A-E Classic Children's Literature

Lewis Carroll, Brothers Grimm, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen

Apr 15, 2009

Adventure and misadventure, fantasy and fairy tale, monsters and mystery...growing up isn't easy, but some story from this guide suits the sympathies of any child.

It is often said that children have active imaginations, and nothing appeals to the imagination more than reading fiction.

Ranging from the ordinary to the extreme this diverse collection of novels and stories offers something for all literary tastes.

Mischievous child Alice falls through a rabbit-hole into an enchanted and puzzling land. At first she is intrigued, but as she explores, she begins to worry that she will not be able to find her way home.

This fantasy book, which contains many memorable characters, is based upon the acquaintances and locations encountered by the author in Oxford.

Narrated by the horse Black Beauty, the novel tells of the horse’s varied experiences with progressive owners. Black Beauty reflects upon life as a colt through to old age, and the novel emphasizes the importance of kindness to animals and other people.

Anna Sewell died only a few months after the book was published, and the contemplative tone of the novel seems to unintentionally parallel the author’s own fragile health.

C – Children’s and Household Tales (1812) or Grimms’ Fairy Tales (1857) by the Brothers Grimm

This is a collection of often retold fairy tales. It includes the stories of Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White.

Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm were among the first to record these stories and others which were usually preserved by word of mouth.

David Copperfield follows the life and adventures of the title character from birth to early middle-age. The story is filled with many memorable characters, but among the most often remembered is the insincerely “umble” and clawing antagonist Uriah Heep. The character is said to have been somewhat inspired by the physical appearance of Hans Christian Anderson, who had met and annoyed Dickens shortly before Dickens began writing the book.

This novel and Great Expectations are thought to be the most autobiographical works of the author. Written at two different stages of Charles Dickens’ life, Great Expectations is darker and more reflective, while the previously written David Copperfield exhibits more optimism.

E – Emma (1815) by Jane Austen

Born to a privileged country circle, Emma is a selfish and slightly immature creature, who tends to interfere in the lives of her nearest and dearest. Although Jane Austen thought her heroine may not be likeable, as the novel progresses, Emma begins to learn important values and behaviors.

Jane Austen’s novels are often regarded as reading for young women, but her satirical style and social observations can be enjoyed as comical or wise by varied age groups.

Frankenstein, Gulliver’s Travels, Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, Ivanhoe, Jungle Book

Continuing with F-J Classic Children’s Literature, the pages of the following novels are filled with adventure, debate, gore, and more. From the honor of Arthurian or Medival Ages to fantasy realms, from the childhood existence of being raised in the Southern United States to far away jungles, these books have become varied stories for a variety of children.

The copyright of the article A-E Classic Children's Literature in Children’s Books is owned by M.L. Costa. Permission to republish A-E Classic Children's Literature in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.