All the Classic Starts Books in Order

Classic Starts (R): The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Retold from the Mark Twain Original

Classic Starts Series

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The hardest question when reading the classics is where to start. The Classic Starts series takes classics loved by children through the ages and makes them approachable and easy to read independently. Each novel is expertly abridged to around 160 pages, making them suitable for young readers, without losing the charm and excitement that made the original story so popular.

The language and selection of stories in the Classic Starts books are pitched at children 7+. You'll find something to love whether you want to introduce your children to some of your own favourite childhood books, like White Fang, Black Beauty or The Secret Garden, broaden their horizons with literary masterpieces such as The Three Musketeers or The Time Machine, or simply give them a rip-roaring adventure like Treasure Island or The Story of King Arthur. What all the books have in common is that they are stories that will appeal to children, thanks to their exciting plots and memorable characters.

Enjoy all the excitement of the original story without getting stuck on the language. These books are sure to inspire an appreciation of great literature, making sure that children see the classics for what they are – fantastic stories.

There are many benefits to reading the classics early: learning about history, widening your vocabulary, but mostly you should read them for the sheer pleasure – these books are still being read hundreds of years after their initial publication simply because they are brilliant stories.

We would say that the Classic Starts reading level is around Year 3 and over, aged 7+, although some younger readers will also be able to enjoy these stories as the language has been simplified. Start with children’s classic like Tom Sawyer or A Little Princess and then young enthusiasts may progress to more challenging reads like The Odyssey or Moby Dick

You shouldn’t have to wait to read the best stories in literature!

All the Classic Starts books in order:

Book 1: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2005)
Book 2: Anne of Green Gables (2005)
Book 3: The Call of the Wild (2005)
Book 5: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Retold from the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Original (2005)
Book 6: A Little Princess (2005)
Book 7: The Adventures of Robin Hood: Retold from the Howard Pyle Original (2005)
Book 8: Gulliver's Travels: Retold from the Jonathan Swift Original (2006)
Book 9: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Retold from the Mark Twain Original (2006)
Book 10: Oliver Twist: Retold from the Charles Dickens Original (2006)
Book 11: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Retold from the Robert Louis Stevenson Original (2006)
Book 12: Frankenstein: Retold from the Daniel Defoe Original (2006)
Book 13: Robinson Crusoe: Retold from the Daniel Defoe Original (2006)
Book 14: White Fang (2006)
Book 15: The Story of King Arthur & His Knights: Retold from the Howard Pyle Original (2006)
Book 16: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Retold from the Jules Verne Original (2006)
Book 17: The Red Badge of Courage (2006)
Book 18: The War of the Worlds (2007)
Book 19: The Prince and the Pauper (2005)
Book 20: The Three Musketeers: Retold from the Alexandre Dumas Original (2005)
Book 21: Heidi: Retold from the Johanna Spyri Original (2005)
Book 22: The Swiss Family Robinson: Retold from the Johann David Wyss Original (2007)
Book 23: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (2007)
Book 24: Pollyanna: Retold from the Eleanor H. Porter Original (2007)
Book 25: Around the World in 80 Days: Retold from the Jules Verne Original (2007)
Book 26: Arabian Nights (2008)
Book 27: The Man in the Iron Mask (2008)
Book 28: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (2008)
Book 29: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (2008)
Book 30: The Jungle Book (2008)
Book 31: Little Lord Fauntleroy (2008)
Book 32: The Phantom of the Opera (2008)
Book 33: The Last of the Mohicans (2008)
Book 34: Pinocchio (2008)
Book 35: The Time Machine (2008)
Book 36: Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass: Retold from the Lewis Carroll Originals (2009)
Book 37: Little Men (2009)
Book 38: Five Little Peppers and How They Grew (2009)
Book 39: Moby-Dick (2010)
Book 40: Animal Stories (2010)
Book 41: Ballet Stories (2010)
Book 42: Grimm's Fairy Tales (2011)
Book 43: The Odyssey (2011)
Book 44: Greek Myths (2011)
Book 45: Journey to the Centre of the Earth (2011)
Book 46: The Iliad (2014)
Book 47: The Roman Myths (2014)