You don't have to make a trip to the bookstore or the library to find great literature; some of the most celebrated masterpieces in children's literature can be found just a few links away!
I grew up reading stories by Kipling, Dickens, and Twain and have been a fan of the genre ever since. Classic children's literature is timeless and contains content suitable for every generation. These are stories that have withstood the test of time and have entertained countless readers over the years.
Who is unfamiliar with classic characters like Oliver Twist, Heidi, and Peter Pan? There are reasons these characters and more the have staying power that has made them a part of our modern culture. In order to truly appreciate these beloved characters, we need to revisit their stories in their original forms. With the availability of public domain and the resources of the internet, reading definitive children's literature is as easy as ever.
This lens includes some of the best websites to find classic children's literature and a list of some of my favorite titles. I hope that with my suggestions you can enjoy and appreciate these wonderful stories as I have.
Children's Literature
- Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
Classic Dickens tale of an orphan boy who faces various social evils. This book also has some terrific dark humor and sarcasm that I really enjoyed. - Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
If you love buccaneers and buried gold like me, then you must read this coming-of-age story that triggered the popular lore on pirates. - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
As a Missourian myself, I can still relate to Tom's boyhood adventures even in modern times. - Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Not just for girls, I think anyone would be captivated by the tale of Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy. - Peter Pan - James Barrie
Even after countless recreations and re-imaginings, I think the original story still stands on its own. - Heidi - Spyri Johanna
The Swiss story should be required reading for all children. Clara learning to walk is definitely inspirational. - The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams
I used to think this story was too sad as a child but now the Velveteen Rabbit is one of my favorite characters. - Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
This book is just as entertaining for adults as it is for children. I'm glad we don't all drive like Mr. Toad! - The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling
The adventure of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is my favorite story in this book - Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery
Some of the best childrens stories are about orphans. I like Anne's lively imagination.
Links to Websites Featuring Children's Literature
- Project Gutenberg
- Project Gutenberg is a website where you can find over 18,000 free books in their online library. It is the largest single collection of free electronic books online and is constantly growing as more books enter the public domain.
- SearchLit.org
- With so many choices available, it helps that there are websites that can give some direction and ideas to finding the perfect story for teachers and students. Searchlit.org is a literacy portal that points to a vast collection of eTexts and other educational sites. All the works of literature contain supplementary links that are hand-picked by SearchLit experts to enhance the understanding of the stories. This is a terrific site for students and an invaluable valuable tool for teachers. Probably the best literacy and education portal on the net.
- Children's Books Online
- a wonderful resource intended to be a free online library for such antique children's books. The site contains scanned pages from hundreds of children's books including all the original illustrations.
Website Reviews
- Baldwin Online - Website Review
- "While Brian Jacques and JK Rawling may be popular authors of children's books today, just a few generations ago children were reading books by James Baldwin and Andrew Lang. The Baldwin Online Children's Literature Project is an effort to preserve such classic children's literature and make it readily available to people today. . . " Read More
- Children's Books Online - Website Review
- "Have you ever been digging around in your grandmother's attic or at a garage sale and stumbled across a forgotten antique children's book? Wiping away the dust, maybe you wondered what becomes of such relics when all memories of them become swallowed up in time. Children's Books Online: the Rosetta Project, Inc. is a wonderful resource intended to be a free online library for such antique children's books. . . " Read More
- Public Domain Explained
- "Classic characters and icons like Santa Claus and Uncle Sam are household names that have have appeared in countless works of art. They do not belong to a single original author but have become part of our public domain - the body of knowledge and innovation in which no person or legal entity can have proprietary interests. Books that have had their copyrights expire become part of our cultural and intellectual heritage which anyone can use for commercial or non-commercial purposes. . . " Read More
- Project Gutenberg - Website Review
- "In 1447, Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press, allowing books to be copied and distributed at significantly reduced efforts and thus ushering in an era where books were widely available to the public. In 1971, Micheal Hart started Project Gutenberg, an endeavor to collect, save, and distribute cultural works as electronic texts, when he realized that anything that could be digitized on a computer could be replicated effortlessly and distributed freely to anyone who has access. Since then, the Project Gutenberg database has grown to contain over 18,000 etexts with an average of fifty new books added every week, making it the largest collection of etexts available. . . " Read More
Reader Feedback
Have an idea? A suggestion? A complement? Leave us a message here!
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littleliz
What a wonderful resource this lense is. Thank you ^__^ I shall enjoy delving into the books. Unfortunatley I have deleted my lense on the creation of a childrens book but if I decide to recreate it I will certainly contact you with regards the childrens book group. Posted August 28, 2006 |
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boredofeducation
I'm helping launch SquidooGroups by creating a group "Childrens Books." I would like to add your lens if possible. . . Posted August 21, 2006 |
