Classic Literature for Young Readers

Reading makes a man perfect and handing a few classics to your children will enrich and entertain them

Reading is a virtuous pursuit and classics are the best way to inculcate the habit of reading amongst young readers. Now the question arises, why should one turn to classics to encourage the habit of reading?

The cardinal argument favouring classics is that they have successfully survived the onslaught of time and possess the capability of replicating the same excitement and freshness amongst the readers of today as they did when they were penned down. Also, classics defeat the concept of anachronism since the plot of the story generally portrays universal human emotions such as love, hatred, jealousy, friendship, triumph of good over evil, and tragedy.

Classics, apart from their timeless quality, serve as a portal to transport young readers into the vivid realm of fantasy and adventure. Such expeditions into the land of fertile imagination cannot hitherto be surpassed or even imitated by today’s high tech toys or by computer generated virtual worlds.

Furthermore, classics instil amongst readers the spirit of exploration and moral values aside from enhancing their vocabulary and reading skills.

The following is a list of classics that can be introduced to young readers:

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis Carroll: It is a dramatic description of Alice’s fervid adventures which take place in the extraordinary Wonderland. Alice accidentally stumbles upon this magical dreamlike country when she follows a rabbit down a rabbit hole. What makes Wonderland unique is that its strange inhabitants such as the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts have the ability to speak and make bewildering logic defying arguments. One adventure after another follows before Alice’s reverie around Wonderland is finally broken.

A Christmas Carol (1843) by Charles Dickens: It depicts the gloomy life of Scrooge, a man full of avarice and apathy towards his fellow humans and his amazing transformation into a compassionate philanthropist. The change in Scrooge’s life is effected by the appearance of three ghosts who warn him of the disastrous consequences if he continues with his greedy ways. They infuse in him the true spirit of Christmas, that is, pity and charity towards the poor and the needy.

Little Women (1868) by Louisa May Alcott: The novel thoroughly explores family life and human relationships. It revolves around the day-to-day struggle of four young girls – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy – who are in the process of attaining adulthood. Set within the ambit and boundaries of 19th century society this domestic drama illustrates how each of these young girls must fight off their personal flaws in order to fulfill their future social obligations of becoming good wives and mothers.

Treasure Island (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson: This book is based on the classic  topic of treasure hunting.  It maps the quest of the pirates led by Long John Silver, to grab the treasure, which lies buried on Treasure Island. The hero of this story is Jim, a young lad who has the knack of venturing into wild adventures and miraculously wiggling out of them unscathed. The plot is thick with treachery, intrigue, fights, and miraculous escapes, which holds the interest of the reader   till the very end.

Black Beauty: The Autobiography of a Horse (1877) by Anna Sewell: This classic is considered as one of the best animal stories ever told. Black Beauty, a kind-hearted horse narrates the happy and sad experiences of his life beginning from the carefree days he led in the countryside, through the hardships of life as a cab horse in town, up until a life of retirement in the country. The life story of Black Beauty infuses a feeling of sympathy in the reader towards domestic animals and horses in particular.