Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Magical Creatures cover a wide variety from Legendary Myths and Folklore.
Some legendary creatures have their origin in traditional mythology and were believed to be real creatures, for example dragons, griffins, and unicorns. Others were based on real encounters, originating in garbled accounts of travelers' tales.

We have selected three to choose from in this months read:

Fairies: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (176 pages)
Mermaids: The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen (48 pages)
Wizards: The Once and Future King by T.H. White (639 pages)

Which one will you be reading with us this month?

I am reading Peter Pan, yes as soon as I can locate it in my little room soon to be renamed Library!

I know The Little Mermaid story well. I have never seen the Disney movie but I know it has to be different from the Andersen story.
It is worth reading, since it has a message for all ages.

I hope I have time for Peter Pan, towards the end of the month.

I will read The Little Mermaid for the first time. When the Disney version was popular, I visited friends whose toddler was fascinated by the story. It was played almost continuously during my visit, but I only saw a few minutes of it at a time, in random order so I never had any idea what the story was about!

I'll be joining in with Peter Pan later in the month.

Rosemarie, I hope you and Kathy enjoy the read later.

I myself have never read this version of Peter Pan.

Trisha having two Grandsons Little Mermaid was not on their list of books for Grandma to read to them.
I hope you enjoy the read.

Lesle wrote: "Trisha having two Grandsons Little Mermaid was not on their list of books for Grandma to read to them.
I hope you enjoy the read."

Thanks, Lesle. I read it this afternoon. It’s a sweet story, with beautiful descriptions - I can see why it was chosen for a Disney film. Young girls must love it!
I read Peter Pan quite recently, but have never read any of The Once & Future King so may try this later in the month.

Im glad you liked it Trisha.
When I start reading Peter Pan you will have to join in if you can!

This is my edition of Peter Pan. 249 pages with some great sketchings/ illustrations by Nora S Unwin

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

That looks like a nice old-fashioned cover (the kind I like).

Lesle wrote: "This is my edition of Peter Pan. 249 pages with some great sketchings/ illustrations by Nora S Unwin

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4..."

It looks traditional & beautiful. I only read a Kindle version:

Looks like a fun cover from a movie Trisha!

Its a 1950 version. I love the older books and for 69 yrs old its in good shape and smells lovely!

I beginning to think I missed out, when I was a child 👶

Let the "Extraordinary adventures" begin!

Barrie first met young George and Jack while walking in Kensington Gardens in 1898. Charmed by the boys, he also grew close to their mother, Sylvia (their father, Arthur, was less impressed by Barrie). Barrie began to invite the family to vacation at his estate, where the time he spent playing with the children gave him the idea for Peter Pan’s adventures.

I listened to an unabridged edition of The Little Mermaid today and loved it. The only exposure I had previously was Disney which is not true to the story. Admitted I love the older, darker versions of fairy tales (like the original 1812 version of the Grimm's Tales prior to them being sanitized for children) so this one was a great find for me.

Thank you Gem for the heads up. I was not going to look into getting the Classic but now I might!

Lesle wrote: "Thank you Gem for the heads up. I was not going to look into getting the Classic but now I might!"

It's in this collection: Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales which you can download free.

Thank you Gem! Wonderful!

I know it isn’t on this month’s list, but I read Thumbelina today. It’s so sweet, the descriptions are really beautiful. Another children’s book that I hadn’t read before - it’s a shame, I think I would have loved it when I was a child.

I was a little girl in Germany and learned the original nonDisney version of the fairy tales. I loved most of them, but my favourite was The Wolf and the Seven Kids. I found The Little Mermaid a little too sad at times.

Rosemarie wrote: "I was a little girl in Germany and learned the original nonDisney version of the fairy tales. I loved most of them, but my favourite was The Wolf and the Seven Kids. I found The Little Mermaid a li..."

I found The Wolf & Seven Little Kids , & read it today. Another very cute story, thank you for sharing the information.

You're welcome, Trisha. Another favourite fairy tale is Frau Holle, which is occasionally translated as Mother Holle.

Peter is such a child he has no reasoning that an older child or adult does. He causes uproar in an otherwise peaceful place.

Peter believes he is different that the other boys as they need a mother and he does not.

Tinks jealousy of Peter gives her a reason to start plotting.

What is real and what is make believe?

Lesle wrote: "Peter is such a child he has no reasoning that an older child or adult does. He causes uproar in an otherwise peaceful place.

Peter believes he is different that the other boys as they need a mot..."

Perhaps I’m wrong, but I was disappointed reading this book. For some reason I expected Peter to be a nicer character, but instead thought he was quite selfish.

I finished Peter Pan today and absolutely love it. I had only ever be exposed to the Disney version of Peter and the more recent Tinkerbell series.

I loved the stories, at least that's what it felt like to me, a lot of stories with the main story. I see Peter's behavior to be selfish and mischevious, just like most of the little boys have been that have been in my life (kids, grandkids and their friends). I adore all the characters, even the naughty one. Captain Hook and his crew, the Indians, the lost boys, the Darlings... including Nana.

