Classics Reading Challenge
Shakespeare Retellings
Shakespeare is such an important writer that you use Shakespearean words and phrases all the time without even knowing it (Read about this in The Telegraph or look at these word and phrase lists). Because his stories have been around more than 500 years, they turn up as retellings, ideas, themes and references in modern novels, poems, plays and speeches, so it is a good idea to know the stories from Shakespeare's plays.
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Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) - Read online [http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00078081] Audiobook online.
Horrible History versions - Ten Best Shakespeare Stories, Best Shakespeare Stories Ever: NF 822.3 SHA Manga versions - NF822.3 HAM, MAC, KR3, TEM, ROM SMS Shakespeare Series - NF822.3 HAM, ROM, MID A Shakespeare story series NF822.3 HAM, MAC, KR3, TEM, OTH, muc, TAM, KLE, ROM, JUL, KH5, ANT, MERASY, TWE |
There are also lots of stories for teenagers based on Shakespeare's plays. To get he most out of these, you should also read at least a summary of the original play.
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Ophelia - F FRE
Hamlet - F MAR Falling for Hamlet - F The Shakespeare Stealer - Ms Carmyn has a copy |
Religious texts
As many phrases, storylines and ideas (and for that matter ideals) in Western culture come from religious texts. This includes the Judeo-Christian bible, religious texts written by saints and non-religious texts about religious topics.
The King James Bible (translated from Hebrew and a Greek dialect around the end of Shakespeare's life) is preferred by English scholars because it is written in beautifully poetic language. The stars below refer to this version only. Other works could be read in any translation.
The King James Bible (translated from Hebrew and a Greek dialect around the end of Shakespeare's life) is preferred by English scholars because it is written in beautifully poetic language. The stars below refer to this version only. Other works could be read in any translation.
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Genesis (creation story, Noah's ark, origin of languages, Abraham and Isaac, birth of Jewish and Arab races, Sodom and Gomorrah, Jacob's ladder, Joseph and Pharaoh's dreams,)
Exodus (Moses in the basket, plagues of Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, Manna from heaven, golden calf, ten commandments, ark of the covenant Joshua (fall of Jericho, conquest of Canaan - this is the Jewish side of the Israel/Palestine conflict today) Judges (invasion of Israel by Philistines, Deborah, Gideon's battle tricks, Samson, otherwise lots of moralising) Ruth (a very sweet story about loyalty traditionally used in marriages even though it's about two women!) I and II Samuel ( |
Other Christian religious texts -
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Dante's Inferno
Pilgrim's Progress Lives of the Saints |
Texts from Other religions - Reading texts from other religions is an important part of creating a multicultural society - it helps you understand other people's value-systems and separate the reality from media stereotypes. Reading about other religions also shows how much they all have in common: Did you know that Christian Jesus and Jewish Moses are Muslim prophets? Or that Jesus and Buddha both taught the same message of compassion for the world around us? Plus - they're all really good sources of awesome stories!
The Koran (Islam)
The Bhagavad Vita (Hindu) |
Children's Classics
These books were written for children in the C19th and early C20th. Many stories have been rewritten in simplified versions or turned into films. Like Shakespeare, these stories are often referenced in popular culture today. These are the original versions, but if you've read a simple version show me as it might still be worth a star or two.
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Peter Pan by J M Barrie - Read Online
Peter Pan (original play) - Ms Carmyn has a copy Alice in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carrol PIC F CAR Mary Poppins - Ms Carmyn has a copy Wizard of Oz (Baum version) - read Online or listen audiobook online The Parent Trap (trans. from original German version from 1930s) - Ms Carmyn has a copy Children of Green Knowe (Boston) - try a local library or your grandomother The Borrowers (Mary Norton) - try a local library Back of the West Wind - Ms Carmy has a copy The Phantom Tollbooth - F JUS Flatland (for the mathematically inclined) - F ABB Swallows and Amazons - F RAN Children of the New Forest - F MAR Sophie's world - A Children's Introduction to Philosophy - F GAA Little Prince - F SAI Water Babies (Kingsley) - Read online or listen to audiobook online Oscar Wilde Short stories - F WIL I can jump puddles - F MAR A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens F DIC Read online or have a look at the original rough copy and see how Dickens went about editing his work before sending it to the publisher. Kidglovz - F HUN (graphic novel) |
Family Stories
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Little princess - F BUR
Secret garden - F BUR Little Women series - F ALC Railway children - F NES Anne of Green Gables Series - F MON Rebecca of Sunnybrooke Farm - Read online Homecoming - F VOI What Katy Did - Read online [http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/coolidge/katy/katy.html#C7], Ms Carmyn has a copy Pollyanna series - read online or listen to audiobook, Ms Carmyn has a copy. Ballet Shoes or White Boots (on ice skating) - F STR A Little Bush Maid - F BRU Heidi - F SPY Seven Little Australians - F TUR Roald Dahl - Boy F DAH |
Adventure Stories
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Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Read online or listen to the audiobook online.
