Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Planning for 2022 is going to be a very informal process this time around-no nominating and seconding.

Please list any books you would enjoy reading next year, at least 40 years old.

You can list as many books as you like, including those mentioned by other members.

Our new format will consist of more informal buddy reads, which require a minimum of two people only. That way the schedule will be more flexible and the buddy reads can be loosely scheduled, or not.

Buddy Read Tentative Schedule, beginning month of buddy read:

January: The Dark Is Rising, all books optional

February: Lottie And Lisa

March: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, books 2 and 3 optional

May: The Jack Tales

June: The Wind in the Willows

A new buddy read can be set up at any time. It doesn't have to be planned in advance.

Here is a list of books that I have compiled, a combination of members' suggestions and books that I have read and enjoyed.
They are not in any particular order.

Are there any you would be interested in reading?

More suggested titles are always welcome!
The cutoff date for books is 1982, since YA books need to have been first published at least 40 years ago.

Here they are:

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

The Wind on the Moon by Eric Linklater

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr

The Devil in Vienna by Doris Orgel

Friedrich by Hans Peter Richter

I Am Fifteen—and I Don't Want to Die by Christine Arnothy

De kleine Johannes/The Quest by Frederik van Eeden

Lottie And Lisa/Das doppelte Lottchen by Erich Kästner

Le Petit Nicolas/Nicholas by René Goscinny

My Sweet Orange Tree by José Mauro de Vasconcelos

Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Another book by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Some of the books on the list may be hard to find at the library or at a reasonable cost, so please take that into consideration when either suggesting a new title or choosing a book from the list. Thanks.

If any one is interested in doing a Buddy Read of a YA book, please let me know.

I think maybe we should just turn this thread into a Buddy Read when someone finds a Classic YA they would like to read, just ask under the Buddy Read topic and Members interested will answer and read with you.

I think we have hit all the popular YA reads! Thank you Rosemarie for continuing this thread for the years we have indulged in YA's!

On mobile I hadn’t fully realized this was the planning thread for YA. I know I have some YA & middle grade classics still on my TBR list. I’ll have to look what they are.

You're welcome, Lesle.
I think Buddy Reads is the way to go for YA. We have covered all the big ones over the years, and buddy reads are more informal and less stressful.

Would anyone be interested in reading The Dark Is Rising Sequence starting in January? I've read them at least twice and would read them again, they're so good.
The first book in the sequence, Over Sea, Under Stone is not quite as good as the others, but still completely enjoyable.
We don't meet the main character until book two, The Dark Is Rising. And then the sequence becomes addictive!

I would be interested in reading The Dark is Rising (but not sure about the rest of the series) since I have a copy of it. If I like it, I’ll read the rest. I feel like I read this book in the 70s but I don’t remember the story.

That's great, Pam. It's a good stand alone book too, and it's set around Christmas time, with lots of snow.
That makes two of us already!

I would be interested in The Wind in the Willows and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit.
I would also like read The Little Grey Men.

That's good to hear. Our thread has gotten much quieter, so we will be doing buddy reads in2020 instead of using a formal schedule. Just let me know when you want to read each book. I'll set up a buddy read thread inviting members to join.

We are starting off 2022 with a buddy read of The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper.
Of course, members can read the other books in the series as well!

Rosemarie I don’t have a copy of The Dark is Rising so I think I’ll skip that one. I’m going to wait and see where the reads in the other categories are scheduled and then I’ll come back to you if that’s alright.
I’m excited for some Buddy reads in 2022 :)

No worries, Georgina! Just let me know when you have the time.

Are you planning to read all 5 books in the series in January?


Rosemarie wrote: "Would anyone be interested in reading The Dark Is Rising Sequence start


ing in January? I've read them at least twice and would read them again, they're so good.
The first book in the s..."

I would be interested in The Dark Is Rising series,
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Lisa and Lottie
Understood Betsy and Ramona

I would also re read The Wind in the Willows

Reading all five books is optional, but they are addictive!

I will set up a tentative, very flexible buddy read schedule.
Are there any months you prefer, Georgina and Tracey?
Other than January, since that's been decided already.

