In a world of technology and visual arts, getting children to read and appreciate classic fiction is not always easy. Usborne Publishing is striving to continually extend its range of illustrated fiction in the Usborne Classics Series for ages 8+, producing adventure stories of bygone eras and some which are far more emotive. The two Brontë novels which have been retold are precisely that.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (Usborne 2003, ISBN 0746057520)
This simply wonderful novel of love and emancipation is retold here in the first person by Anna Claybourne. The language has been simplified so that it loses the sometimes complex sentences notorious in Victorian writing, without disturbing the plot itself.
There is more to the book than just the narrative. The introduction offers a way for children into the life and work of Charlotte Brontë, both in and away from the Brontë parsonage. It provides a description of her other works and gives children an insight into the tragedy with which she had to cope during her lifetime.
The glossary is useful to explain the more obscure words within the text, such as typhus, often no longer associated with contemporary society. It is arranged neatly on one page at the back of the book and therefore does not impinge on the reading as footnoted would do.
In accordance with a visual-thinking contemporary readership, Usborne has seen fit to include a note on the different movie versions made of JaneEyre. This is a perfect accompaniment to the novel, allowing children to pursue an interest in the story from a very different angle.
WutheringHeights by Emily Brontë (Usborne 2003, ISBN 0746057504)
This highly emotive, ghostly and resonant book has been retold by Jane Bingham. She uses the same time-frame structure as the original novel, beginning with the overall encompassing narrator, Mr Lockwood, the present-day tenant of Wuthering Heights, who sees the ghostly figure of Cathy at the window, making it a mystery story that a young reader would want to unravel.
The narrative shifts easily between Mr Lockwood and Nelly, who takes over the narrative of the younger Cathy and Heathcliffe. At the end of her story, Mr Lockwood ties up the ending quickly and neatly, without confusing the reader.
The introduction to WutheringHeights is particularly useful to a young reader. Not only does it provide interesting background information about Emily Brontë’s life and character, it also clarifies the way in which multiple narrators are used in the story, and provides a short critique of the setting, imagery and contrasts within the text and links them to Emily’s own experiences at Haworth and on the moors.
While there is no glossary, a family tree is provided for the young reader, to keep track of the many strong inter-relationships of the families. It is a very useful little tool for an adult to recap also!
For a modern-day reader, a summary of other forms this story has taken is also included, from the most famous movie version of Wuthering Heights, starring Lawrence Olivier and Merle Oberon, through to the inspiration the novel gave Kate Bush in her song of same name – a classic in its own right.
A Whole Series of Classic Fiction to Explore
Through their narrative, and just as importantly, the extra information added for young readers, children can begin to explore a whole world of Victorian literature and life, or myths and adventures of more ancient times.
Other titles in the series include A Tale of Two Cities, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Treasure Island, Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, Dracula, Frankenstein, Tales of Mystery and Suspense, Don Quixote, Tales of King Arthur, Moby Dick, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Ulysses, Tales of the Trojan War and Jason and the Argonauts.
Each story is retold to make those books enjoyed by adults across the centuries accessible, enjoyable and educational for young readers, without being simplistic or patronising – just the ticket for confident readers.
