Customer Reviews

Classic Starts: The Secret Garden (Classic Starts Series)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I love all the "Classic Starts" books! I read these to my four-year-old, and any time we have nothing to do, she actually suggests we read another chapter in our book! I hope that, with the Classic Starts, she will never be afraid to pick up a book because it's too long, or too verbose. These will instill a love for the basic story lines of classic novels so that, when she's older, she can fearlessly delve much deeper into the originals.
My four-year-old sits quietly and listens, while my two-year-old daughter plays with our one-year-old. I had assumed that she wasn't listening, but the other day I asked a question about the story line, and the 2 y.o. actually answered the question correctly! So start reading these even before you think they're paying attention! They're absorbing more than you'll ever know!

This is a very nice, easy-text first reader for a classic story, but there are almost no pictures. I was hoping for a Great Illustrated Classics type of presentation. Otherwise very pretty binding and cover.

I was hesitant to order an abridged version of a classic, but so glad I did! I am reading this to preschoolers and wanted to make it easier to understand and more enjoyable and this book does both very well. The story moves quickly enough that they are not getting bored, and while there are still certainly many words they don't run across everyday (which is the idea of reading this book - to expose them to all sorts of these new words), there are not so many that the story becomes difficult to follow. The language is also a bit more modernized than the original British tale. A great way to introduce little ones to classic tales!

These books are done by a publisher who abridges and edits the originals. If you are looking for the original story look elsewhere. The warning is right on the cover but it's amazing how people miss it.