Oliver Twist - F DIC Tom Sawyer - F TWA Huckleberry Finn - F TWA Treasure Island - F STE Dealing with Dragon's Series F WRE Kidnapped - F STE Robin Hood (Pyle) - read online or listen to the audiobook online. Swizz Family Robinson - F WYS Leon Garfield books - try a local library, Ms Carmyn has a couple Life of Pi - F MAR Pilgrim’s Progress - Read online, listen to the audiobook online or download the free graphic novel (****) Gulliver’s Travels (Swift – two sections) - F SWI Hatchet - F PAU |
Mysteries / Thrillers
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Sherlock Holmes (1 novel or 5 stories) F DOY
Emil and the Detectives - F KAS Rebecca - F DUM The Big Sleep - F CHA Anything by Agatha Christie - F CHR A Terribly Strange Bed - Read this short story in an online anthology or listen to the audiobook online Don't look behind you - F DUN In Cold Blood - F CAP Snow Falling on Cedars - F GUT The Name of the Rose Umberto Eco Stormbreaker series - F HOR |
Science fiction
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20 000 Leagues under the Sea - ST VER
Round the World in 80 days - Read online or listen to audiobook at Libvox Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde - F STE Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - F ADA The Time Traveller's Wife - Try a local library The Time Machine (the invention of the 'butterfly effect') - F WEL To say Nothing of the Dog - try a local library, Ms carmyn will try to buy it if you really want to read it and can't find it Ender's Shadow or Ender's Game - F CAR This place has no atmosphere The Man from Mars? |
Animal Stories
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The Magic Pudding - F LIN
Wind in the Willows - F GRA Watership Down - F ADA Animals of Farthing Wood - try a local library, parent or grandparent. Ms Carmyn will buy it if you can't find it anywhere. The Jungle Book - F KIP Call of the Wild - F LON White Fang - F LON Lassie Come Home - F KNI Black Beauty - F SEW Tarka the Otter - try a local library, parent or grandparent. Ms Carmyn will buy it if you can't find it anywhere. 101 Dalmations - F SMI My Friend Flicka - F O'HA Redwall Series - F JAQ Taronga - F KEL Storm Boy - F THI The Black Stallion - try a local library, parent or grandparent. Ms Carmyn will buy it if you can't find it anywhere. The Silver Brumby - F MIT National Velvet - Ms Carmyn has a copy Moby Dick - F MEL |
Dystopias
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How I live now - F ROS
1984 - F ORW Animal Farm - F ORW Fareinheit 451 - F BRA Lord of the Flies - F GOL Chaos Walking series - F NES Obernewtyn series - F CAR Cage of Butterflies - F CAS |
Contemporary Issues
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This Star won't go out (real diary of the girl who inspired Fault in our Stars) - F GRE
A Young Dancer's Apprenticeship (real US teen joins Moscow city Ballet) - 792.8092 DOW Whale rider (feminist issues, Maori culture, environmentalism) - F IHI I know why the caged bird sings (race, 1930's southern USA) - F ANG To Kill a Mockingbird F LEE (race, legal system) The Colour Purple F WAL (Race, Feminist issues, friendship, domestic violence) |
Sport Stories
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White Boots (Ice skating) - F STR
Swallows and Amazons (Sailing) - F RAN |
Romance Stories
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Vanity Fair - F THA Portrait of a Lady - Read online or listen to the audiobook, Ms Carmyn also has a copy Lorna Doone - F BLA Katherine Mansfield - short stories coming soon Noughts and Crosses - F BLA Great Gatsby - F FIT Wuthering Heights - F BRO Pride and Prejudice - F AUS I capture the Castle - Try a local library Anna Karenina - F TOL |
Fantasy Stories
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Wolves of Willoughby Chose - try a local library, parent or grandparent. Ms Carmyn will buy it if you can't find it anywhere.
