Children's Classic Books discussion

So Caddie Woodlawn is winning in the polls but Loretta wasn't sure if she could get it and there was a suggestion that Gentle Ben might be easier to get. Any thoughts as to which we should read for October?

November is nearly upon us and I thought I'd choose some options for the book of the month and members could let me know if they're interested in reading one of them:

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit
Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson
Theras and His Town by Caroline Dale Snedeker
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
The World of Pooh: The Complete Winnie-The-Pooh and the House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen

Please feel free to suggest others if you like!

How about Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen?

Rosemarie wrote: "How about Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen?"

Added! I'm going to send out a poll as it's getting close to November!

Hey Rosemarie, if we read Finn Family Moomintroll are you still in for the read? I'm thinking of breaking the voting tie and I have Finn Family but I would have to get Miracles from the library. Just let me know. I'm fine with either!

Go ahead, Cleo. I've read a couple of the Moomintroll books so I'll enjoy reading the comments.

So even though we had a tie of 4 books, I'm going to suggest at this point that we read either Finn Family Moomintroll or Miracles on Maple Hill. Please let me know if you prefer one or the other (Rosemarie, I know that you'll read & comment on the latter and comment on the former)

NOTE: I'll include The Bronze Bow and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in next month's poll.

I won't be able to acquire Finn Family Moomintroll in time to read it, but I did check out Miracles on Maple Hill, on the off-chance that ends up as the selection.

I'd also vote for Miracles on Maple Hill - it's a Newbery winner, and the other is 3rd in a series which would bother me more than it should.

Okay so the winner is Miracles on Maple Hill! I have it coming from the library so I'll set up a thread for it.

I've put it on hold at the library, so I hope it comes soon.

Just wondering what we’re reading for December, if anything?

I’m reading Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater which won a Newberry Honor in 1939. My librarian recommended it to me based on the children’s books I’ve been taking out. It’s pretty cute so far even though I kinda know where the story is going. Illustrations are great too. 😊

I enjoyed that as a child and as a parent, Loretta. My younger daughter liked it too, since one of the penguins has the same name as she does-Victoria.

Rosemarie wrote: "I enjoyed that as a child and as a parent, Loretta. My younger daughter liked it too, since one of the penguins has the same name as she does-Victoria."

I’m enjoying the book Rosemarie. It’s definitely brought a smile to my face. Haven’t met Victoria yet but I know there will be a “love interest”…🥰

So. No book for December? Has anyone heard from Cleo?

No.

Sorry, everyone. I've had some health problems so my time has been taken up with doctor's appointments. I suggest taking December off for the book of the month or chose one of your own and report in with your thoughts. We could also get suggestions for January going. I'm interested in:

Kidnapped
At the Back of the North Wind
Pedro's Journal
Shadow Hawk

Is anyone interested in any of these or have any other suggestions?

Cleo wrote: "Sorry, everyone. I've had some health problems so my time has been taken up with doctor's appointments. I suggest taking December off for the book of the month or chose one of your own and report i..."

Sorry to hear about your health issues Cleo. Obviously that comes first! Hope you’re doing better.

As I said above, my librarian recommended Mr. Popper's Penguins which I’m enjoying and should have finished by now because the reading is easy and it’s a short book but the time of the season and work is taking up a lot of my reading time.

As far as January goes, I can’t even think that far ahead! I’ll take a look see at the books you suggested above and perhaps go over our shelves again at some point. Would be great if other members would suggest books too.

You take care…😊

I hope you feel better soon,Cleo.

Kidnapped is good. I've read it twice!

Rosemarie wrote: "Kidnapped is good. I've read it twice!"

I’ve read Kidnapped as well Rosemarie!

Thank you both for your good wishes. Let's just say it's a journey ...

Does that mean you would be willing to read Kidnapped again, or would you rather read something else?

At the Back of the North Wind is a beautiful book.

Yes, I hope others will have suggestions.

I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying Mr. Popper's Penguins, Loretta!

I'd rather read something else. I've been thinking of Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Cleo, I'm sorry to hear you hadn't been feeling well, and I hope you're doing better.

I'd love to read At the Back of the North Wind for January. I read it years ago but all I remember is how enchanting it is.

Rosemarie wrote: "I'd rather read something else. I've been thinking of Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett."

That’s on my list of TBR Rosemarie and I’m sure my library would have it because it’s well known. 😊

Cleo wrote: "Thank you both for your good wishes. Let's just say it's a journey ...

Does that mean you would be willing to read Kidnapped again, or would you rather read something else?

At the Back of the Nor..."

I’m not one for reading books again with the exception of Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, the latter I try to read every Christmas.

I would not be interested in reading Kidnapped again. To me it was only a fair read, three stars. I did read Treasure Island which I found much more interesting, four stars but I wouldn’t read it again either.

Sandy, go to the group's homepage using the desktop version and click on polls.
It's listed as poll 3.
Unless you specifically state that you want the poll featured, it places the poll last.

Any time!

