We haven't yet read these classics. Should we?

[lisabees]

For one reason or another, DD13 hasn't yet read these books and I am wondering if we should fit them in our year, before she gets older.  Are they enjoyable?  

 

Peter Pan

Black Beauty (she is a horseback rider and hates sad animal stories)

Treasure Island

 

We are reading so much this year; I need to be fairly selective.  But I don't want her to miss anything important. :)

 

 

[flyingaway]

According to my 15 yo, Peter Pan shouldn't be missed; Treasure Island did not make enough of an impression for her to remember most of it; and being forced to read Black Beauty would be child abuse.

[lisabees]

According to my 15 yo, Peter Pan shouldn't be missed; Treasure Island did not make enough of an impression for her to remember most of it; and being forced to read Black Beauty would be child abuse.

 

Love it.  Thank you!

[2_girls_mommy]

For one reason or another, DD13 hasn't yet read these books and I am wondering if we should fit them in our year, before she gets older.  Are they enjoyable?  

 

Peter Pan

Black Beauty (she is a horseback rider and hates sad animal stories)

Treasure Island

 

We are reading so much this year; I need to be fairly selective.  But I don't want her to miss anything important. :)

One of mine has read 1 of the 3 that I know of, possibly 2. The other has reading issues and I read most classics aloud to her, as she is still working on endurance for full novels. And I let her pick the ones she does on her own for extra motivation, which usually ends up being things like Divergent. So she is 12 and hasn't read any of the three, and likely they won't make the final cut lists.

Edited December 22, 2016 by 2_girls_mommy

[hollyhock]

I loved Black Beauty as a kid so I would vote for that one. Treasure Island is pretty good but it's more of a boy book (my boy enjoyed it way more than I did but I was surprised how much I liked it). Of course, if you don't get to any of them, she has a whole lifetime left to read them someday if she wants. So I wouldn't stress about them.

[Loesje22000]

We like all kind of peter pan movies, but didn't manage to read the book.

Dd read Black Beauty and Treasure Island, but does not consider either as must reads :)

[SevenDaisies]

My daughter and I both loved Peter Pan. There's a fabulous Audible version read by Jim Dale that we really enjoyed. I loved Black Beauty, but it was a sad story and I didn't think my daughter would be able to handle it. Treasure Island was good, but it wasn't a favorite here. It would definitely be more appreciated by boys.

[regentrude]

I love Treasure Island, like Black Beauty.

DD and I find Peter Pan disturbing and creepy - the whole Wendy-as-mother thing is icky.

Edited December 22, 2016 by regentrude

[Guest]

Peter pan sucks.

[Bluegoat]

Black Beauty seems to really annoy some people, its a little preachy.  Beauty would probably be some sort of teperance advocate if she were a person, "think of the children".

 

Treasure Island is fun, and it's probably worthwhile to read some Stevenson

 

I love Peter Pan. but if you are short on time, why not watch a play version - it was after all written to be watched.

[lisabees]

So...Peter Pan is creepy to some.  Black Beauty is sad and preachy.  Treasure Island is meh.

 

Hmmm.   :lol:

 

I love hearing the varying opinions!

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

 

Make sure child knows what it means to call a man a 'Peter Pan'.

 

.

What is it?

[lisabees]

I understand what many dislike about Peter Pan, but what is it that many love about Peter Pan?

[tm919]

I think it makes sense to read Black Beauty... it's preachy but I think it's supposed to be.. the history of the book itself is interesting. Peter Pan and Treasure Island I could take or leave,  but personally I never get too old for children's books...

Edited December 22, 2016 by tm919

[Jacbeaumont]

Nm.

Quoted wrong post!

Edited December 22, 2016 by Jacbeaumont

[Jacbeaumont]

What is it?

I haven't read it, but I'm assuming a man who doesn't want to grow up? [emoji12]

 

Sent from my U9200 using Tapatalk

[madteaparty]

We listened to Peter Pan on audio; that is one bizarre book what with the medicating of children etc. I wish we had skipped it. DS says he read Black Beauty "and it was one of the worst books I ever read".

