Teenagers nowadays and classic books.

[Rob Houghton]

I've read most of Dickens' novels in my time, some more than once such as David Copperfield, my favourite. But the books I always return to are those by Enid, Malcolm Saville, the Bunter books by Frank Richards and the Jennings books by Anthony Buckeridge. These are classic authors to me.

I need to read more of all of these you mention! I've only read maybe one or two of most - and no Bunter books.

Another children's author I think of as writing classic books is E Nesbit. I've read most of her best-known books - and definitely consider The Railway Children and The Enchanted Castle as classics.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, I read a lot of E. Nesbit too. She was my favourite author after Enid Blyton and I still love her work. Other books that could be said to be classics are C. S. Lewis's Narnia books, Noel Streatfield's Ballet Shoes, Mary Norton's The Borrowers and Philippa Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden.

Some titles that were new or fairly recently published when I was a child have since come to be regarded as classics, e.g. Stig of the Dump by Clive King, Carrie's War by Nina Bawden, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian.

[timv]

I read a lot of 'classics' as a teenager (and a few earlier), but I suspect I wouldn't have done so with some of them if they hadn't been either 'set books' at school (eg Joseph Conrad, Charles Dickens) or on TV with adaptations at the relevant moment (eg the BBC's 'War and Peace' with Anthony Hopkins in 1972 or the Trollope 'Palliser' novels with Susan Hampshire in 1974). I did go on to read more Trollope after that, and independently of school and TV had already read most of the Bronte novels and almost all of Jane Austen. I read 'Jane Eyre' aged ten after our class were taken to see the atmospheric 1930s? film of this, and preferred Anne's and Charlotte's plots but thought Emily had the more soaring imagination despite her unlikely plot twists (such as why Heathcliffe died when he did). Nowadays I think we can underestimate the sheer newness of the Brontes' creations of the genre of romantic Northern novels at the time; most pre-1800 novels were 'mannered' and meticulously crafted, by men and from a relatively prosperous and Southern UK background.

As I've said, I had difficulties with the length and comic caricatures in some Dickens novels, though I liked David Copperfield and Great Expectations. I also read most of the children's 'classics' as a child, starting with E Nesbit (and some L M Montgomery as one of my schools had started as a girls' school in the 1930s and kept on their library). I was also familiar with JRR Tolkien and C S Lewis, as a contrast to Monica Edwards and the Pullein-Thompson sisters' pony books (and 'My Friend Flicka'). The only pre-Austen classics I was familiar with until my teens were Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Swift's Gullivers' Travels (the latter in a sanitised and less harshly satirical version, and I didn't then realise it started as satire!) Notably, when I was at school we very rarely did any modern classics, except D H Lawrence and John Wyndham - Harper Lee and Maya Angelou were unheard of in the 1970s UK curriculum, though fashionable later.

[Rob Houghton]

Most of the classics I've read - both adults and childrens, I was inspired to read because of films and TV. I read The Railway Children because of the film, and also Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmations, Tom's Midnight Garden, the Children of Green Knowe, etc. After I'd first watched The Enchanted Castle on BBC as a child, I read the book - which has remained a firm favourite ever since.

I recently acquired the BBC children's TV version of The Enchanted Castle - and although parts of it were as good as I remembered, I was slightly disappointed. Special effects have come a long way since the 1970's! It was good to see it again though.

[Stephen]

I've usually steered well clear of classics, but I've recently got into Jules Verne, and to a lesser extent H. G. Wells. The thought of some dreary love affair in Yorkshire from hundreds of years ago wouldn't really appeal to me in the slightest, but there is something genuinely entertaining about the almost comical fantasy of Nineteenth Century science fiction.

Most of the classics I've read - both adults and childrens, I was inspired to read because of films and TV. I read The Railway Children because of the film,

The only two Dickens I've read (and to be fair rather enjoyed) were A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist - both of which have handy musicals to help! As for The Railway Children, it's been on my To Read list for quite a while now. I've started The Enchanted Castle a couple of times, but never got round to finishing it.

I recently acquired the BBC children's TV version of The Enchanted Castle - and although parts of it were as good as I remembered, I was slightly disappointed. Special effects have come a long way since the 1970's! It was good to see it again though.

I remember being absolutely terrified by this - especially the Ugly Wuglies! But I saw it again a few years ago, and it was a big disappointment.

[Courtenay]

I definitely read a lot of the children's classics when I was little — the Narnia books, Tolkien, The Secret Garden, Heidi, The Railway Children and several others by E. Nesbit, Tom's Midnight Garden, Stig of the Dump and probably quite a few others. I tended to steer away from "grown-up" books, though, figuring they'd be too dark and dreary — I determinedly didn't want to grow up. I still largely haven't.

[sixret]

I have 40 plus titles of children classics in Great Illustrated Classics series. I need 20 more titles to complete my collection. They are easy to get in Malaysia. Hope they are qualified as classic books, Maria Esther.

http://www.greatillustratedclassics.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[joanne_chan]

I tried Hardy at the time and found it went over my head but did read the What Katy did triology, Little Women and a fair bit Rudyard Kipling. I did manage Chaucer's Canterbury Tales by my mid teens.

[snugglepot]

It is not just teenagers.
I was talking to a work colleague who is 32 and loves reading but had never heard of "Little Women".
I was so shocked!
Hopefully she will find a copy and read it now I have spoken about it.

[Rob Houghton]

Sadly there are people in their 20's and 30's who have never heard of Enid Blyton!!

[snugglepot]

I should ask my work colleague if she knows Enid Blyton.

[Eddie Muir]

Do you remember this from 2003?

Who's Enid Blyton asks Madonna?

Noddy's bell would have been ringing with indignation. And Big Ears would have been more than a little shocked.
Yesterday, at the launch of her first children's book, Madonna revealed a degree of literary ignorance that will send shockwaves through Toytown.
The singer was asked how she felt being described as the new Enid Blyton. 'Who's that?' came the brusque, and clearly bemused, response.
Miss Blyton, of course, was the 20th century's most successful children's writer, creator of Noddy, the Secret Seven and the Famous Five.
However, the latter haven't been sufficiently famous to appear on the Material Girl's reading list.

[joanne_chan]

Sadly there are people in their 20's and 30's who have never heard of Enid Blyton!!

You don't say?

[Courtenay]

Do you remember this from 2003?

Who's Enid Blyton asks Madonna?

Noddy's bell would have been ringing with indignation. And Big Ears would have been more than a little shocked.
Yesterday, at the launch of her first children's book, Madonna revealed a degree of literary ignorance that will send shockwaves through Toytown.
The singer was asked how she felt being described as the new Enid Blyton. 'Who's that?' came the brusque, and clearly bemused, response.
Miss Blyton, of course, was the 20th century's most successful children's writer, creator of Noddy, the Secret Seven and the Famous Five.
However, the latter haven't been sufficiently famous to appear on the Material Girl's reading list.

To be fair, Madonna is American and Enid has never been a big hit in America. But still...

[Eddie Muir]

I have several American friends and they are all aware of Enid Blyton.