blessedmom3 Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 What age do you recommend this to be read aloud? I have the book and I'm planning to let the kids listen the free audiobook from lit2go as they follow the words in the book, but I'm not sure what is the average comprehension level for this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Age 9 for good comprehension? We start at age 5 reading it yearly here. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Agree with above -- though we're starting it at ages 10 & 5 this year (Lord willing &c). I did like the Muppet Christmas Carol for an introduction to the plot -- the ghost of Christmas future's a bit scary for sensitive little ones, but with skipping that bit this has been a nice movie for 4/5+ at our house. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I started it when my kids were 7 and 5, and that was fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 My DD first heard it at age 5, and has read it every year since. It doesn't hurt any that our local theater does a production every year and we always seem to have a homeschooled kid from our group playing Tiny Tim :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chava_Raizel Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 My kids have been watching various movie versions of A Christmas Carol for years - even my 6 year old knows the plot very well. I read the book to my older 3 a few years ago. I just picked up a gorgeous fully illustrated version at a library book sale a few months back, and we're going to be reading it again this December. I think that if your child has seen the movie version (I think The Muppet Christmas Carol sticks to the book extremely well), and they can follow the plot, then they are ready to hear the book read aloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I read aloud a condensed version every Christmas eve. I started when the younger kids were 5 and 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessedmom3 Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) I am a little disappointed ; my 9&6 yo said it's too much for them. They don't seem to comprehend what's going on. I have the unabridged version. My 9 yo might have some comprehension issues and she never liked books,no matter how much I try to force them on her. We will keep going on reading 1/2 chapter a day. I figure they will get something out of it,and then will watch the movie. Which version of the movie is the best? I see there are several versions and we haven't watched any of them yet. Edited December 1, 2015 by blessedmom3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I vote for trying to find a live production to view. I think this one is best live (if possible), but if not, viewed via movie version before reading/listening to the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esse Quam Videri Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 We read it every year, so my youngers have grown up hearing it. Though they might not gain as much as the olders, it's always been enjoyable for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I do pause frequently to explain things. Many of the cultural references are confusing to kids, so I stop to let them know what is going on. I'm also pretty sure that there are entire paragraphs that go over their heads, but we just keep going. This book is part of their preparation for listening to David Copperfield and eventually A Tale of Two Cities, which are two of my favorite books. If they get used to the language and expressions in A Christmas Carol, hopefully those will be a bit easier to enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) I am a little disappointed ; my 9&6 yo said it's too much for them. They don't seem to comprehend what's going on. I have the unabridged version. My 9 yo might have some comprehension issues and she never liked books,no matter how much I try to force them on her. We will keep going on reading 1/2 chapter a day. I figure they will get something out of it,and then will watch the movie. Which version of the movie is the best? I see there are several versions and we haven't watched any of them yet. Don't be disappointed! It is a challenging book. (I think it is rated a 7th or 8th grade reading level?) When I read above my kids' level, I tell them flat out that they will not understand everything, just like when I read to them when they were babies and they didn't understand English at all. :D Our favorite movie version is the Muppets. Seriously. Faithful to the story and best for younger kids. Watching the movie (several times) helps kids follow the book. It is the one case I feel watching the movie before reading the book is a good thing. Edited December 2, 2015 by Alte Veste Academy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 Our favorite movie version is the Muppet Christmas Carol. Entertaining, very true to the book, and hey-- it's the Muppets! Yes, ghost of future is a little scary but not too much. Any version has that ghost a bit scary. Wonder what Dicken's was trying to say??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 First read it aloud to dd in kindy, so age 5. She's reading it for herself now for 5th grade lit, at age 10. If you can find a good local stage production to go along with it, it's totally worth it! DD and I used to go every year as our special mommy/dd Christmas outing. So sad our local theater group closed down. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsey Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 Our favorite movie version is the Muppets. Seriously. Faithful to the story and best for younger kids. Watching the movie (several times) helps kids follow the book. It is the one case I feel watching the movie before reading the book is a good thing. Same! We have tried to watch it the past few years, but last year (they were 6.5 and 4.5) was the first time they watched and liked it all the way through. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 Our favorite movie version is the Muppets. Seriously. Faithful to the story and best for younger kids. Watching the movie (several times) helps kids follow the book. It is the one case I feel watching the movie before reading the book is a good thing. We like the Mr. Magoo version. The dialogue is right out of the book, which I wouldn't have noticed if we didn't watch it right after reading the book. :lol: I've read it to all my kids (we are re-reading it this year), but I'd say my older ones get more from it...maybe ages 8 and up? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 First read it aloud to dd in kindy, so age 5. She's reading it for herself now for 5th grade lit, at age 10. If you can find a good local stage production to go along with it, it's totally worth it! DD and I used to go every year as our special mommy/dd Christmas outing. So sad our local theater group closed down. :( We are going to see it for the first time ever this year. I am so excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 After reading A Tale of Two Cities, Ds15 is going to be listening to this http://family.christianbook.com/radio-theatre-a-christmas-carol/paul-mccusker/9781589975446/pd/975446?event=PRto finish out a Dickens unit for British Lit. It is rated for ages 8-12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Just watched Muppets version Friday night, thanks to this thread. My little girls loved it! Thanks, all, for the suggestion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J&JMom Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 (edited) We "read" it for the first time this year with 10 and 12-year-old boys by listening to the 1939 radio drama narrated by Orsen Wells. I thought it was a great way to introduce the boys to a popular form of entertainment that pre-dated i-somethings and even TV. They didn't enjoy it as much I had hoped (usually I read aloud all the books and they always prefer me to an audio book), but they were already familiar with the plot device from other movies, cartoons, etc. Even Teen Titans Go had an episode based on it. The radio drama was free on YouTube. Edited December 6, 2015 by J&JMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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