It always makes me smile when my daughter is interested in something that seems much too old for her. As I have mentioned before, she is a fan of classical music. She also recognizes some famous paintings and artists (Thanks “Little Einsteins”!). She was given a set of literature primers before she was born, and I love reading them to her and sharing some of the classic literature that she cannot understand yet. Many of our favorite stories were built on the backs of other stories like them, so it’s important that we introduce kids to the classics that inspired generations of writers. So today I’m sharing some of our favorite versions of classic literature for kids. These are a fun way to introduce kids to important pieces of literature and the authors who created them.

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post. I received copies of some of these books in exchange for my honest review. These are marked with an *. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kids are sponges. They pick up everything around them. I have written in the past about my daughter picking up foreign languages, as well as her interest in music and art. Exposure to classic literature gives kids an opportunity to experience these stories and learn about their important lessons in a time when they are the most “absorbent”. Reading the classics to them won’t ensure that they become literary geniuses, or even that they will like the classics. But it cannot hurt to introduce it to them and give them a wealth of background knowledge that they can draw from for the rest of their lives.

Board Books

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Lit for Little Hands)*

Illustrated by David Miles.

This vibrant interactive board book brings Lewis Carroll’s story to life with simple text taken from the original story and engaging illustrations. Kids can spin wheels and pull tabs to change the illustrations on the page while they dive into the crazy world of Wonderland. This series will be releasing a Lit for Little Hands: Christmas Carol this fall too!

Related Post: Exciting Board Books for Kids

First Stories: Beauty and the Beast*

Illustrated by Dan Taylor

This adorable take on the classic fairy tale is a great way to introduce the story to little ones. The sturdy board book features tabs and wheels that allow kids to interact with the story. The cute characters and bright illustrations will also draw little ones into the story.

Little Miss Austen: Pride & Prejudice

Written by Jennifer Adams and illustrated by Alison Oliver

This counting primer uses the world of Jane Austen to teach kids about numbers and counting. The simple text and cute illustrations will charm adults who love the story, while young ones will enjoy counting along.

Sense & Sensibility: A BabyLit® Opposites Primer

Written by Jennifer Adams and illustrated by Alison Oliver

This adorable board book uses Jane Austen’s world to introduce young kids to opposites. Each two page spread features large text and simple illustrations with stylish patterns.

Fun Spin on Shakespeare

Pop-up Shakespeare: Every Play and Poem in Pop-up 3-D*

Written by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor and illustrated by Jennie Maizels

This incredible pop up book teaches readers of all ages about Shakespeare’s plays and poetry. Each page features pop-ups, flaps and fold-outs, bringing the stories to life and unveiling informative and entertaining facts about Shakespeare. Each of his stories is also summarized in a “Long Story Short” snippet that outlines the story in a simple, often funny, sentence.

A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories*

Written by Angela McAllister and illustrated by Alice Lindstrom

This anthology of Shakespeare stories includes 12 of his most well known works. The stories are written in a style that kids can understand while the illustrations are engaging and colorful. Each story starts with a cast of characters, introducing important characters before the story begins.

Guides to Classic Literature for Kids

All 3 of these books were written by Melissa Medina and illustrated by Fredrik Colting. Each of these books includes background and history of the author, as well as a summary of the story paired with bright illustrations. They also include a breakdown of the main characters, as well as key words in the story. There is a quiz and analysis of the story included in each book as well. The breakdown of the characters and keywords is  really helpful, and incredibly beneficial to parents attempting to teach their children about the story.

These books are a great way to introduce these timeless stories to young readers who are not yet prepared for the full novels. Learning these classics will help them with reading in the future, and will help them to develop background knowledge about these important stories and authors. What are your favorite books for teaching kids about the classics? Share in the comments below!

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