Pairing Classic Favorites with Contemporary Titles
I was mulling over new ideas to blog about and this is something that I see at the library all the time! Parents come in asking for familiar books from their childhood to share with their kids. These are familiar books, often filling parents with fond memories of childhood. And they often want to share those same memories with their own kids. Pairing classic favorites with contemporary titles is the best of both worlds – fond memories of past titles and creating new memories modern titles.
There’s a reason many of these books are classics – they have stories that speak at a deeper level, that can span the test of time, and that have staying power in your memories. With so many titles being published on a monthly basis, it’s no wonder parents revert back to what they know.
Today, I’m pairing time-honored classics and favorites from my childhood with contemporary stories that could pair very easily. If you loved the story of a spider and her good friend, Wilbur, you might also find The One and Only Ivan to your liking. Or maybe you were enthralled with the non-ending that is Jonah’s story in The Giver, then you definitely need to check out Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder. There are twelve pairs of titles here that you can try – perfect for reading aloud to the family or sharing in a book club! And if you’re looking for even more modern classics, check out this post!
| Classic Title | Modern Pairing |
| Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White | The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate |
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl | The Candymakers by Wendy Mass |
| Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli | The Last Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin |
| The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis | Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu |
| Holes by Louis Sachar | The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket |
| The Giver by Lois Lowry | Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder |
| A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle | Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa de los Santos |
| Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson | The Line Tender by Kate Allen |
| From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg | Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein |
| Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder | The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich |
| The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen | Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban |
| Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary | Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han |
