DS(YS)11 devoured every book he could get his hands on VERY early. He wanted to read the classics, and I let him read the adaptations. He thoroughly enjoyed many of those stories and now has chosen to read many/most of the unabridged versions of those same classics. He has become a snob about reading anything abridged because he says the original versions are so much better. Reading a kid's version hasn't prevented them from wanting to read the original. It's actually been the opposite for us.

I wasn't sure whether it was a good or bad thing several years ago either, but both my boys seem to like reading books they enjoy over and over anyway. (DS claims he read the entire HP series at least 20-something times).

I just asked DS and he would recommend "Great Illustrated Classics" series published by Playmore/Waldman. In that series, he recalls liking Ivanhoe, Three Musketeers, Call of the Wild, The Man in the Iron Mask, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Journey to the Center of the Earth. He also said the "Classic Starts" series from Sterling was better, but says it's harder and without illustration. He remembers reading that version of White Fang.

HTH

Last edited by Mama22Gs; 07/30/13 05:59 PM. Reason: Asked DS for input