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| Harvey Cheyne Jr. is pulled into a fishing dory (Wikimedia) |
Note: Rudyard Kipling is famous for stories in exotic settings--India, for example. But this one happens mainly off the coast of Canada and New England!
Get Ready: Within reason, do you think children should be given anything they ask for, and allowed to do anything they want to? Why or why not?
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| Hans and Gretel skating (Wikimedia) |
Note: Mary Mapes Dodge's book is a wonder in many ways: an accurate portrayal of a country she had never seen, and a made-up "legend" that even people of that country believe!
Get Ready: What would you be willing to give up to see another person, perhaps a sister or brother, be successful?
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| Cover of the first edition (in Norwegian) (Wikipedia) |
Note: When it was first published, this philosophy text disguised as a young adult mystery story took the world by storm. Give it a try and see if you like it!
Get Ready: Have you ever studied philosophy? did you find it interesting, or boring?
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| Elsie Leslie Lyde as Little Lord Fauntleroy, painted by William Merritt Chase (Wikiart) |
Note: To a certain generation of Americans, "Little Lord Fauntleroy" inspired a way of dress; for the next, he inspired ridicule.
Get Ready: Is there a past fad in clothing or hairstyle that today is commonly made fun of?
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| Mary Poppins and the children by illustrator Mary Shepard in the first volume (1934) (Wikipedia) |
Note: The popular films about the "magical" Mary Poppins are based on a series of books about a woman who may actually be a witch!
Get Ready: How important is imagination (and fun!) in getting a job done, even a daily task like tidying up a room?
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| Covers of the books in the trilogy (Wikipedia) |
Note: Most people know the "big famous" series of Young Adult books, but there are so many more. Here's a good one.
Get Ready: What's your favorite series of books? The Lord of the Rings? Captain Underpants?
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| Robin Hood meets Little John (Wikipedia) |
Note: How the famous outlaw met his "right-hand man."
Get Ready: Do you have any friends who were at first rivals, and only became friends later?
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| Rikki faces Nag (Gutenberg) |
Note: This story was included in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book; it is another example of the author's keen observations of interactions between the animals of India.
Get Ready: Have you ever had an unusual pet? Or do you know anyone who has? What was it like?
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| Gorman reciting "The Hill We Climb" at Joe Biden's inauguration (Wikipedia) |
Note: Amanda Gorman, a 22-year-old from Los Angeles, rocketed to national fame when she read a poem she composed at the presidential inauguration in January, 2022.
Get Ready: Do you like to read poetry? Have you ever written your own poems?
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| "Let him in!" (Gutenberg) |
Note: Less well-known than Twain's other works--but still popular--this simple "switching places" story becomes a vehicle for Twain to examine ideas of social justice.
Get Ready: Have you ever met someone who looks almost exactly like you? Do you think such a person is out there?
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| "From that moment Bill's spirit was broken" (Wikipedia) |
Note: "O. Henry" is famous for his surprise endings; this story features one of the best!
Get Ready: Have you ever had to deal with a difficult child? How did he or she behave? How did you deal with it?
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| Tom tricks friends into whitewashing the fence (from a U.S. Postage stamp) (Wikipedia) |
Note: Mark Twain introduced his character Huckleberry Finn in this previous book, about Huck's friend Tom Sawyer.
Get Ready: How did you spend your childhood? Were you able to run about the neighborhood freely, or did you mostly stay inside? Which would you prefer?
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| Kim and the Lama (Wikipedia) |
Note: Kim is a cracking good adventure story, as well as an accurate description of the situation in India around the turn of the 20th century and the "Great Game" between Great Britain and Russia for dominance of Afghanistan and neighboring territories.
Get Ready: Are you familiar with the political situation in Afghanistan today? It has been a hotspot since (at least) the 19th century.
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| Cover of a book about Catcher (Wikipedia) |
Note: Many American high school students are required to read J.D. Salinger's 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye. Though dealing with complex issues of adolescence, it has found a spot on many recent surveys of adult readers favorites.
Get Ready: If you are an adult: Did you find adolescence to be easy, or traumatic? If you are a teen: Do you feel comfortable with your life, the physical and social changes you are experiencing, etc.?
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| Mowgli made leader of the Bandar-log (Monkeys) (Wikipedia) |
Note: Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book stories explore the boundaries between law and freedom, nature and civilization. And they're darned good reading!
Get Ready: Who do you think has an easier life: humans in a town or city, or animals in the wild? Why do you think so?
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| Peter plays the pipes in Neverland. (Wikipedia) |
Note: Peter Pan, the boy who won't grow up, comes to the Darling's house and whisks away Wendy and her brothers to Never Land.
Get Ready: Peter Pan's author put pirates and "red Indians" in Never Land. If you were writing the book today, what sorts of people (or animals, or robots, etc.) would you put there?
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| Alice takes a sip (Wikipedia) |
Note: Alice's adventure begins when she goes "down the rabbit hole"--and ends up in Wonderland! Join her on her absurd journey.
Get Ready: What's the strangest thing you ever did in a dream: fly? get larger or smaller? meet talking animals?
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| Anne whacks Gilbert in the classroom (Wikipedia) |
Note: Anne, an orphan girl, is adopted by elderly siblings Marilla and Matthew, and blossoms in her life at Green Gables Farm.
Get Ready: What are the pluses and minuses of adopting a child, or of being an adopted child?
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| The Little Prince on his asteroid (Wikipedia) |
Note: An aviator downed in the Sahara learns lessons about what's important from a little boy visiting from Asteroid B 612.
Get Ready: Which do you think are more important: the things we can see, or the things we can't? Why do you think so?
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| Charlotte, Fern, Wilbur, and the others (Wikipedia) |
Note: Who's more terrific, a spider that can weave letters, or the pig she praises? Join Fern's conspiracy to save Wilbur the "runt"!
Get Ready: Have you ever thought what it means to take the life of an animal and turn it into food? It's like eating a pet, isn't it?
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