When I was in middle school, my mom raved about Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.
Not only did I refuse to read it because of this, Istill have not read it to this day.
My mom is whipsmart and I respect her more than anyone on earth and as an adult, I do everything she tells me to do; I even own two copies of the book! 👆 But the more I talk to anyone trying to raise readers, the more I realize that almost everyone has had this uniquely weird experience, so I have kept my mouth pretty much shut with my own children about any book that has any meaning to me at all. (Yes, a not-so-minor miracle to be sure.)
Which books do you wish your children loved, but they don’t?
(See also: which books have you ruined for your kids with your genuine enthusiasm?)
This may be the only instance in which I implore someone to watch the movie version in order to get into the book. Specifically, the 1994 version with Christian Bale and Winona Ryder.
Oh heck yes, I've watched it many times. I've promised myself (and my 17yo niece) that I won't watch the 2019 Greta Gerwig version until I've actually read the book, once and for all.
The 2019 version was SO GOOD in how it was structured but I will hold my tongue on my thoughts with regard to casting and costumes. And I surprised myself with patriotism, because WHY in this very American story are none of the actresses who play the sisters American? (Saoirse Ronan gets a pass, because I love her.)
My kids are too young, but I know I will have a lot of feelings if they reject Daniel Manus Pinkwater’s books. Gonna try to play it real cool with those...
There are SO MANY! For little kids, The Big Orange Splot is a classic. For older kids, The Snarkout Boys & the Avocado of Death and Lizard Music are classics.
Here is a useful comment from someone on GoodReads: “Daniel Pinkwater is a difficult author to explain to anyone who has not read his books. I once heard him explain that he preferred to be addressed as "Captain Pinkwater" because that's the honorific given to trained lion tamers, and he claimed to be one. With him, it was hard to tell if either the request or the claim were serious, but it makes as much real-world sense as most of his stories. Many of them take place in New Jersey, which has become a weirdness magnet in his tales.” His stories are silly to the point of absurdity and rich in world-building detail, but (as all things) not to everyone’s taste.
Peter Rabbit and anything Beatrix Potter. The original Winnie the Pooh, Now We Are Six, etc. The Wind in the Willows. Edwardian England bores him, I guess.
I've had the experience of thinking he hasn't caught on to something I've read him, only for him to parrot back a passage of the book later on. (Notably, from "Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain" -- "Tears won't help us now.") I was overjoyed when he became obsessed -- OBSESSED -- with The Fire Cat by Esther Averill, to the point that kids at school were calling him Pickles.
"You win some, you lose some" is a great attitude regarding this topic. My kids weren't into Winnie the Pooh for awhile either -- I think I tried when they were too young -- but we finished the first book a few months ago and I was surprised at how much they loved it now (my youngest is turning 6 tomorrow; my oldest is 8.5). I've held back Wind in the Willows for this very reason -- we'll try in a few years.
5-6yo was the sweet spot for Beatrix Potter with my eldest. My youngest doesn't love them as much (though really, she will listen to absolutely anything as long as she can follow the story).
My mom had never mentioned The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe to me but then recommended it to my best friend in elementary school. It took 20 years for the jealousy to wear off so I could finally read it.
Ahh 😌 this is so interesting! Not a book but I loved the Toy Story films and my son thinks they are weird and won’t watch them. We read Dr Seuss which my mum never liked so I only knew as an adult! 😉
This is hilarious and a topic that Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy talked about at her session "Reading Past Bedtime" about inspiring a lifetime love of reading in kids at Bookmarks Book Festival in Winston-Salem, NC this weekend. She talked about her husband coming on too strong with The Lord of the Rings (or was it The Hobbit?) with one of their kids and how he realized his mistake but couldn't stop insisting/raving and they now think that kid will never read the classic, ever, even though they would like it!! Going to TRY to tamp down my enthusiasm for all my favorites, but we'll just have to see...... (I'm thinking of middle grade reads like Ella Enchanged, Tomorrow When the War Began, The Giver, oh and OF COURSE Harry Potter.)
The Boxcar Children was the first book I fell in love with (read to us after recess each afternoon by my 2nd grade teacher), and The Little House on the Prairie series followed soon after (read those on my own). I don’t think any of my kids ever read them even though I kept a copy of each series on the bookshelf “just in case.”
