Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Here is a list of our upcoming reads. Our planning thread is open for suggestions for future reads, and you can also volunteer to lead a book discussion on the planning thread.

Starting in 2019, we will be striving for diversity by reading books from many different countries.

2019:

February- Italy
Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

March- Switzerland
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Discussion leader: Manybooks

April- United States
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt

May- Germany
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

June- France
Nobody's Boy (Sans famille) by Hector Malot

July- Scotland
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
Discussion Leader: Tracey

For the rest of the year, we will have a featured author so that members can read any book that is readily available, and considered Children's/YA.

2019 Reads:
August - Sweden
Astrid Lindgren
September - Finland
Tove Jansson
October - Canada
Farley Mowat
November - Belgium
Hergé (creator of Tintin)
December - United States
L. Frank Baum

Suggestions for 2020:

The Outsiders
Bambi
The Coral Island
Cheaper by the Dozen
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The Swiss Family Robinson
Little Lord Fauntleroy
The King of the Golden River

Sounds like a great plan Rosemarie. I like the offer of the Diverse Authors too!

Thanks. For certain authors, it is sometimes difficult to get a certain book. That way members can read what they like.

August through December leaves us lots of options for the YA Reads!

Reading Diversity is huge in our group and I think Rosemarie has a great plan! Thanks :)

Thank you, Lesle. I know it is going to be a fun year of reading.

I know it a year away, but I have been thinking about 2020.
I thought that I listed a couple of books we will be reading, but that list seems to have vanished. So I will post them again here.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (Samantha)
Hiroshima by John Hersey
Bambi by Felix Salten
The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne

Rosemarie wrote: "I know it a year away, but I have been thinking about 2020.
I thought that I listed a couple of books we will be reading, but that list seems to have vanished. So I will post them again here.

[bo..."

I might be willing to lead the discussion for Bambi, and I do hope that by the time we read this in the group I will have gotten my disgust with Josefine Mutzenbacher out of my system, as right now, every time I think of Bambi I also think that Felxi Salten also more than likely was the author of the latter and it really makes me even cringe with regard to Bambi.

And Rosemarie, if you need a discussion leader for Heidi let me know, as I am definitely interested and willing.

I might’ve mentioned it already, but I would be happy to take part in leading the discussion of The Outsiders next year.

Thanks, Manybooks and Samantha. I will add your names as discussion leader when the time comes.

I am still wondering where that one post went. I probably deleted it by mistake!

Rosemarie wrote: "Thanks, Manybooks and Samantha. I will add your names as discussion leader when the time comes.

I am still wondering where that one post went. I probably deleted it by mistake!"

Deleting by mistake is so easily done.

It certainly is!

Rosemarie
I looked too and didn't see it in either thread. Sorry. I was hoping.

I hope the new thread doesn't disappear.🤞

Here is another title that I have seen on a lot of lists:

Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr.

Had no idea it was a book first! I second it!!!!

It sounds like a fun read.

Wow. I knew there was a movie decades ago before the Steve Martin version, because my mom told me whenever I watched the newer one. I did not know that it was a book first, either.

I know! It has to be good as the original movie is too.

I added it to my TBR list already.

Rosemarie wrote: “Here is another title that I have seen on a lot of lists:

Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr.“

That book is so good! And I still need to read Heidi.

I think I have a nicely bound copy of Heidi at my mom's that I picked up at a thrift store a while back. I'll have to check next time I go by there.

I am planning for 2020 by going over previous suggestions, but I am also looking for new ideas as well.
Our cut off date for next year is 1980.
You can suggest books, authors, genres, series, etc,
Thank you!

I have a new friend who really only reads YA. She would like to try a classic but it cannot be sad. I suggested looking at some YA classics. Suggestions please.

Here are some of my favourites:
Heidi
The Secret Garden
Pollyanna

If she likes some action or adventure, I suggest Kidnapped.

And a great book for all ages is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn does have sad parts, but the book on the whole is wonderful.

