Was his real father a mouse? How did that work? Could it happen to anyone? Could I have a mouse baby someday? What did the doctors say when the mouse-baby emerged from a human mother? Why a mouse and not some other animal? I couldn't really concentrate on the story at all and don't remember much else.

 

When we were given a copy as a gift my elder son stopped me almost right away and said "Wait. She had a mouse!?" I told him that we had better books to read. I was pregnant at the time and didn't want to confuse matters.

 

:lol::lol::lol: YES!!! So creepy. I thought about the biology of that all the time, too. Very distracting.

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The question is, ... is Mr. Wonderful a mouse or a man? :)

:lol::lol::lol: Too funny! This post is great. I thought maybe there was something wrong with me when we couldn't get through Swiss Family Robinson. I liked how much respect they showed their mom, and the working together as a family, but it took forever to explain anything. The kids wouldn't sit still, and I was getting so bored with it. We are currently reading the Tale of Despereaux which everyone is completely enjoying. BUT has the whole mouse and princess love in it as well......hhhhmmmm:001_huh: Maybe now we know how Stuart Little's parents met :tongue_smilie:

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My mom gave me my old copy of Uncle Wiggily. And another one in the series. I remembered one fondly, and read it to my kids. Then I got out the other one, and it is all these wolves and foxes trying to eat him all the time. He is in constant peril. My kids were so scared!

 

Uncle Wiggily...how could I forget? I must have blocked it out. My elder son adored stupid Uncle Wiggily. It all started with that Jim Weiss CD, and my son was off and running. We had to read him an Uncle Wiggly story every single night for about 3 years. I was a wreck! I kept imagining all the great literature we could have been reading in that time, if not for that horrible rabbit. I used to call him Uncle Hasenpfeffer. I was always thinking of stories like "The Skeezicks Finally Eats Uncle Wiggily"

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HATED Stuart Little, after the first few chapters. It just sort of jumped the shark near the end, and we were certain he'd find the bird. But he didn't. HE DIDN'T!!!!!! ARRRGGGGHHHH!

 

Kinda like that.

 

Yes, we did, too.

I just started making up stuff and skimming so we could finish it quickly...

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The Wind in the Willows... I made it through about 3 pages when I was a kid. Haven't mustered up the courage to read it to the girls.

 

The Wizard of Oz.

 

Pinocchio was very creepy.

I tried to read Wind in the Willows. Another poker in my eyeball.

 

I did enjoy the Wizard of Oz, but the others in the series...not so much. I'll try them again, though, as I have downloaded them to my Nook so it's easier to acquire them and read them in order.

 

Pinocchio...some Christians hold this up as a paragon of...something...to me it was just creepy, too.

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Jules Vern's "The Mysterious Island." I picked up a beautiful copy of it and read it, every single page. :blink: Besides the fact that his science was screwy, even considering what scientific knowledge was during his lifetime, the guy was seriously racist, and some of the verbage just hurt my head. I should find it and post it as an example of how not to write.

 

I much prefer the 60s movie. :D

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I remember being deeply disturbed by Stuart Little as a child. His parents were HUMAN but she gave birth to a MOUSE. I cannot tell you how much that freaked me the freak out.

 

I couldn't stop thinking about it. Why did she have a mouse? Was his real father a mouse? How did that work? Could it happen to anyone? Could I have a mouse baby someday? What did the doctors say when the mouse-baby emerged from a human mother? Why a mouse and not some other animal? I couldn't really concentrate on the story at all and don't remember much else.

 

When we were given a copy as a gift my elder son stopped me almost right away and said "Wait. She had a mouse!?" I told him that we had better books to read. I was pregnant at the time and didn't want to confuse matters.

:iagree::iagree:

Yep, that skeeved me out, too! It was hard to move past that....

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Jules Vern's "The Mysterious Island." I picked up a beautiful copy of it and read it, every single page. :blink: Besides the fact that his science was screwy, even considering what scientific knowledge was during his lifetime, the guy was seriously racist, and some of the verbage just hurt my head. I should find it and post it as an example of how not to write.

 

I much prefer the 60s movie. :D

 

It's probably a better example of how not to translate. We're doing some Verne in both French and English in our house. There is a lot of clunk in some translations.

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Now I'm wondering if my mom read us the abridged version of Swiss Family Robinson, because I totally didn't remember all the praying....

 

I agree about Robinson Crusoe as well. You just want to kill him by the end of the book.

 

I remember reading Pinnocchio in middle school and enjoying it, but also thinking it was a bit weird, and way different from the Disney movie I loved.

 

I recently reread Tom Sawyer, thinking I might read it do DS (7) at some point. I still liked it, but decided he's way too young for it. It would just be too hard to explain all the societal prejudices to him at this age.

 

I read Peter Pan as adult and enjoyed it, but I agree it's not really for little kids. DS is a Peter Pan freak and really wants me to read it to him, but I keep putting him off.

 

 

I really think too many classics are dubbed children's books when they really are no such thing.

 

Oh, and these aren't exactly classics, but please tell me I'm not the only one who devoured The Chronicles of Narnia and HATED The Last Battle. I reread all of those books at least a dozen times as a kid, except The Last Battle, which I only read once. I've picked it up again a few times as an adult. Now that I understand the theology, I kind of sort of vaguely appreciate it, but I still don't like it. It's like he got tired of the series and thought, "Okay, how can I write the last book so that no one ever asks for another one?"

