Customer Reviews

Classics to Read Aloud to Your Children: Selections from Shakespeare, Twain, Dickens, O.Henry, London, Longfellow, Irving Aesop, Homer, Cervantes, Hawthorne, and More

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My father gave this book to me to read aloud while we traveled in the car. I have 4 children -with different attention spans -from teenagers to a Kindergartener- they all listened!! I loved that at the beginning of the books it would give us words thay might not understand and definitions. I loved the idea of knowing how long it would take to read a particular story. Classics that I have not read in years and classics that I have never read were included. If you are going on a car trip this book is a must! Great idea for grandparents to give or have around to read when grandchildren come to visit.

It's been years since I've read aloud from this wonderful anthology to my twin sons who are now 16. But they still remember vibrant, lively selections like "Half a league, half a league, half a league onward ... " (The Charge of the Light Brigade) and "The Ransom of Red Chief" (which they loved but didn't really "get" until they were about 13). I credit this wonderful book with providing truly excellent literature to feed their hungry young brains. This book is part of their current success in school and life! BUY IT for your child or grandchild - or donate it to your local school library!

This is a keeper! Your kids will love to have you read aloud from this book. It is a compilation of stories arranged according to age-appropriate listening levels. All are well-known stories from well-known authors. Many stories, particularly the longer ones, are only excerpts; the editor has deliberately done this to whet the listeners' appetite.

If you like this book, you will like its companions: More Classics to Read Aloud to Your Children, and Classic Myths to Read Aloud.

My sons 8 and 10 really enjoyed the bedtime reading of Greek myths from a collection by this same author - so we decided to try this "Classics" collection. They have really enjoyed most of the stories - and I enjoy exposing them to classics like Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, and Tom Sawyer. The stories are excerpted\simplified while maintaining key aspects of the language and key phrases "...would not a rose by any other name..."

The book is broken into different age-related sections -which appear to be pretty accurate. My ten year old really enjoyed the reading of "Call of the Wild" (Level III for 11 yr old and above), while the 8 year old struggled with the language and lost interest.

The story lengths vary from 15 mintes to nearly an hour - the latter being a little too long for bedtime reading. Still, I recommend this book for introducing your children to some classic stories that "every kid should know".

I am a read aloud volunteer for a local middle school. I selected the poems to read, and the children really enjoyed them. I find that poetry is better heard than read, and hoped to pass along the love of poetry to those who would most likely not read it themselves. Would highly recommend this book to any educator, parent, or anyone wishing to share the love of reading to a child.

I found a 20-year old copy of this book in a used book store and wished so much that it was still in print. Yes it was/is...and available at Amazon! I especially like this book because I think reading to our children & grandchildren is so beneficial to their development and knowledge of the world and also a wonderful experience for all. Also, what better than to read from the masters, to actually read from the books that most only "know" about. And, finally, and most important to me as a Christian, this book was written at a time when it was natural and proper to include readings from the Scriptures and to acknowledge that God is relevant in all of the seasons of life (Holiday Favorites section). This book is a gem.

Classics to Read Aloud to Your Children: Selections from Shakespeare, Twain, Dickens, O.Henry, London, Longfellow, Irving Aesop, Homer, Cervantes, Hawthorne, and More

I found this book when searching for classics for my children. I grew weary from reading really awful chapter books with my eight-year-old twins, and I longed for examples of great writing that could get them excited about literature!

Publishing companies have filled the children's section of bookstores with junk... title after title from the same dim authors, mass-produced drivel with no substance. I wanted my children to be exposed to better writing - to the masters, for goodness sake.

This book certainly filled the bill. It provides great samples of literature from a broad spectrum of writers and whets the appetite for more. Definitely a recommend!

This book has some good recommendations and good stories, very age comprehensive. However, that is also it's draw back. As my children are 7 and 10 year olds, the selection of recommended readings for them are limited to those ages. It is a good book to keep around to refer back to when the children get older.

This one's got it all! If you love story-time, settling back with the kids and family for a walk down memory lane - this book's for you! Loved it the first time I read it - AND - loved it the 15th time. Some things just never change! And some things get better with age! A Classic Never Dies!

This is a GREAT collection. Instead of having abridged versions of stories, this book are true excerpts from the author. I think its been excellent for my son to be exposed to the language and style of these great writers. The sections are broken out by age group, and the ratings are appropriate. I return to this book again and again.