We started Treasure Island and dropped it.

We are slackers here though, so don't listen to me.

[ikslo]

Skip them.

[maize]

I wouldn't consider any of them must-read.

[maize]

Now, if she hasn't read Lord of the Rings yet you need to get right on that. Skipping it would be unforgivable ;)

[Farrar]

All of them have merits... We did Treasure Island on audio and really enjoyed it.

 

But I don't think any of them are musts. Mostly because I don't think any one book is a must. I think you want kids to have been exposed to some classics from various eras... as well as some contemporary books, some books by women and men, some books by authors of different races, by authors of different backgrounds, from different countries, etc. etc. But the particulars matter a lot less than the variety, if that makes sense.

[Maplecat]

We listened to Peter Pan on audio. My kids are probably younger than yours and they thought it was just OK. On the other hand, I wished I had read it in one of my women's studies classes in college. There is a lot of weird sexist projections on Tinkerbell and Wendy. I was also very much amused by a swearing Tink.

[Tanaqui]

Treasure Island as an audio book, and call it quits.

 

I can do you one better - Muppet Treasure Island. Faster than the audio book, and muppets.

 

[Kfamily]

I agree with previous posters, I don't think any of them are essential.

 

 

But here's our perspective on Black Beauty:

 

My younger daughter loves animals, especially horses. She read Black Beauty and while she's glad that she did read it, she thought it was sad in many parts. We discussed the importance of the book, since reading the story with the horse's perspective gave people of that time something to think about with regard to animal rights. I had never thought of this before, but perhaps I should think of it more as a supplement for history rather than literature as Sewell did not write the book for children. It was meant to motivate people to change the way they treated horses. Being a huge animal advocate, my younger daughter decided that while sad, it hopefully led to some improvement for them.

 

:)

[amsunshine]

FWIW, we read all three and loved all of them.  We listened to Treasure Island on audio -- can't recall the reader, but he was wonderful.  Even though I have girls, they really enjoyed the story and we had great discussions about recognizing traits of bullies, having the courage to stand up for the right thing, etc.  I have great memories of that book.  Black Beauty is sad, so, for an animal lover -- you might want to preview.  We didn't find Peter Pan creepy, but I can see why some might.  The language in it is so beautiful -- I personally wouldn't miss it.

 

eta:  I should add that we read these books before either of my dds turned 13.

Edited December 23, 2016 by amsunshinetemp

[Tanaqui]

Being a huge animal advocate, my younger daughter decided that while sad, it hopefully led to some improvement for them.

 

Not just horses and other animals, but also human children - the very first child abuse case was prosecuted using animal protection laws.

[ealp2009]

We listened to Peter Pan on audio. My kids are probably younger than yours and they thought it was just OK. On the other hand, I wished I had read it in one of my women's studies classes in college. There is a lot of weird sexist projections on Tinkerbell and Wendy. I was also very much amused by a swearing Tink.

.

Are you saying she swears because calls people "silly a.." regularly?

I love Peter Pan and my kids do to but it is definitely odd and there is much to discuss. I understand why people wouldn't like it.

 

If you don't have time to read them, I would listen to an audio version in the car.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lisabees]

Now, if she hasn't read Lord of the Rings yet you need to get right on that. Skipping it would be unforgivable ;)

 

She finished The Hobbit (again) a couple of days ago.  

 

I think it is time for LOR!

[lisabees]

Not just horses and other animals, but also human children - the very first child abuse case was prosecuted using animal protection laws.

 

I think I will let her choose.  

[lisabees]

I think I've decided to just let her choose if she wants to read them.  She just finished MCT's Writing of Literature and it's inspired her to read some of the mentioned books.  She just read Wind in the Willows for the first time and she loved it.  I didn't think she would!

[Bluegoat]

I understand what many dislike about Peter Pan, but what is it that many love about Peter Pan?

 

I find it hilarious.

 

But I think what I like most is that it gives children, and assumes they have, psychological weight, or a kind of poetic gravitas.  There are an awful lot of books that don't really treat children like people capable of good and evil, or as if they are complicated spiritual beings, or as if they can appreciate these things in a story.