Books my mother ruined for me with her enthusiasm: Farmer Boy and A Wrinkle in Time. I DID like The Moon by Night by Madeleine L’Engle and she got a copy for my sister and me to read with her when we drove cross country for 2 weeks before starting college.
Amelia Bedelia and Pippi Longstocking were both series I loved at 5-6 yo, and my 6 yo hasn’t taken to them. I loved The Baby-sitters Club and I’m interested to see if my 6 yo will like the graphic novel versions that are popular with some of his older friends. He enjoyed the Netflix show and I was surprised how invested he was in sharing that experience with me.
No one ruined A Wrinkle in Time for me, I was just... underwhelmed. To this day, I don't understand why it's so great. (To be clear, I think Madeleine L'Engle is great -- so it's not that.)
My mom and I were looking at a scrapbook I made in 5th grade to interview for a magnet program in middle school (the date on it was FEB 1999) I was interested to read many titles of books I had forgotten but I very clearly remembered both A Wrinkle in Time and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea being books I had to force myself to read 20 pages a month to get through, I didn’t give up on books then but ugh. I had forgotten how much I loved The Alice Series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and I am interested to see if any of the series I loved will be loved by my kids. My 6 yo currently loves graphic novels and he’s not quite ready to engage with the longer chapter books but I love to see him reading independently.
Ahh. You’re really missing a lovely piece of literature in “little women”. It’s one book that I read again and again. I adore the sisterhood of it. AJ
This is what I hear... I even tried to read it earlier this year and couldn't get past the first ten pages. I won't give up.
Yes. To each her own..........
This may be the only instance in which I implore someone to watch the movie version in order to get into the book. Specifically, the 1994 version with Christian Bale and Winona Ryder.
Oh heck yes, I've watched it many times. I've promised myself (and my 17yo niece) that I won't watch the 2019 Greta Gerwig version until I've actually read the book, once and for all.
The 2019 version was SO GOOD in how it was structured but I will hold my tongue on my thoughts with regard to casting and costumes. And I surprised myself with patriotism, because WHY in this very American story are none of the actresses who play the sisters American? (Saoirse Ronan gets a pass, because I love her.)
Colette, you're motivating me... 😉
At least I've done something today!
No matter how hard I try, neither of my kids are interested in the Madeline books 😢
Oh, interesting! My eldest could take Madeline or leave it but my youngest was obsessed for a bit there with Miss Clavel, which we still laugh about.
I’ve got nothing to add to this thread, but I’m excited to follow.
My kids are too young, but I know I will have a lot of feelings if they reject Daniel Manus Pinkwater’s books. Gonna try to play it real cool with those...
I'll admit I am woefully uneducated when it comes to Pinkwater's books... which are your favorites / which do you recommend?
There are SO MANY! For little kids, The Big Orange Splot is a classic. For older kids, The Snarkout Boys & the Avocado of Death and Lizard Music are classics.
The Big Orange Splot is a family favorite. It's nonsensical and hilarious.
Here is a useful comment from someone on GoodReads: “Daniel Pinkwater is a difficult author to explain to anyone who has not read his books. I once heard him explain that he preferred to be addressed as "Captain Pinkwater" because that's the honorific given to trained lion tamers, and he claimed to be one. With him, it was hard to tell if either the request or the claim were serious, but it makes as much real-world sense as most of his stories. Many of them take place in New Jersey, which has become a weirdness magnet in his tales.” His stories are silly to the point of absurdity and rich in world-building detail, but (as all things) not to everyone’s taste.
I'm so intrigued -- thank you!
Whenever I try to read an "award-winning book," my kids are generally meh about them. Unless they are picture books. I find this so interesting.
Very interesting! What's one of the award-winning book they've been "meh" about?
Peter Rabbit and anything Beatrix Potter. The original Winnie the Pooh, Now We Are Six, etc. The Wind in the Willows. Edwardian England bores him, I guess.
I've had the experience of thinking he hasn't caught on to something I've read him, only for him to parrot back a passage of the book later on. (Notably, from "Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain" -- "Tears won't help us now.") I was overjoyed when he became obsessed -- OBSESSED -- with The Fire Cat by Esther Averill, to the point that kids at school were calling him Pickles.
