I agree 90% about getting kids to read dumbed down versions of the classics. I got my son a “Classic Starts” edition of se real classics when he was in grade 2 and he loved them! The 10% doubt stems from the concern that I might have killed his appetite to read all of the real editions. He has shown interest in reading the real Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Animal Farm, Little Women, and Iliad and Odyssey. He claims he has read 4-5 of these already. He is in grade 8.
In so far as the attire in cold weather, you have the soul of a high school American kid;) They are grossly underdressed for freezing weather and are perpetually in shorts in zero degree weather!
I can understand your concern, but I think mostly the 'dumbed down' versions whet people's appetite. I suppose it depends on HOW they're dumbed down though.
I laughed through my Covid cough. Billy the conquerer was a true talent. Who knew he invented the music genre—British Country?
Love love love the dumbed down version of classic literature. There’s nothing worse than turning off a child to reading. I remember my mom forcing me to read Peony by Pearl S Buck. I couldn’t get past the first page.
How’s your chest infection? Your cough may have traveled over the pond and landed in the Steefel household.
Puh-lease. It was my ancestor, Eglebert the Musical, who was the talent, not his nemesis Billy the Conquerer (who everyone called Norman for some reason).
British country: 🤣
Thanks for confirming what I (and several others here)n think about what I suppose we might call gateways into good literature.
My chest infection is almost no more, thank you, though I'm still coughing a bit. It was a pretty fierce one, so I'm not surprised to hear it may have travelled across the pond. Sorry about that, and wish you better soon.
I foresee a humor essay starring Eglebert the Musical and Billy the Conquerer written by T. Freedman the chortling Brit. Is there a Lady whose love they vie for? A duel featuring a Brit Country song and a heartfelt monologue by Billy as to why he changed his name?
"You give them Emma and, after they’ve got to the first comma, they’ll want to put it down and take up glue-sniffing." I laughed out loud, especially because my Jim picked up Emma for me this afternoon at our library, as I put it on hold after reading about so many reading it. My daughter is a huge Austen fan and I thought, "Well, I might as well give it a go!" So excited to begin. Thanks for a wonderful post that I read at the very end of my day. Sort of like keeping the best for last. 😁
LOL. Thanks for kind words, Mary. I don't think I've ever read it: it's on my list. Rebecca Holden is reading it. Maybe you two could have a discussion about it at some point.
I agree Terry, exposing kids to any kind of version of the classics may open a door for them to enjoy something different. I don't recall any dumbed-down version of the classics in northern Canada when I was growing up so we slogged through the real stuff and it didn't inspire me to keep going. It wasn't until much later that I wanted to explore that kind of literature.
So much to get my teeth into for my response to this letter next week - I can't wait to get started!
I'm enjoying interpreting this line of yours in different amusing ways: 'I think it's amazing that you could even think of making a dress', and am blaming you for the fact that I have already spilled my tea TWICE for laughing. 😆
Exactly right, David. When studying Spanish literature, I always liked to read the English translation first - providing a "road map", in anticipation of tackling the real thing. Made the reading so much more pleasant to know where I was going.
I was not that analytical. Too young. But I am POSITIVE I enjoyed the difficult Spanish versions far more having given myself the basic background - the schema, if you will, to assist my general understanding. Later, when I taught English as a second language to Latinos ( 16 years!), I often gave my learners a Spanish paragraph to read before we worked with the difficult text in English. It was not cheating, it was sound teaching in my humble opinion. Alternatively, I would sometimes read aloud to them as they followed along the English text, for those who learned auditorily. Then they would read aloud with a partner for those who learn by hearing their own voice in their own head. Remember: If you hand a book to someone cold and say "Read and answer the questions", that is testing. That is not teaching. I miss those days. I LOVED teaching.
I taught adult immigrants, Terry. We all had so much fun. Sometimes my classes would have students from nine different countries - like a mini-UN. It was such a joy watching Japanese working with Mexican, Iranian working with Thai, businessmen working with field workers. What a mix! I looked forward to going to work every day. I miss it.
I agree 90% about getting kids to read dumbed down versions of the classics. I got my son a “Classic Starts” edition of se real classics when he was in grade 2 and he loved them! The 10% doubt stems from the concern that I might have killed his appetite to read all of the real editions. He has shown interest in reading the real Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Animal Farm, Little Women, and Iliad and Odyssey. He claims he has read 4-5 of these already. He is in grade 8.
In so far as the attire in cold weather, you have the soul of a high school American kid;) They are grossly underdressed for freezing weather and are perpetually in shorts in zero degree weather!
