Reimagining Classic Tales for Children - A Reading Guide

Have you ever wanted to introduce your pre-teen child to some of the classic literature that has entranced us over the years?  Do you have a range of reading abilities in your Year 5/6 class and want some ideas for running a classic literature unit?  Are you a kid sick of the same old series and wanting something new to read?  If so, then this reading guide is for you.

THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I fell in love with the world of Mary Lennox when my father read the book to me as a child, then as a teenager the 1993 film, starring the wonderful Maggie Smith as Mrs Medlock, was released - just gorgeous!

Now a film released in 2020 has rekindled interest in the book.  You can watch the trailer here:

As a first introduction to the book that still uses the original language if in a slightly simplified form is this gorgeously illustrated picture book.

Freedman, C. (2020). The secret garden. (S. Davidson, Illus.). Puffin.

Mary Lennox is sent to live with her uncle, Lord Craven, at Misselthwaite Manor as an orphan from India, after her family is wiped out by a terrible fever.  He is often away, and she is left under the care of the housekeeper, Mrs Medlock.  As she explores, she discovers her sick cousin, Colin, hidden away inside the mansion and a secret garden full of magic.  Can she bring the garden back to life and with it bring a young boy and his father back together?  The illustrations are beautiful with a full fold out spread at the end.

Another recent version of this book with mousified language, crazy graphics, and beautifully detailed illustrations, is the Geronimo Stilton adaptation as part of the Classic Tales series:

Stilton, G. (2018). The secret garden. (E. Clement, Trans.). Scholastic. (Original work published 2012).

"Burnett wrote many books, including The Little Princess and The Secret Garden.  She wrote about social problems, but she also told romantic stories that captivated readers young and old.  Her books dealt life's difficulties, the strength of nature, and love as a way to understand the world. (Stilton, 2018).

Geronimo Stilton has consistently won over reluctant readers with his highly illustrated novels and graphics reminiscent of cartoons.  My own children loved his books and donated several series to the school library. 

Both books were available from my local library.  I also found on Libby, the eLibrary app, a full cast dramatisation of The Secret Garden by BBC Children's Classics (2006) published by AudioGO Ltd, available as an audiobook if you would like to listen to the original story.

If you are looking for free resources to use when working with The Secret Garden, education.com

has free worksheets for reading comprehension, characters profiles and the role of setting in the book.

Now, it is time to enter the world of...

SHERLOCK HOLMES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes - the name has become synonymous with a quirky, deep-thinking detective and his sidekick, and has inspired many adaptations of his stories.  The wonderful Sherlock Holmes film (2009), starring Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law.  The marvellous British TV series Sherlock (2010), starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.  And, the Enola Holmes Mysteries (2006-2021) by Nancy Springer which inspired two movies of the same name in 2020 and 2022.

But who wrote Sherlock Holmes?  What do we know about him?

Bailey, L. (2023). Arthur who wrote Sherlock. (I. Follath, Illus). Anderson Press

Linda Bailey was fascinated by the images of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, of a "walrus-moustached Victorian gentleman" (2023, author's note) and the story of how he killed off his famous detective.  This beautiful picture book explores the life of Arthur from his early days of his mother telling fantastical stories, through his school days, and his working life before Sherlock.  Then, the love/hate relationship with his detective and his stories takes over.  Will Arthur kill off his detective for good, or will he come to an arrangement that suits them both?  Isabelle Follath's illustrations capture the essence of a Victorian fascination with the exotic so beautifully.

Sweet Cherry Publishing - as part of their Easy Classics series - have produced a whole suite of Sherlock Holmes stories.  The one that I found at my local library was The Blue Carbuncle.

Doyle, A.C. (2019). The blue carbuncle. (Adapted by S. Baudet). Sweet Cherry Publishing.

A valuable jewel, the Blue Carbuncle, has been stolen.  In trying to reunite a Christmas dinner and its owner, Sherlock comes across the missing diamond and must race against time to solve the case and save an innocent man's life.

The black and white line drawings throughout the book capture the mystery and the facial expressions of the characters.  What is even better is that Sweet Cherry Publishing include a QR code for a free audiobook inside the front cover.  And here they offer teaching resources such as vocabulary lists, plot sequencing, comprehension questions, and diary writing for some of the Sherlock books - including this one.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Now let's move back in time to the 1600's when a man known as William Shakespeare was writing plays - drama, tragedies, comedies.

Walker Books, together with illustrator Becca Stadlander, have produced a gorgeous book - Bold and Brave Women from Shakespeare.

Walker Books. (2020). Bold and brave women from Shakespeare. (B. Stadlander, Illus.). Walker Books.

Twelve of the women of Shakespeare's stories are celebrated in this richly illustrated guide.  From the ambitious Lady Macbeth, the rebellious Juliet, the majestic Cleopatra, and the battle-ready Margaret of Anjou (Walker Books, 2020).  

One of my favourite Shakespeare stories is Macbeth.  It is a tragic tale of ambition and madness.  Macbeth is prophesied to become King of Scotland by three witches.  Through the process of killing the current king and trying to install her husband on the throne, Lady Macbeth spirals into madness, sleepwalking about the castle, trying to remove the bloodstains from her hands.  One of my favourite adaptations that I read as a teenager was from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, Wyrd Sisters (1989), but it is a book for older teenagers to adults.