Is these series worth looking into?

Madeleine L'Engle series Austin Family??

Jean Craighead George series Mountain??

I was in the 5th/6th grade when we read Across Five Aprils in class.

Thinking about it now, maybe that's why I have such a defiantly bigoted hatred against anything labelled "YA"...

And Madeleine L'Engle... if they thought I was going to waste my summer vacation reading that stuff, they were dead wrong (I flunked my first quarter essay on A Wrinkle in Time by writing beneath the title heading "Didn't bother to read").

I do not appreciate such negative comments in this thread. I was blown away when I read A Wrinkle in Time in Grade 6.
Please understand that we all have individual reading tastes and try to encourage and support each other.
We also have members who do not have English as a first language, so sometimes books at this level are good for improving English skills, as well as being fun to read.

Lesle, some of the Austin books are better than others, but some are too new. I did enjoy A Ring of Endless Light which was published in 1980. But it does have some typical teen themes.

I read the first Mountain book and there is not a whole lot to discuss since it is strictly a survival book.

Thanks for all the ideas. I mentioned The Secret Garden (I love it) and she didn't seem enthused. I LOVE A Tree Grows in Brooklyn but I think the devastating poverty would be too much for her. I like it. I find it real and rich and honest, but...

Does she like fantasy? The Dark is Rising sequence is really good, from the 80s.

I only have one book left in L’Engle’s Time Quintet and have enjoyed each book. I plan to read the Austen family books eventually.

Kelly wrote: "I have a new friend who really only reads YA. She would like to try a classic but it cannot be sad. I suggested looking at some YA classics. Suggestions please."

Hi Kelly. My daughter has dyslexia and so prefers YA and also does not like sadness in the story, especially if it involves animals (she couldn't read War Horse for example).

I have recommended some to her and together we have found new favourites. Ones she has enjoyed are:

Tom's Midnight Garden

A Christmas Carol

The Dark is Rising series Susan Cooperand The Prydain Chronicles. Lloyd Alexander

The Light in the Forest

Anne of Green Gables

Emily of New Moon

Freckles

The Snow Queen

The Jungle Book

Treasure Island

The Adventures of Robin Hood

D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths

Black Ships Before Troy

She also likes books of stories such as Hans Christian Andersen and folk tales.

Recommendation for the group
The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt (Dutch)

The Summer of the Swans

Fifteen (and the rest of the series)

Adam of the Road

Gone-Away Lake

The Hidden Treasure of Glaston

The Family from One End Street

Further Adventures of the Family from One End Street

King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian

Jack and Jill

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Manybooks wrote: "The Summer of the Swans

Fifteen (and the rest of the series)

Adam of the Road

Gone-Away Lake

[book:The Hidden Treasure of Glaston|1135335..."

I loved the Family from One End Street. I read all the books in the series when I was a girl. Reminded me a little of Milly Molly Mandy in its ordinary yet entrancing telling of a child's everyday life.

I have only read The Family from One End Street so far (lovely) and the third book Holiday at the Dew Drop Inn has been hard to get. Am about to start with the sequel.

Manybooks wrote: "I have only read The Family from One End Street so far (lovely) and the third book Holiday at the Dew Drop Inn has been hard to get. Am about to start with the sequel."

Yes I had these books when I was a girl and sadly have lost them along the way (many moves) but I still remember them.

Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "I have only read The Family from One End Street so far (lovely) and the third book Holiday at the Dew Drop Inn has been hard to get. Am about to start..."

It is too bad you no longer have the books.

Aw, the USA made the list twice and England - none!

Enid Blyton would have been good :)

Jazzy, if you look at our 2020 planning thread, you will see our complete list.

I guess I thought you wold have 12 different countries for the next year, not including any of the ones from this year. :)

For 2020 I used nominations by members, and that is the result. The following year I am going to choose books from different countries again, since the nominated books are all good books, but limited in variety. If you know what I mean....