You win some, you lose some.
Oh man, The Fire Cat -- that book was a gift for our first, new to us, and we all LOVE it. Such a great story!
Have you discovered the other Jenny Linsky books? TREASURES, all.
I second this wholeheartedly. Jenny Linksy forever ❤️
"You win some, you lose some" is a great attitude regarding this topic. My kids weren't into Winnie the Pooh for awhile either -- I think I tried when they were too young -- but we finished the first book a few months ago and I was surprised at how much they loved it now (my youngest is turning 6 tomorrow; my oldest is 8.5). I've held back Wind in the Willows for this very reason -- we'll try in a few years.
Good point on timing. I might get more leverage out of naughty Peter Rabbit now.
5-6yo was the sweet spot for Beatrix Potter with my eldest. My youngest doesn't love them as much (though really, she will listen to absolutely anything as long as she can follow the story).
My mom had never mentioned The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe to me but then recommended it to my best friend in elementary school. It took 20 years for the jealousy to wear off so I could finally read it.
Oooh, I like this story (not least because it's something that never occurred to me to be careful about -- thank you!)
Ahh 😌 this is so interesting! Not a book but I loved the Toy Story films and my son thinks they are weird and won’t watch them. We read Dr Seuss which my mum never liked so I only knew as an adult! 😉
Oh yes, movies are a whole category unto themselves.
I tried very hard to get my kids to like “Winnie the Pooh”
This is hilarious and a topic that Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy talked about at her session "Reading Past Bedtime" about inspiring a lifetime love of reading in kids at Bookmarks Book Festival in Winston-Salem, NC this weekend. She talked about her husband coming on too strong with The Lord of the Rings (or was it The Hobbit?) with one of their kids and how he realized his mistake but couldn't stop insisting/raving and they now think that kid will never read the classic, ever, even though they would like it!! Going to TRY to tamp down my enthusiasm for all my favorites, but we'll just have to see...... (I'm thinking of middle grade reads like Ella Enchanged, Tomorrow When the War Began, The Giver, oh and OF COURSE Harry Potter.)
My mom also ruined Lord of the Rings for me, I never read them! I didn’t go to Bookmarks last year, but went this year and I love their panels!
The Boxcar Children was the first book I fell in love with (read to us after recess each afternoon by my 2nd grade teacher), and The Little House on the Prairie series followed soon after (read those on my own). I don’t think any of my kids ever read them even though I kept a copy of each series on the bookshelf “just in case.”
I fell in love with the Boxcar Children too… they’re great for hooking readers into a series.
My first books I could read alone in first grade were The Boxcar Children, they will always be special to me.
Meeee tooooo
Books my mother ruined for me with her enthusiasm: Farmer Boy and A Wrinkle in Time. I DID like The Moon by Night by Madeleine L’Engle and she got a copy for my sister and me to read with her when we drove cross country for 2 weeks before starting college.
Amelia Bedelia and Pippi Longstocking were both series I loved at 5-6 yo, and my 6 yo hasn’t taken to them. I loved The Baby-sitters Club and I’m interested to see if my 6 yo will like the graphic novel versions that are popular with some of his older friends. He enjoyed the Netflix show and I was surprised how invested he was in sharing that experience with me.
No one ruined A Wrinkle in Time for me, I was just... underwhelmed. To this day, I don't understand why it's so great. (To be clear, I think Madeleine L'Engle is great -- so it's not that.)
My mom and I were looking at a scrapbook I made in 5th grade to interview for a magnet program in middle school (the date on it was FEB 1999) I was interested to read many titles of books I had forgotten but I very clearly remembered both A Wrinkle in Time and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea being books I had to force myself to read 20 pages a month to get through, I didn’t give up on books then but ugh. I had forgotten how much I loved The Alice Series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and I am interested to see if any of the series I loved will be loved by my kids. My 6 yo currently loves graphic novels and he’s not quite ready to engage with the longer chapter books but I love to see him reading independently.
I think you and I align on our approaches to our kids' reading lives so I don't really have to tell you that he'll get there when he gets there 🙂