Share a Story-Shape a Future Day 4: Old Favorites, New Classics

I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date … yes, I am behind this morning!

When I was seven years old, I got my first watch … An Alice in Wonderland watch. I still have it.  I didn’t know Lewis Carroll’s classic tale (or even the Walt Disney-fied version), but I knew that Alice was a girl in a book. Eventually I saw the movie, and I liked it. But I never got around to reading it. So last year, when I received an updated copy to read and review, I thought it was the perfect time to pull out this classic and share it with my daughter. I didn’t like it and eventually we abandoned it. I was shocked, I thought the fun of what I remembered (mostly the White Rabbit) would come flooding back. It didn’t. I tried to continue reading after Catherine lost interest, but I just never warmed to it, in large part, because I found the language stilted.[Image credit: ebay auction, now closed.]

In each generation there are books that are timeless and books that are frozen in time.  Societies change, mores change, “modern day life” evolves, yet there are stories we loved (some with life lessons, some without) that we want to pay forward to kids. We want them to be hooked on books, embrace the journey, enjoy the thrills that we did. But how?

Today, Donalyn Miller is hosting Reading through the Ages: Old Faves and New Classics at The Book Whisperer blog.  Donalyn says it best: “We have been readers since childhood, you see. Someone special shared a story with us once, and shaped our futures as lifelong readers. Through our posts, we will reminisce about cherished childhood classics and reading experiences, and share newer books that might be classics someday. Post comments about your reading memories and book titles for Share a Story readers.”

• Read favorite “First Lines from Children’s Books” and contribute your favorite first lines at The Pen and Ink blog.
• Danielle Smith at There’s a Book blog, invites authors and readers to share childhood favorites in When I Was Young: The Books That Got Them Started.
• Tess Alfonsin offers her own Classic and Contemporary Favorites at the Reading Countess blog. I know that Tess will add at least five more books to my to-read pile before the end of her post.
• Author, teacher, and blogger, Kate Messner discusses Dystopian Science Fiction,” both past and present, at Kate’s Book Blog.
• Paul Hankins, blogs about Nurturing the Now to Nudge the Next: Read Alouds in the Secondary Classroom, and reveals how this historically elementary school event engages his high schoolers. (You must sign up for the RAWIncK ning to view the post. The ning is free.)
• Professor Nana, Teri Lesesne, identifies The New Classics: New Books for Tweens on Classic Themes.
• Last but not least, Donalyn will have her own Something Old, Something New post that pairs timeless favorites and new books for readers looking for a similar book.

I will be adding any/all updated links to the Share a Story ~ Shape a Future blog. Today’s Writing about Reading prompts all focus on going back to our childhood to talk about some favorites.

Off to do some reading, I’m late, I’m late …