Gem Im glad you love it!

Do you think Wendy's Mother keeping the window open for them is her (Wendy) way of making this all safe for her?

Peter seems very ego based, ornery in the game of impressing and gets bored easily.

Hook has a soft side I did not remember in the Disney version, but not towards Peter. I didnt remember Tiger Lily either??

I am enjoying Smee, Slightly and others.

Lesle wrote: "Do you think Wendy's Mother keeping the window open for them is her (Wendy) way of making this all safe for her?"

I don't know about safe but rather, a way to get home. (She did know they went out the window, yes? I listened to the first part several days before the last part.)

Peter seems very ego based, ornery in the game of impressing and gets bored easily.

Yes, agreed.

I didnt remember Tiger Lily either?

There is a whole scene (in the Disney film) with Captain Hook using Tiger Lily to set a trap for Peter by tying her up and sitting her on a rock in where the tide starts to rise. Peter winds up saving her. Saving Tiger Lily (rescuing Tiger Lily is toward the end of the clip.

There is also a scene where Tiger Lily's dad smokes a piece pie with Peter and the lost boys learn how to dance. They call Wendy a squaw and send her for wood and she gets annoyed. Here's a clip.

Gem wrote: "I don't know about safe but rather, a way to get home..."

I might have chose the wrong word...keeps that in mind that there is always a way home.

I dont believe I have ever seen the movie.

Rosemarie and Gem
What age group do you think this is geared for?

Im not sure Brayden would be able to read this without skipping some phrases and words and I like to think he is a good reader at his age of 10.

Poor Tink she really loves Peter.

For me, this is a great opportunity to read the original classic fairy tales that I grew up with but only through Disney. And to check-off another read on my book challenge.

I read Peter Pan as a bedtime story to my daughters when my older daughter was around 9 years old. They thought it was boring, but I don't remember how I felt, so I will be rereading.

We are finally in a hotel that has power and wifi!

Rosemarie wrote: "I read Peter Pan as a bedtime story to my daughters when my older daughter was around 9 years old. They thought it was boring, but I don't remember how I felt, so I will be rereading.

We are final..."

It’s good that you have power & wifi again - I’m glad you’re ok. I was interested to see that your daughters thought the book was boring. It seemed to me that boys might enjoy it more because of the pirates & lost boys - but against that, I wondered if boys would be put off because of fairies. It’s been popular for so long, but I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s just dated now.

We did get a kick out of the character named Smee.

Mikiko, I had no idea there was these longer more YA versions of the these Tales until I joined the group reads for YA with Rosemarie.

I have read:
The Jungle Books
Heidi
Pinocchio
and now Peter Pan

I am interested in reading longer tales of:
Bambi
Hansel and Gretel

Lesle wrote: "Rosemarie and Gem
What age group do you think this is geared for?

Im not sure Brayden would be able to read this without skipping some phrases and words and I like to think he is a good reader at ..."

I can't wight in, I listened to it so don't have a really great grasp on the language, however, the vast majority of the conversations are between children so I think it would be fine for someone 10 years old.

Lesle wrote: "Mikiko, I had no idea there was these longer more YA versions of the these Tales until I joined the group reads for YA with Rosemarie.

I have read:
The Jungle Books
Heidi
..."


It's interesting to note that Pinocchio is the most translated non-religious book in the world.
In July, I was in Lucca, Italy and there were so many types of souvenirs of Pinocchio. I didn't realise that the story was written in the next town over, Pescia. I ended up buying some cute postcards based on original drawings of Pinocchio. Regretting that I didn't buy a little wooden puppet.

That would have been neat to see all the different souvenirs! I can see that being a regret. It would have been cute sitting on your bookshelf!

I finished Peter Pan and found the writing magical and wonderful. I'd have liked someone to read this to me as a child. So adventurous. Here's the edition I read from the library:



The book has a "good" feel to it, like it's a quality paperback.

Kathy it is a wonderfully fun read!

Your edition does appear very nice for a paperback! (Hardcover lover that I am! lol)

I started listening to The Sword in the Stone audiobook today. I am really enjoying the narrator, Neville Jason. He does voices like Jim Dale does in the Harry Potter series. It's great fun. If my grandbabies were a bit older I'd have them listen to it, but it's long and they are little.

I read the original Peter Pan for the first time. I had a Peter Pan picture book when I was a kid, have never seen the movie. The original story was a lot darker than the picture book. There were whimsical elements in the beginning that I loved-- the mother organizing her children's minds for the next day, and I adored Nana the nursemaid. I didn't enjoy Neverland nearly as much-- there was a bit of a Lord of the Flies vibe at times that I really disliked, and things got kind of murdery from time to time. I didn't find Peter to be a sympathetic character at all-- he was really rather annoying.

Suki you are right he is rather selfish and is a bit darker than Disney version, but that tends to be the theme for the originals compared to Disney.