Sandy wrote: "I’m positive that I voted on a poll for the group read for January, in response to an email from Cleo. The poll seems to have disappeared. Can someone help me find it? (I’m trying to firm up my rea..."

Sorry Sandy! I forgot to tag it as a "feature poll" to keep it at the top. Lesson learned!

Shall we get a head-start on choosing a book for February? I was thinking of A Wrinkle in Time or A Girl of the Limberlost. Or should Freckles be read before A Girl of the Limberlost?

Any other suggestions? Please add yours!

I read A Girl of the Limberlost many years before I read Freckles and then again after. The order doesn't matter.

I've read all of those, and would be happy to read any of them again and discuss. For what it's worth, I preferred A Girl of the Limberlost to Freckles, perhaps because it was about a girl, but both are good. And A Wrinkle in Time is a long-time favorite.

I’ve read A Wrinkle in Time before so I wouldn’t read it again. Never heard of A Girl of the Limberlost or Freckles so either would be fine as long as my library has them. 🤪

That's interesting, Marianne, because I liked Freckles better. But they're both good.
I've read A Wrinkle in Time more than once and can't see reading it again.
Is The Dark Is Rising too new? I never get tired of that one.

Rosemarie wrote: "That's interesting, Marianne, because I liked Freckles better. But they're both good.
I've read A Wrinkle in Time more than once and can't see reading it again.
Is [book:The Dark Is Rising|10114008..."

Does the first book in the series need to be read first Rosemarie? I don’t think it’s too old. It was published in 1973 which makes it just slightly over fifty years old.

No, Loretta. Book 1 in the series has a different set of characters, and it's fine, but not nearly as good as The Dark is Rising. However, if you plan on reading the whole series, it's a good idea to read book 1 in the series before you read book 3(both sets of characters meet in this one).

Oh, what a great idea, Rosemarie! The Dark is Rising series would be great. We could start with Over Sea, Under Stone. I think that's the first book, isn't it?

I've also wanted to read Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea series but that would probably be for another time.

They all sound good to me! I'm looking forward to discussing classic children's books. First I will need to master the GR apps.

So good to have you with us, Cindy! Welcome!

The app is not the best. I much prefer my computer but it will do in a pinch.

Feel free to contribute any suggestions you have!

Cleo wrote: "Oh, what a great idea, Rosemarie! The Dark is Rising series would be great. We could start with Over Sea, Under Stone. I think that's the first book, isn't it?"

It is.

So it looks like Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper has won for our February book of the month. I'm really excited about this one as I've been meaning to read the series for awhile.

And with that in mind, I'm going to set up another poll asked if a) should we continue on reading each book in the series as a book of the month or b) should be continue reading the series alongside a different book of the month or c) only read this one book in the series.

Was just wondering what book might be selected for our March read because, as you know, I have great difficulty finding books. A little jump ahead would be beneficial for me. If not I guess I can pick a book on our shelf.

Thank you for the heads up, Loretta! Do you have any suggestions?

I think I’m going to post threads for the next Dark Is Rising book in Buddy Reads and then anyone who wants to continue with the series can. But as for the Book of the Month, let’s pick another title.

Please quickly give some suggestions and I’ll get a poll up. 😁

Cleo wrote: "Thank you for the heads up, Loretta! Do you have any suggestions?

I think I’m going to post threads for the next Dark Is Rising book in Buddy Reads and then anyone who wants to continue with the s..."

I found this Newbery Award winner on one of my Goodreads friend’s page: The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. Not sure if my library will have it but I’m going to try and read this one with or without the group.

Thanks, Loretta. I'll add it.

I'm going to suggest:


The House of Sixty Fathers: A Newbery Honor Award Winner
George Washington's World
My Side of the Mountain

Like yours, they are all Newbery books. I'll pair it down when I get some other suggestions ....

My personal suggestion is to avoid Newbery books. There are already other GR groups that do those, and while these books are often more readily found in libraries or for sale, one sometimes gets the misconception that the children's literature world begins and ends with them because they are so frequently recommended. (Please note that I'm not saying that they aren't fine books or that they don't deserve to be read.)

And for myself, having already read a huge portion of the vintage Newberys, it's less appealing for me to revisit them than to discover something new. I'm in the midst of my second time through GW's World right now because that's part of how I teach history for grades 1-4.

I realize that finding a book every month that is new to 100% everyone might be difficult, but it seems to me that Newberys are the kind of common currency that *would* likely have been previously read by kidlit enthusiasts.

Michael wrote: "My personal suggestion is to avoid Newbery books. There are already other GR groups that do those, and while these books are often more readily found in libraries or for sale, one sometimes gets th..."

Well, on one hand I do agree with you. I'm much more interested in choosing slightly more obscure children's classics. However, I'm trying to be sensitive to other members as I know these titles might not be easily available to them. My personal choices would have been:

The Spartan
Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition
Vinegar Boy: Encounter Christ Through the Dramatic Story of Vinegar Boy
The Martyr of the Catacombs

I'm not sure how others would feel about these?

If you'd like to suggest some others, Michael, please feel free to suggest away!