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30.2 - PJ Read's Task - As Suggested By Shannon South Africa - For The Children
The Summer Challenge starts on 1 June, and 1 June 2010 is International Children's Day.
A.Read a children’s classic book (EXAMPLE: Peter Pan) AND either pass it on, or recommend it to a child (give details when you claim your points).
AND
B. Read any book where a child is the main character. (EXAMPLE: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie)
Both books must be at least 100 pages.

If you need suggestions OR have suggestions for books to read for this task post them here.

Suggestions for Part B:

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Dead Fathers Club
The Catcher in the Rye
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
The Lovely Bones
Peace Like a River
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Little Friend
Me & Emma
Black Swan Green: A Novel
Ellen Foster
Me & Emma

to clarify- for part A- pass it on to a child or pass it on to anyone?

Thanks!

Worst case scenario, you can always recommend it to one of my girls. :o)

Cait wrote: "Worst case scenario, you can always recommend it to one of my girls. :o)"
Have I mentioned you are a lifesaver. And yes, I am still lurking about when I should be SLEEPING!

Haha, go to bed! ;oP

Also for part B
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Also to clarify for part B- should it be an adult book with a child narrator?

I was wondering if Harriet the Spy would work. I loved that book to death when I was a kid.

Nicole wrote: "Also to clarify for part B- should it be an adult book with a child narrator?

I was wondering if Harriet the Spy would work. I loved that book to death when I was a kid."

If it doesn't work, you could read it for the spy/espionage task. :oD

Cait wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Also to clarify for part B- should it be an adult book with a child narrator?

I was wondering if Harriet the Spy would work. I loved that book to death when I was a ki..."
Do you think that would count? I would so rather read that than your more traditional spy novels.

Some more ideas for Part B:
The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
The Book of Bright Ideas
The Stolen Child
The God of Animals

I am planning on reading Half Magic for part A and The Owl Service for part B

Would a coming of age book work for part B? For example, would She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb (main character is 13) or Uglies by Scott Westerfield (main character is about to turn 16) work?

Would Roald Dahl work as an author of children's classics?

Nicole wrote: "to clarify- for part A- pass it on to a child or pass it on to anyone?

Thanks!"
Hi Nicole, pass it on to a child.

Nicole wrote: "Also to clarify for part B- should it be an adult book with a child narrator?

I was wondering if Harriet the Spy would work. I loved that book to death when I was a kid."

Hi Nicole, yes that works

Kristi (Passion for the Page) wrote: "Would a coming of age book work for part B? For example, would She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb (main character is 13) or Uglies by Scott Westerfield (main character is abou..."

Hi Kristi, age 13 and younger is good, so "yes" to She's Come Undone, "no" to Uglies.

Beth(MN) wrote: "Would Roald Dahl work as an author of children's classics?"
Hi Beth, Roald Dahl works.

Thanks, Shannon!

Question, would The Lightning Thief work or is Percy Jackson too old to be considered a child. I have no idea how old he is suppose to be as I have never read the book...

I'm considering:
A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Half Magic by Edward Edgar
Would they work? If not, I'll read one by Roald Dahl. Thanks!

For Part A, what would you consider a children's classic? Are you looking at older books, common/popular books among kids...?

Julia wrote: "Question, would The Lightning Thief work or is Percy Jackson too old to be considered a child. I have no idea how old he is suppose to be as I have never read the book..."

At the start of the Lightning Thief he is 12 years old. In the movie they made him older but the book states 12.

yes! I need to finish the the 5th and 7th book of Chronicles of Narnia.

Hi everyone, several answers:

I would like the classics to be "older" books, published more than 40 years ago, i.e. before 1970, so:

A Traveller in Time (1939) works for A
Half Magic (1954) works for A
Chronicles of Narnia (1950s) works for A
Wrinkle in Time (1960s) works for A

The Lightning Thief (2005) doesn't work for A but does work for B

(Note that any classic would also work for B)

Hope this helps!

Half Magic is 1954 for those who wanted to use it! Half Magic

I plan on reading:
A. Little Women
B. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Shannon, do all Newbery winners (pre-1970) count as children's classics?

Here's a pretty good list for children's classic literature...



I think the Young Teen column might be too old??

Hi BJ Rose, my interpretation of a children's classic is that it's "stood the test of time", which I don't think a Newbery winner necessarily has. I would prefer books that appear in "children's classics" lists.

Hi Tanja, that's a great list, thank you. I agree that the Young Teen column would be too old.

