According to a Washington Post survey, kids still prefer to read the classics when given the choice.
Children have welcomed the Harry Potter books in recent years like free ice cream in the cafeteria, but the largest survey ever of youthful reading in the United States revealed today that none of J.K. Rowling’s phenomenally popular books has been able to dislodge the works of longtime favorites Dr. Seuss, E.B. White, Judy Blume, S.E. Hinton and Harper Lee as the most read.
I remember reading many of these authors when I was growing up and I also read them to my classes when I was a teacher. There’s something special about kids and these classics that go together like green eggs and ham. They never seem to get old as they transcend generations and continue to be young kids’ favorites. It’s nice to see the cycle created by great writing and comforting stories. It’s also pretty cool to know that we’re not too old to relate to something our kids like!
In honor of these cool findings I’d like to share my top favorite books from some of these classic authors. Here they are in no particular order:
Dr. Suess’s There’s a Wocket in My Pocket: I actually didn’t know how to speak English when I was first introduced to this book (2nd grade), but I remember how much I loved the silly creatures and the way the words sounded. I still smile when I read this book as an adult for the same reasons.
E.B. White’s Charlette’s Web: I think this book will always be a favorite! I never thought I’d care so much about a spider…or a rat.
Judy Blume’s Freckle Juice: This was a tough choice for me because I have a couple of other favorites (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and SuperFudge), but this one won out because I made the most connections with it. I always wanted freckles because my mom and siblings had them and I didn’t have any! So it was easy for me to relate with Andrew’s fervent desire for these spots.
Maybe you can share them with your child (if you haven’t already) and keep the cycle going!