Narnia Series - F LEW (also try essays from Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy NF 102 NAR - 2 essays = ******) Neverending Story - F END Momo - F END A Wrinkle in Time F L'EN Hobbit - F TOL Sword in the Stone - Anything by Dianna Wynne Jones - Magicans of Caprona - F JON Wizard of Earthsea - F LEG Dragonsong or anything from the Dragonriders of Pern series - F MCC Skellig - F ALM His dark materials Series - F PUL The Princess Bride - F DEN (also try essays from Princess Bride and Philosophy NF 102 PRI - 2 essays = ******) Any of the Lord of the Rings books - F TOL Harry Potter and Philosophy (essays on the books - read any two) - NF 102 HAR Beowolf - F SUT City of the Beasts series - F ALL |
School Stories
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Graphic novels and Picture books
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Maus - a graphic novel classic about WWII experiences - F SPI
Hunchback of Notre Dame - F HUG Kite Runner - F HOS Emma - F AUS Sense and Sensibility - F AUS Neil Gaiman – Sleeper and the Spindle - PIC F GAI Shaun Tan Tales from Outer Suburbia - PIC F TAN Small Things - PIC F TRE Castle Waiting - F MED Any graphic novel by Neil Gaiman (check them, because some have horror or adult content) - look in a local library wind in the willows - F GRA |
Historical Novels
I've been a bit open-ended here, including:
- historical novels (Book Thief, Playing Beatie Bow, Roll of thunder)
- classics that sound like historical novels but were contemporary literature when they were written (Canterbury Tales, Silver Sword)
- biographical stories (Out of Africa, Little House series, Harp in the South)
- books with historical significance (eg. Uncle Tom's Cabin raised awareness of Slavery, Anne Frank helped combat anti-semitism after WW II)
- books which examine the nature/telling of history (True History of the Kelly gang)
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The Silver Sword - F SER
Anything by Rosemary Sutcliffe - Tristan and Iseult F SUT, Ms Carmyn has some others, also try your local library Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry - F TAY Little House on the Prairie series - Ms Carmyn has the series, also try local libraries and grandparents Goodnight Mr Tom - F MAG To Kill a Mockingbird - F LEE Playing Beatie Bow - F PAR Uncle Tom’s Cabin - Read online or listen to audiobook at Libvox (learn the context = **; try the Kid's version = *****) Diary of a Young Girl/Anne Frank - F FRA or the companion novel: Annexed - F DOG Book Thief - F ZUS Harp in the South - F PAR Out of Africa - Ms Carmyn has a copy The True History of the Kelly Gang - F CAR Canterbury tales (retold) - F CHA The Canterbury Tales (any single tale - they are very hard going as they use Middle English - 300 yrs before Shakespeare!) The Name of the rose - Umberto Eco I know why the caged bird sings (race, 1930's southern USA) - F ANG Reading Lolita in Tehran (revolutionary Iran. This is for literature geeks so look up the books before reading this) F NAF |
Horror
I'll add more horror classics here as I come across them. Well-written horror books are extremely creepy - definitely not PG - so if you're a wimp like me, steer clear of this list!
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Edgar Allen Poe (5 stories) - F POE
Any Stephen King novel - F KIN Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - F SHE Picture of Dorian Gray - coming soon to F WIL Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde - F STE Stranger with my Face - F DUN Interview with a Vampire - F RIC Sabriel series - F NIX |
UNSORTED SUGGESTIONS
Chinese Cinderella Cotillion
Adeline yen mah Georgette Heyer
Lockie Leonard Beowulf
Tim Winton Rosemary Sutcliff
Noughts & crosses Jane Eyre
Malorie Blackman Charlotte Bronte
Sense and Sensibility The Belgariad
Jane Austen David Eddings
Pride and Prejudice Chocolat
Jane Austen Joanne Harris
The Magicians of Caprona The Princess Bride
Diana Wunne Jones William Goldman
Kill a Mocking Bird Skelling
Harper Lee David Almond
The Earthsea Quartet Little Women
Ursula Le GUIN Louisa May Alcott
Looking for Pride and Prejudice
Alibrandi Jane Austen
Arabella Emma
Georgette Heyer Jane Austen
The Hobbit Space Demons
J.R.R Tolkien Gillian Rubinstien
Dicey’s Song The Wave
Cynthia Voigt Morton Rhue
The Colour Purple Northern Lights
Alice Walker Philip Pullman
Sisters In Crime The Fall Of The House Of Usher
Mike Ashley Edgar Allan Poe
War Horse The Pit and the Pendulun
Michael Morpurgo Edgar Allan Poe
Cloud Street Keeper
Tim Winton Mal Peet
Charlotte’s Web Tomorrow, when The War Began
E.B White John Marsden
Frankenstein
Mary Shelly
A Town Like Alice
Nevil Shute
A series of Unfortunate Events
Lemony Snicket
Chinese Cinderella Cotillion
Adeline yen mah Georgette Heyer
Lockie Leonard Beowulf
Tim Winton Rosemary Sutcliff
Noughts & crosses Jane Eyre
Malorie Blackman Charlotte Bronte
Sense and Sensibility The Belgariad
Jane Austen David Eddings
Pride and Prejudice Chocolat
Jane Austen Joanne Harris
The Magicians of Caprona The Princess Bride
Diana Wunne Jones William Goldman
Kill a Mocking Bird Skelling
Harper Lee David Almond
The Earthsea Quartet Little Women
Ursula Le GUIN Louisa May Alcott
Looking for Pride and Prejudice
Alibrandi Jane Austen
Arabella Emma
Georgette Heyer Jane Austen
The Hobbit Space Demons
J.R.R Tolkien Gillian Rubinstien
Dicey’s Song The Wave
Cynthia Voigt Morton Rhue
The Colour Purple Northern Lights
Alice Walker Philip Pullman
Sisters In Crime The Fall Of The House Of Usher
Mike Ashley Edgar Allan Poe
War Horse The Pit and the Pendulun
Michael Morpurgo Edgar Allan Poe
Cloud Street Keeper
Tim Winton Mal Peet
Charlotte’s Web Tomorrow, when The War Began
E.B White John Marsden
Frankenstein
Mary Shelly
A Town Like Alice
Nevil Shute
A series of Unfortunate Events
Lemony Snicket