Shannon wrote: "Hi BJ Rose, my interpretation of a children's classic is that it's "stood the test of time", which I don't think a Newbery winner necessarily has. I would prefer books that appear in "children's c..."

So, sounds like a lot of books are going to be on a "case by case" basis. How about the various Ramona/Henry Huggins books by Beverly Cleary and The Phantom Tollbooth?

Also, I assume that it doesn't have to be passed along to one specific child? I don't have any small children in my life right now, but my daughter is a 5th grade teacher, so I've asked her to list some books she'd like for her classroom library, so I can read it, then send it to her for many children to enjoy.

Just checking ... The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips - the main character is a 9 year old girl so it should work for the second part of this task?

Fantastic Mr. Fox looks good but the GR lists their version at 96 pages. Maybe others have versions which are 100+.

Hi Sandy, Beverly Cleary and The Phantom Tollbooth would work for B, but not A.

Hi Suzie R, The Well and the Mine would work for B.

Hi Tanja, my version only has 83 pages! If you find a version with 100+ pages, it would certainly work for A!

Shannon wrote: "Hi Sandy, Beverly Cleary and The Phantom Tollbooth would work for B, but not A.

OK, I guess I'm really confused about the criteria for this task now - do you have any list that works for this, or should we submit every book individually for approval?

I've found The Phantom Tollbooth on several lists of classic children's books, for ages 10-12. For instance, . It was also listed on the NEA Teacher's Top 100 books list that was mentioned in Task 20.5 in the Spring Challenge. It was published in 1961, so it seems to fit the age limit as well.

The Henry Huggins books by Beverly Cleary were all published in the 50's and 60's. They're also listed on a number of "children's classics" lists, including the one the link was given for in post 30.

I don't really understand why these books don't work for part A, so I'm finding it difficult to determine what books would work, unless they have been mentioned specifically in this thread.

For part b would Kieron Smith, boy work? I can't seem to find an age for the boy.

Sandy wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Hi Sandy, Beverly Cleary and The Phantom Tollbooth would work for B, but not A.

OK, I guess I'm really confused about the criteria for this task now - do you have any list that w..."

Hi Sandy, I really don't mean to create any confusion or difficulty! I will revise my criteria: as long as a book is on a list of "children's classics" and was published before 1970, it will be acceptable for part A.

Jennifer N. wrote: "For part b would Kieron Smith, boy work? I can't seem to find an age for the boy."

Hi Jennifer N, from the synopsis on GR, "Kieron grows from age five to early adolescence .." so yes, it works for part B (looks good, too).

Sandy wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Hi Sandy, Beverly Cleary and The Phantom Tollbooth would work for B, but not A.

OK, I guess I'm really confused about the criteria for this task now - do you have any list that w..."

Hi Sandy, apologies, I really don't mean to create confusion or difficulty! I'll revise my criteria: as long as a book appears on a list of "children's classics" and was published before 1970, it will work for part A. Hope that helps!

Shannon wrote: " I'll revise my criteria: as long as a book appears on a list of "children's classics" and was published before 1970, it will work for part A. Hope that helps! ..."

That does help, Shannon - this will make it much easier to determine whether a book fits or not. Thanks!

I'm a little confused and looking for clarification. Would The Secret Garden work for Part A?

Rebecca - I'd imagine so!

Rebecca wrote: "I'm a little confused and looking for clarification. Would The Secret Garden work for Part A?"

It's listed under Classic Literature For Children on the page Tanya linked in message 29 & Shannon approved in message 30. Also, it was first published in 1910, plenty old enough.

Thanks guys - I completely missed the link posted earlier.

Hi Rebecca, yes, The Secret Garden works for part A.

I found something like this


And what about"Stories" Hans Christian Andersen or "The children of noisy village" Astrid Lindgren for part A

How about The Jungle Books? Or Anne of Green Gables! Love both of these as a kid!

Aleksandra wrote: "I found something like this


And what about"Stories" Hans Christian Andersen or "The children of noisy village" Astrid Lindgren fo..."

Good list Aleksandra (amazing that Ivanhoe is classed as a children's classic!). Hans Christian Andersen and The Children of Noisy village work for part A.

Leigh Ann wrote: "How about The Jungle Books? Or Anne of Green Gables! Love both of these as a kid!"

Hi Leigh Ann, yes, both work.

Just wanted to let everyone know that this task is now worth 30 points!

Cynthia wrote: "Just wanted to let everyone know that this task is now worth 30 points!"

Yay! And this is one I'm really looking forward to!