 

In the tradition of the play, for example, Captain Hook is normally played by the same actor as Mr Darling.  This began as a way to manage the actors efficiently - but its become traditional I think because there is a kind of psychological truth there.  You see the same things with the other characters - I think actually this is why some don't like it.

 

It's magical, but not frivolous.

Edited December 26, 2016 by Bluegoat

[rose]

My dc loved Peter Pan but I think that it's blah. They both thought that Black Beauty was boring and overly emotional. When our librarian asked them if they cried they thought it was hilarious (they didn't let her know that) but then I think that my dc are rather stoic or maybe cynical is the right word. We haven't done Treasure Island.

[Jackie]

Peter Pan is the Daily Deal on Audible. $1.95, today only. http://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/Peter-Pan-Audiobook/B01ATU5FKU

[HollyDay]

So...Peter Pan is creepy to some.  Black Beauty is sad and preachy.  Treasure Island is meh.

 

Hmmm.   :lol:

 

I love hearing the varying opinions!

 

That about sums it up!  My dc liked Peter Pan, but later, like around jr. high.  Neither liked Treasure Island or Black Beauty

[Ellie]

So...Peter Pan is creepy to some.  Black Beauty is sad and preachy.  Treasure Island is meh.

 

Hmmm.   :lol:

 

I love hearing the varying opinions!

 

 

 

I haven't read Black Beauty in probably 50 years, so I don't remember if it's preachy or not, lol, but it is sad. But it is a classic, so I'm thinking it would be good to try it for yourself and see how you like it. :-)

 

I also thought Peter Pan was creepy. I read it when my firstborn was a baby, and I never read it to her or her sister. Creepy. And weird. Surely the author had issues with his mother...

 

Treasure Island was required reading in my eighth grade English class. I don't remember much about it. :-)

Edited December 30, 2016 by Ellie

[LMD]

Thirding treasure island on audio, we did it on a drive and everyone loved it.

My dd has read the other two and I don't think she loved or hated either.

[Milknhoney]

I always loved Peter Pan. My son really hated it. He didn't like that Peter Pan's character is so prideful and flawed. In the Disney version, he is good and heroic. But I actually liked the flawed Peter Pan. I thought it gave his character more dimension and depth. 

 

Son also didn't like Treasure Island. I jumped the gun and read it too early, though. I think he was only about 10. If I had waited until now, we might have had more success (or maybe not, his interests are very narrow). I never read it as a kid so reading it with him was my first exposure. I enjoyed it.

 

Didn't read Black Beauty. 

[KristaJ]

My 8 year old loves Peter Pan with a passion.  She’s my most imaginative kiddo, so the whimsy and magic of the book speaks to her.  My 10 year old who loves horses picked up Black Beauty, but although she tried, she couldn’t get into it.  Treasure Island is on our read aloud list for this year.  I’m looking forward to it: I loved the book as a kid.  Our informal theme for literature this year is “adventure,†and this book fits the bill.  But I don’t know that any of the three are “must reads.†

[aprilleigh]

All three have their good points and DS10 loved both of the stories he's read so far (Peter Pan and Black Beauty, with Treasure Island on his current reading list), but none of them are make-or-break. DS10 didn't find Black Beauty preachy, although I certainly understand why many do. He also didn't feel that way about Little House on the Prairie, which drove me nuts for the same reason. I suspect kids ignore that better than adults do.

If you skip Treasure Island, be sure to include a different Stevenson at some point - his books are wonderful and I highly recommend reading at least one. Which one isn't all that critical, so pick whatever appeals the most.

[happypamama]

I think you need to know the story of Peter Pan for cultural literacy, but I think you could skip the book.

 

I didn't read Treasure Island as a kid, but I read it when I took over a co-op class on it for another teacher, and I found I really liked it. If she's really not interested, skip it, but it is a good story.

[El...]

Now, see, I LOVE Treasure Island.  Long John Silver is the archetypal conman, a pyramid schemer, a persuasive stinker.  I've known him in real life!