Rosemarie wrote: "Reading all five books is optional, but they are addictive!"

I think I am going to try but I expect it will take me more than 1 month. Maybe 2 a month is my goal.

Rosemarie wrote: "I will set up a tentative, very flexible buddy read schedule.
Are there any months you prefer, Georgina and Tracey?
Other than January, since that's been decided already."

March, April, May and June look ok to me.

I think Wind in the Willows would be perfect for June.

Rosemarie wrote: "I think Wind in the Willows would be perfect for June."

Yes, I agree. I've put it on my calendar. :)

Great!

I need to read The Grey King as part of my self-challenge to read all the Newbery winners - which was supposed to be finished this year! Not. So I might be able to join you for The Dark is Rising.

The ones I have left are mostly pre-1954. Among them are:
Johnny Tremain I read this years ago to my kids but would like to reread.
Ginger Pye
The Twenty-one Balloons
Shen of the Sea
and The Dark Frigate

I should like to read Mio, My Son by Astrid Lindgren. i've got it in Swedish as Mio, min Mio, and have read the first couple of pages.

This was a film called Mio and The Land of Faraway with a very young Christian Bale as Jum-Jum / Benke.

Jazzy wrote: "I should like to read Mio, My Son by Astrid Lindgren. i've got it in Swedish as Mio, min Mio, and have read the first couple of pages.

This was a film..."

Hi Jazzy. I have that book and would read it with you.

Sounds good so far.
Would you like me to create an informal schedule? Or maybe we should do it as the year progresses, that way we can decide as we go.
And there will be no stated end date, so that we can comment any time.

We have two months accounted for:
January, with The Dark is Rising sequence
And
June, with The Wind in the Willows

Both should be easy to find.

anyone interested in reading:
The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier
or
Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer

I would be interested in Lisa and Lottie.

I am so very far behind. I haven't even thought about what I want to read in 2022 yet. I also suspect I might be behind in challenge here, if I have read more classics. Life has been busier again.

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit is a definite selection as well.
How about March?

Rosemarie wrote: "I would be interested in Lisa and Lottie."

I would like to read that. February work?

I think February would work. It's completely different from the Susan Cooper books.

Thanks Tracey, it will take a while for me to read it as I'm reading it in Swedish and am far from fluent! But it will be great x

Jazzy wrote: "Thanks Tracey, it will take a while for me to read it as I'm reading it in Swedish and am far from fluent! But it will be great x"

No worries. My reading level has slowed down somewhat so slow is good. What month do you want?

You can choose one that's good for you Tracey!

Rosemarie wrote: "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit is a definite selection as well.
How about March?"

Yes March would work for me.

Jazzy wrote: "You can choose one that's good for you Tracey!"

How about April?

Tracey wrote: "Jazzy wrote: "You can choose one that's good for you Tracey!"

How about April?"

Excellent! Just give me a heads up then. I'll keep working on my Swedish in the meantime x

Tracey wrote: "Rosemarie wrote: "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit is a definite selection as well.
How about March?"

Yes March would work for me."

I love all her books. Judith Kerr was a wonder.

Jazzy wrote: "Tracey wrote: "Jazzy wrote: "You can choose one that's good for you Tracey!"

How about April?"

Excellent! Just give me a heads up then. I'll keep working on my Swedish in the meantime x"

Sounds good.

Is anyone else interested in Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson

I've read Ramona already and highly recommend it!

I'll jump into the Dark is Rising buddy read. I just picked up a copy of that book, and I'm sure the others are accessible to me.

Great, Angie!
We're starting on January 1.

I will read Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner

That's a fun book, Jazzy.

Rosemarie wrote: "That's a fun book, Jazzy."

I loved it when I was a kid. :)

This is just a reminder that our children's section is now buddy reads. That means that we can begin any time and end any time, not just at the beginning of the month.
If you have a particular book you would like to read, just post in this thread and we'll see if anyone else would be interested in a buddy read.
We do have a buddy read for June, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

Tracey and I are considering a buddy read for perhaps as early as
February, of Lottie And Lisa by Erich Kästner, if we have the time.

Anyone is welcome to join any of our buddy reads!