 

re: Margeurite Henry: I don't see how anyone could hate her books. I adored them as a child, and I still adore them. I loved The Black Stallion, too, and agree they're more exciting, but there's nothing wrong with Henry's books as far as I'm concerned.

 

Edited to add:

 

DS (7) is currently working his way through the Focus on the Family radio drama versions of the Narnia books. I think we'll just skip The Last Battle for now.

Edited by kentuckymom
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I read Peter Pan as adult and enjoyed it, but I agree it's not really for little kids. DS is a Peter Pan freak and really wants me to read it to him, but I keep putting him off.

 

The audio book version read by Jim Dale is fabulous, if you would like a different option. We loved it.

 

I'm reading through all the other comments, and just scratching my head.... I loved the whole Oz series---read 'em through during the summer after 5th grade. I will admit some of them got a little on the weird side, though. The carrot people come to mind....

 

The Wind in the Willows is such a treasure! Mr. Toad is a real hoot! I don't know, but we loved this one.

 

Haven't read any of the Robinson books------yet.

 

The Little House books have been a big hit here. Farmer Boy has been the favorite so far.

 

I loved all of the Marguerite Henry books as a child. Black Gold was my very favorite.

 

I'm trying hard to think of one that's just been really odd, but can't come up with anything yet. I guess we'll keep reading until we find one.

Edited by Poke Salad Annie
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Now I'm wondering if my mom read us the abridged version of Swiss Family Robinson, because I totally didn't remember all the praying....

 

.

 

Well I know when I read it to ds *I* skipped a lot of the praying. And huge chunks of the book :lol: It never ended, and ds loved it! :lol: ugh!

 

re: Stuart Little. I do not remember if I read it or not growing up but we listed to the audio book recently and I concur- weird!!! She gave birth to a mouse!?!? And the ending was awfully disappointing! I did love the chapter where he taught school for the day. My boys did not seem to struggle as much with the whole mouse-human thing, they liked the story.

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We just read Mary Poppins to DD for the second time, and I find the book to be so strange and the character of Mary Poppins to be very unlikable. It was kind of a shock to discover that the original Mary Poppins isn't all "a spoonful of sugar" sweet like she is in the movie! And I'm still trying to wrap my mind around how Mary's cousin can be a snake???

 

And I concur with others' comments about Stuart Little. Weird and not even all that entertaining.

 

I also was disappointed with Little House on the Prairie. It was the first that we read in the series, and I wasn't expecting it to be filled with so much "I hate Indians" garbage. There was too much editing as we read along for me to be able to say that I really liked this book. Little House in the Big Woods was a lot better and more of what I had in mind for the series, so I have hope for the rest of the books. (I am reading a lot of these children's classics for the first time, as I didn't read them when I was a kid.)

 

Overall, I like Wind in the Willows and am happy that my 4-year old was able and happy to sit through it, even if she didn't understand a lot of it, but I have to admit that I hated reading it aloud and tried to get away with reading as few pages as possible at a time.

 

We read an abridged children's classics version of Peter Pan, and not a great quality one at that. DH later downloaded a free version of the original on his Kindle and started reading it to DD but said it was weird and maybe not entirely appropriate for a 4-year-old. So we may wait a while before coming back to that one.

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The Blue Fairy Book. I keep thinking I'm reading the book form of the movie Princess Bride. I haven't finished, but so far the stories are pretty stupid. I'm wondering how it's a classic. Maybe it was the best there was at the time of its writing?

 

Hay, I like the book, "The Princess Bride". Perhaps I should try out the Blue Fairy Book.

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I didn't know the Princess Bride was a book! I'm thinking the Blue Fairy Book might be intentionally campy, which can be funny, but it seems weird as a children's classic.

 

It is. :)

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Princess-Bride-Morgensterns-Adventure/dp/0156035219/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345584985&sr=8-2&keywords=The+Princess+Bride

 

What is neat is the author of the book pretended that he was making an abridged version of a book and mentioned all the boring parts he cut out.

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Lord of the Flies. :glare:

 

I didn't like Alice in Wonderland much until I took an advanced lit crit class on. Now all of those odd phrases and songs actually make a lot of sense and are fun little doors into facets of the English language. I know more of what he was trying to do now.

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The Blue Fairy Book. I keep thinking I'm reading the book form of the movie Princess Bride. I haven't finished, but so far the stories are pretty stupid. I'm wondering how it's a classic. Maybe it was the best there was at the time of its writing?

 

Oh, you are right about this! We've only read a few of the stories, but they are pretty bad. My dd6 hates it when the princess dies at the end of the story!!!

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It is. :)

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Princess-Bride-Morgensterns-Adventure/dp/0156035219/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345584985&sr=8-2&keywords=The+Princess+Bride

 

What is neat is the author of the book pretended that he was making an abridged version of a book and mentioned all the boring parts he cut out.

 

 

Yeah, but not really a children's book, is it? I remember getting it from the library to read aloud, starting it, and we were both like "what????" I thought it was something I'd probably enjoy reading, but not so much for a 9 yo?? Am I off base on that?

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Oh, people are making me remember more! Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe! No Robinsons.

 

Also, no G.A. Henty and I'm not fond of Thornton Burgess.

 

I love Thornton Burgess!!!! My kids can't get enough of those books. :D

 

I was also disappointed with Stuart Little. My kids loved the book until the creepy date and the nonending!

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