I can understand your concern, but I think mostly the 'dumbed down' versions whet people's appetite. I suppose it depends on HOW they're dumbed down though.
I laughed through my Covid cough. Billy the conquerer was a true talent. Who knew he invented the music genre—British Country?
Love love love the dumbed down version of classic literature. There’s nothing worse than turning off a child to reading. I remember my mom forcing me to read Peony by Pearl S Buck. I couldn’t get past the first page.
How’s your chest infection? Your cough may have traveled over the pond and landed in the Steefel household.
Puh-lease. It was my ancestor, Eglebert the Musical, who was the talent, not his nemesis Billy the Conquerer (who everyone called Norman for some reason).
British country: 🤣
Thanks for confirming what I (and several others here)n think about what I suppose we might call gateways into good literature.
My chest infection is almost no more, thank you, though I'm still coughing a bit. It was a pretty fierce one, so I'm not surprised to hear it may have travelled across the pond. Sorry about that, and wish you better soon.
I foresee a humor essay starring Eglebert the Musical and Billy the Conquerer written by T. Freedman the chortling Brit. Is there a Lady whose love they vie for? A duel featuring a Brit Country song and a heartfelt monologue by Billy as to why he changed his name?
Jeremy Clarkson? In the words of Scarlett O'Hara - Fiddle-di-dee!
Classics Illustrated? I've read them all -- Two thumbs up!
Cadbury Creme Eggs? The only religious experience I need.
Clarkson: 🤣
Classics: Really? Amazing. I think I migt have as well, but it was a long time ago now.
Creme Eggs: 🤣🤣
"You give them Emma and, after they’ve got to the first comma, they’ll want to put it down and take up glue-sniffing." I laughed out loud, especially because my Jim picked up Emma for me this afternoon at our library, as I put it on hold after reading about so many reading it. My daughter is a huge Austen fan and I thought, "Well, I might as well give it a go!" So excited to begin. Thanks for a wonderful post that I read at the very end of my day. Sort of like keeping the best for last. 😁
LOL. Thanks for kind words, Mary. I don't think I've ever read it: it's on my list. Rebecca Holden is reading it. Maybe you two could have a discussion about it at some point.
I agree Terry, exposing kids to any kind of version of the classics may open a door for them to enjoy something different. I don't recall any dumbed-down version of the classics in northern Canada when I was growing up so we slogged through the real stuff and it didn't inspire me to keep going. It wasn't until much later that I wanted to explore that kind of literature.
Thanks, Donna. I don't think the purists understand that principle.
'My wench don't love me no more' - oh, Terry! 🤣
So much to get my teeth into for my response to this letter next week - I can't wait to get started!
I'm enjoying interpreting this line of yours in different amusing ways: 'I think it's amazing that you could even think of making a dress', and am blaming you for the fact that I have already spilled my tea TWICE for laughing. 😆
🤣 sorry!
🤣🤣🤣
I read some of the books CI put out when it was revived in the 1980s, and it sparked a desire in me to read the real things. So I did that....
Exactly right, David. When studying Spanish literature, I always liked to read the English translation first - providing a "road map", in anticipation of tackling the real thing. Made the reading so much more pleasant to know where I was going.
That's a good idea, Sharron. Just out of interest, did you think, after you'd read the originals, that the translations did them justice?
I was not that analytical. Too young. But I am POSITIVE I enjoyed the difficult Spanish versions far more having given myself the basic background - the schema, if you will, to assist my general understanding. Later, when I taught English as a second language to Latinos ( 16 years!), I often gave my learners a Spanish paragraph to read before we worked with the difficult text in English. It was not cheating, it was sound teaching in my humble opinion. Alternatively, I would sometimes read aloud to them as they followed along the English text, for those who learned auditorily. Then they would read aloud with a partner for those who learn by hearing their own voice in their own head. Remember: If you hand a book to someone cold and say "Read and answer the questions", that is testing. That is not teaching. I miss those days. I LOVED teaching.
I can tell. They sound like really engaging lessons. The kids must have loved them.
I taught adult immigrants, Terry. We all had so much fun. Sometimes my classes would have students from nine different countries - like a mini-UN. It was such a joy watching Japanese working with Mexican, Iranian working with Thai, businessmen working with field workers. What a mix! I looked forward to going to work every day. I miss it.
I've had classes like that too, Sharron. There's nothing quite like it
Same here, David. I think they served a very useful purpose
I am sad to say that I'd never come across them, but I've been enjoying looking at this website:
https://ccsbooks.co.uk/product-category/classics-illustrated-replica/
They look really good, with all that extra info. Thanks, Rebecca