Classic Literature Recommendations

[Anonymous]

Doesn't anyone read Kipling anymore?
What about Conrad's The Secret Agent, best spy novel of all time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't anyone read Kipling anymore?
What about Conrad's The Secret Agent, best spy novel of all time?

For a fifth-grader?!

No, nobody does read Kipling anymore, and on the whole that's probably a good thing, although I personally used to like reading Kim.

[Anonymous]

Little House on the Prairie
The Secret Garden
A Little Princess
Narnia series
Matilda, BFG, others by Dahl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Little House on the Prairie
The Secret Garden
A Little Princess
Narnia series
Matilda, BFG, others by Dahl

Let's assume that any fifth-grader or sixth-grader whose parent is on DCUM asking about classic literature recommendations has already read these books.

[Anonymous]

Let's not. I'm amazed at the books that some of my families have not read or even heard of. I would suggest, in addition to 7:51's list, The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, D'Aulaire's Greek Myths, Children of Odin by Padraic Colum, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, The Tripods trilogy, Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates, Anne of Green Gables, Johnny Tremain, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and The Silver Crown. --Teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's not. I'm amazed at the books that some of my families have not read or even heard of. I would suggest, in addition to 7:51's list, The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, D'Aulaire's Greek Myths, Children of Odin by Padraic Colum, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, The Tripods trilogy, Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates, Anne of Green Gables, Johnny Tremain, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and The Silver Crown. --Teacher

The Tripods trilogy only if you don't mind the idea that boys do great stuff and girls do nothing (at best).

[Anonymous]

Hey, this is "classic" literature. When I read it with my kids, we talk about sexism and how it was very prevalent up until recently. If they are old enough to read and understand these books, they are old enough for this kind of conversation. I bring up such issues regularly with some third grade reading groups. They find it fascinating, and upsetting.