Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the eleventh Read Harder task.

Little House in the Big Woods -- I've been meaning to read this for so long!

I'm a children's librarian and was a big fan of classics as a kid, so finding something I hadn't read before was a big part of the challenge! But The Wind in the Willows fits the bill and I've always wanted to read it.

This one will be fun. I'm thinking Charlotte Sometimes and/or Five Dolls in a House.

I’ve been trying to catch up on some the classics I missed as a kid, so there are a lot that could work here, but I’m leaning toward Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.

I’ll be reading A Wrinkle in Time.

I will be reading Winnie-the-Pooh

I wouldn't mind reading the original Wizard of Oz book. I have never read the books.

My husband got me Momo by Michael Ende. It’s a German classic that he and his siblings all read as children. Looking forward to it.

I recently treated myself to Folio editions of some children's classics, so now I have an excuse to break out one of those beauties! Should I go with Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, or The Wonderful Wizard of Oz??

Theresa wrote: "I recently treated myself to Folio editions of some children's classics, so now I have an excuse to break out one of those beauties! Should I go with Charlotte's Web, [book:Stuart Litt..."

I really enjoyed both Charlotte’s Web and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...Stuart Little was also good, but I didn’t enjoy it quite as much.

I do believe Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret will be fun. I last read it over 40 years ago.

Theresa wrote: "I recently treated myself to Folio editions of some children's classics, so now I have an excuse to break out one of those beauties! Should I go with Charlotte's Web, [book:Stuart Litt..."

Oh, listen to Charlotte's Web... you will love it!

I'm thinking I'll read The Westing Game for this

Sam wrote: "I'm thinking I'll read The Westing Game for this"

Me too!

I'm going old school and rereading The Secret Garden.

I think I'm going to re-read Anne of Green Gables, which I've been wanting to do for a while now.

Jenica wrote: "I think I'm going to re-read Anne of Green Gables, which I've been wanting to do for a while now."

I'm reading Anne of Green Gables, too! It dawned on me this year that I had never read it (or perhaps read the Illustrated Classic so long ago that I don't remember).

I chose Charlotte's Web because my daughter and I just started reading it together

Does anyone have any suggestions? I was a really voracious reader as a kid in the 90's so I'm just coming up with titles I've already read.

My favorite pre-1980 kids books are (or rather, were when I read them as a kid) The Phantom Tollbooth, My Father's Dragon, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Boxcar Children, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass, The Borrowers, and The Hobbit. I'm not sure I would love all of them now as an adult, but I sure did as a kid.

And, if anyone wants to read a truly delightful picture book starring Grover, The Monster at the End of this Book was published in 1971. Bartholomew and the Oobleck also gets a shout out as my favorite Dr. Seuss.

I never actually read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, so I'll probably read that, but there' also a chance I'll go with Beezus and Ramona instead.

I think I've read them all too! I could try rereading Stuart Little and see if I can make myself not hate it now.

A really beautiful book that doesn't seem to be as well known these days is The Animal Family.

Oh, I just remembered that I never read Bridge to Terabithia. And I still don't want to, which I guess makes it a good "read harder" choice.

willaful wrote: "Oh, I just remembered that I never read Bridge to Terabithia. And I still don't want to, which I guess makes it a good "read harder" choice."

I never read it either. Thanks for suggesting it!

I think I’m going to read Alice in Wonderland!!! 😃

Angela wrote: "I’ll be reading A Wrinkle in Time."
This book is my go-to recommendation for elementary kids. It changed reading for me from something I enjoyed to something that drove me. I hope you love it. (If so, there are four more books.)

Rachel wrote: "Does anyone have any suggestions? I was a really voracious reader as a kid in the 90's so I'm just coming up with titles I've already read."

Have you read Nils: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf. It's a wonderful book. But I've read it in French, I don't know the translations in English.

Rachel wrote: "Does anyone have any suggestions? I was a really voracious reader as a kid in the 90's so I'm just coming up with titles I've already read."

Did you read the Chasing Vermeer series? My son and I read them together when he was in 3rd or 4th grade, and we both loved them.

Riah wrote: "My favorite pre-1980 kids books are (or rather, were when I read them as a kid) The Phantom Tollbooth, My Father's Dragon,.."

I just picked up and started reading the Phantom Tollbooth again to my kid and I immediately felt like a kid again. I forgot all about The Boxcar Children. I used to love that series as a child. I might have to pick one of them up again for this challenge.

I have these on my TBR so good excuse to read them both

A Little Princess

The Jungle Book

Rachel wrote: "Does anyone have any suggestions? I was a really voracious reader as a kid in the 90's so I'm just coming up with titles I've already read."

I was having a hard time coming up with a book for this too, but going through lists of children's classics came up with one I missed. Also, the challenge doesn't say it has to be something you haven't read before, so you could always do a reread of a favorite!

Chasing Vermeer sounds really fun, but it was first published in 2004.

Darn, I tjought I posted Chasing Vermeer in the 1st in a series prompt. Sorry!

I might reread Anne of Green Gables as well, just to have an excuse to pop open the gorgeous Puffin in Bloom edition I got a while back. :)

I'm definitely reading The Little Prince for this one!

I'll be doing A Wrinkle in Time for this one.

Angela wrote: "I’ll be reading A Wrinkle in Time."

Definitely! With the movie coming out, this is my choice too.

I'm not sure what I'm going to read for this one, but I'd like to recommend Ballet Shoes -- I just saw it on a list of classics and it brought back MEMORIES! I loved this series when I was a kid! :)

Would you consider Judy Nlume a children's author?

willaful wrote: "Chasing Vermeer sounds really fun, but it was first published in 2004."

Chasing Vermeer is so good!

Suzanne wrote: "I'm not sure what I'm going to read for this one, but I'd like to recommend Ballet Shoes -- I just saw it on a list of classics and it brought back MEMORIES! I loved this series when I..."

I am thinking of that one too. It's been a while, and I do love those books

I started Moonfleet and it's riveting!

It's been a while since I've read it but The Figure in the Shadows, originally published in 1975.

My son is going to be in the school's production of Mary Poppins next spring. I never read the book, so I'm going to go for that.

I am considering:
The Starlight Barking which is the sequel to The 101 Dalmatians (which my daughter and I enjoyed so much)

A Girl of the Limberlost or

Pinocchio (I've been planning to read this prior to a reread of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Quartet)

It would be lovely to reread Heidi or The Trumpet of the Swan.

Will be reading Anne Of Green Gables for this!

Never read The Phantom Tollbooth before, so this is the perfect opportunity!

The Pushcart War or Harriet the Spy

Pushcart War is one of our family favourite. Think my oldest son read my childhood copy about 29 times when he was in middle school. And I love the idea of going back and reading the wizard of is books - I read them one summer at my grandparents house. If i don't get to this one until summer, I am going to go with Wind in the Willows as it captures english summer

I hadn't realized Harriet the Spy was published so early! I might read that instead!