One of the best ways to introduce kids to MacBeth is the witch's scene - who doesn't love, "Double, double, toil and trouble."  The Folger Shakespeare Library has a free PDF version of Round the Cauldron from Macbeth in the original play form here.  This one is great to do with a class of students as everyone can get into the spirit with the accompanying sound effects.

Folger Shakespeare Library has some great resources under their Shakespeare for kids which you can access for free by clicking the link.  There are Shakespearean insults and compliments, try your hand at Shakespeare, tips on seeing your first Shakespeare play, colouring pages, and Shakespeare for teens.

ANCIENT MYTHS AND LEGENDS 

If we move even further back in history - let's say nearly 3000 years - we come across Homer who is supposed to have written the Iliad and the Odyssey, poems of epic quests handed down orally and finally written down in the late 8th or early 7th century BCE.  One of the legends mentioned in the Iliad is that of Athena - the Greek goddess of war.

From the creative team of Imogen (author) and Isabel (illustrator) Greenburg comes Athena, the story of a goddess.

Greenberg, I. (2018). Athena, the story of a goddess. (I. Greenberg, Illus.). Bloomsbury.

This is a graphic novel/illustrated picture book at its finest.  Isabel Greenberg has used a limited colour palette (as shown above) to great effect, to bring the stories of the adventurous goddess to life.  From battling Poseidon for the right to the city of Athens, helping Perseus defeat Medusa, and turning Arachnae into a spider in revenge for losing a contest to her, Athena had many clever ways to fight back against those who dared to cross her path.

Another book that looks at myths and legends from all around the world - including Ancient Greece - from the Dorling Kindersley range, is Myths, Legends & Sacred Stories - a children's encyclopedia from 2019.

Wilkinson, P. (2109). Myths, legends & sacred stories - a children's encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley.

This book is full of beautiful photos of artworks, pottery, and classical frescos, carvings, statues, and gorgeous illustrations from all around the world.  

The first section is Europe - from the gods and goddesses (including Athena) from Ancient Greece to the Norse myths that have inspired so many Marvel movies.  

The second section covers myths for China, Japan, and the Indian subcontinent.  These stories are some of the oldest in the world, dating back 5000 years.  The oldest epic poem, and earliest surviving world of literature is The Epic of Gilgamesh.  This story is covered in detail, in an easy-to-understand way for everyone.  

The next section is from Africa, stories of Egyptian gods and goddesses, and the story of /Kaggen (not a mistype – it really does have a slash at the beginning!) and the world tree from southern Africa.

The fourth section has myths from the Americas - the Aztecs, the Mayans, and the Incans.  Bizarre creatures, lively creatures and gods and goddesses that control everything from the weather to farming.

And finally, Oceania.  Sacred stories from Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, including the stories of Maui's feats.  Maui was the main character in the 2016 Disney film Moana.

HAVING FUN EXPLORING THE STORIES

The next two books are not classic tales in their own right - but what you do with them may be.  The first uses something that is found in nearly every household or classroom - LEGO!!

Pagano, D. & Pickett, D. (2017). The LEGO animation book: Make you own LEGO movies! William Pollock

This fantastic book teaches you how to take LEGO from bits on a tray and turn them into unique characters and sets. It then takes you through basic animation techniques from miniscule movements, to walking, and complex motions.  It teaches you how to film, how to edit, postproduction, and how to produce a fabulous story.

It would be a wonderful adjunct to any unit on classic literature to be able to produce a scene from the story in an animated LEGO movie.  Check out what LEGO did with the tale of Red Riding Hood.

My second book for this section is from 3dtotal Publishing.

3dtotal Publishing. (2015). Beginners guide to sketching: characters, creatures & concepts. 3dtotal Publishing.

This book allows you to fully explore drawing from fundamental techniques to sketching in colour.  Check out this fantastical creation from page 60.

Kangahorse from Beginners guide to sketching: characters, creatures & concepts.

The book guides you through designing an environment, illustrating and composing a scene, and bringing it all together, with lots of individual projects to practice techniques on.

Another wonderful idea to fully explore the characters in classic tales.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

These final two books came to my attention as worthy of a mention.  They are slightly longer reads and the second is a slightly more challenging read, suitable for the more advanced reader or those wanting a challenge.

Firstly, Treasure Island.

Stevenson, R.L. (2021). Treasure island. (Abridged by L. Courtney: J. Noel, Illus.). Egmont.

I love this story, I used to listen to it being read on vinyl record when I was little.  Although the book has been abridged, the language has not been modified and it still retains the wonderful flow.  Jack Noel's doodles and illustrations add interest and kept me reading till the very end.

Secondly, Following Frankenstein.

Bruton, K. (2021). Following Frankenstein. Nosy Crow

 

This is not the original story; this is the story of Maggie and her father.  Her father is Captain Walton of the original Frankenstein novel, who has dedicated his life to hunting down the monster that Victor Frankenstein created.  It has cost the family everything and now he is off on one last journey to the Arctic with Maggie in tow on the ship of the mysterious Count Florenzo.  Although this is a recent tale, the language is reminiscent of the original 1818 story.

I hope this reading guide has given you some ideas of the wonderful ways that authors are reimagining the classic tales to introduce a whole new generation of children to their magic.