10 Literary Classics for your Kids

Are you a parent who is passionate about raising book lovers? We wouldn’t be surprised, knowing that reading has proven brain-boosting benefits, and simply because it’s fun.  

When your little bookworms have outgrown The Cat in the Hat, The Wild Things, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, why not get them started on the classics? Start stocking your kids’ shelves with these titles now. Get the children’s illustrated versions; after all, for kids to develop true love for reading, they should genuinely enjoy the experience.

Here’s to many merry reading adventures (and life lessons, too)!  

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

In a nutshell: More mischievous and adventurous than a normal boy, Tom becomes his town’s unlikely hero – and grows up along the way.  
Why read it: Tom’s (mis)adventures can inspire your gadget-gaga kids to play outside more often.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

In a nutshell: A modern Yankee, Hank Morgan finds himself back in time and tries to modernize the medieval, with hilarious results.  
Why read it: This funny (but surely not silly) novel can help your kids appreciate the technology we all seem to take for granted.

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The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

In a nutshell: In this classic tale of switcheroo, the pauper Tom Canty and the prince Edward meet one day and decide to change places.
Why read it: This novel can help your kids to become socially aware at a young age.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

In a nutshell: Super sleuth Sherlock Holmes cracks the case of the spectral hound that’s harassing the Baskerville family.
Why read it: Your inquisitive kiddos just might find a new hero in the genius Holmes.

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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

In a nutshell: This collection of stories sees Holmes solving different mysteries surrounding a league of redheads, a so-called speckled band, and more.  
Why read it: If your kids have gotten hooked on Holmes, make them read this book, stat!

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

In a nutshell: Phileas Fogg, a wealthy but bored Englishman, bets that he can travel around the world in just eighty days (think Amazing Race).  
Why read it: Kids who are bitten by the travel bug will enjoy the ride!

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A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

In a nutshell: The intrepid Professor Lidenbrock goes literally underground and travels to the center of the earth, where he finds larger-than-life forms of life.
Why read it: Your budding scientists may not learn facts from this novel, but it will surely inspire them to stay curious and fearless in the pursuit of knowledge.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

In a nutshell: Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserable old miser, learns a very important lesson…taught by three ghosts.
Why read it: It’s a Christmas classic!  It teaches your kids that the real meaning of Christmas is in sharing your blessings.

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Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

In a nutshell: Oliver, a poor orphan, runs away and finds himself in the wrong crowd…and eventually in a loving family.
Why read it: Letting your kids read this is one way to slowly open their eyes to the “real world,” where poverty is pervasive – especially in our country.

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

In a nutshell: One of the first and finest sci-fi novels that deals with an alien invasion. Will the Martians prevail?
Why read it: This novel can trigger kids to think about the myriad possibilities of life elsewhere in the universe (the aliens don’t have to be evil).

Photo credits: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, The Prince and the Pauper, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Around the World in Eighty Days, A Journey to the Center of the Earth, A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, The War of the Worlds, kid reading