Here at Toppsta, we are big believers that children should be encouraged to read anything and everything they like, from graphic novels all the way to the great classics! And if classics are their jam, the Classics Starts® series is the perfect stepping stone for readers aged 7+.
Each book in this series is an abridged and illustrated chapter book retelling of one of the great classics we all know and love, from the Arabian Nights to The Phantom of the Opera and The Voyages of Dr Dolittle! The books are all written and illustrated by different creators, and the series has sold more than 8 million copies in total. You can check out the full list of titles by just scrolling down.
If you're interested in more classics, do check out these blog posts for more recommendations on the best classics for children:
Classic Children's Books for Every Age
Classic Children's Christmas Books
Modern Classics for Teens
Best Bedtime Story Books for Children
All the Classic Start books in order
Book 1: A Little Princess (2005)
Book 2: The Call of the Wild (2005)
Book 3: Anne of Green Gables (2005)
Book 4: Black Beauty (2005)
Book 5: The Secret Garden (2005)
Book 6: Gulliver’s Travels (2006)
Book 7: White Fang (2006)
Book 8: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (2007)
Book 9: The Prince and the Pauper (2007)
Book 10: The Man in the Iron Mask (2008)
Book 11: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (2008)
Book 12: The Jungle Book (2008)
Book 13: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (2008)
Book 14: Pinocchio (2008)
Book 15: Arabian Nights (2008)
Book 16: The Last of the Mohicans (2008)
Book 17: The Phantom of the Opera (2008)
Book 18: Anne of Avonlea (2009)
Book 19: Great Expectations (2010)
Book 20: Grimm’s Fairy Tales (2011)
Book 21: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (2022)
Book 22: The Adventures of Robin Hood (2022)
Book 23: The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (2022)
Book 24: The Swiss Family Robinson (2022)
Following Sterlings spectacularly successful launch of its childrens classic novels (240,000 books in print to date),com... MoreClassic Starts®: A Little Princess
Following Sterling's spectacularly successful launch of its children's classic novels (240,000 books in print to date)... MoreClassic Starts (R): The Call of the Wild
Following Sterling's spectacularly successful launch of its children's classic novels (240,000 books in print to date)... MoreClassic Starts (R): Anne of Green Gables
Following Sterling's spectacularly successful launch of its children's classic novels (240,000 books in print to date)... MoreClassic Starts (R): Black Beauty
Age range 8+ Following Sterling's spectacularly successful launch of its children's classic novels (240,000 boo... MoreClassic Starts (R): The Secret Garden
Through the eyes of Lemuel Gulliver, Swift's unforgettable satire takes readers into worlds formerly unimagined. Visit f... MoreClassic Starts®: Gulliver's Travels
Half wolf, half dog, White Fang fully understands the cruelty of both nature and humans. After nearly starving to death ... MoreClassic Starts®: White Fang
Eleven-year-old Rebecca Randall is quite a handful - and now she's leaving her beloved Sunnybrook Farm to live with her ... MoreClassic Starts®: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
One boy, penniless and in rags, forced to beg in the street. The other, a king's son, coddled and given all he could wan... MoreClassic Starts®: The Prince and the Pauper
Dumas' famous musketeers return in another exciting swashbuckler. And this time, Aramis is embarking on the most perilou... MoreClassic Starts (R): The Man in the Iron Mask
Set in a richly rendered 15th century Paris, Victor Hugo's powerful drama focuses on a beautiful gypsy girl named Esmera... MoreClassic Starts (R): The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
One of the most beloved classics in children's literature, Kipling's masterpiece follows Mowgli, the boy raised by wolve... MoreClassic Starts (R): The Jungle Book
Doctor Dolittle is a very special vet—because he knows how to talk to the animals! So when he hears that there’s a terr... MoreClassic Starts®: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Mischievous, lazy, and full of tricks, the puppet Pinocchio causes trouble for his creator, Geppetto, almost as soon as ... MoreClassic Starts®: Pinocchio
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor: these are just some of the strange and amazing stories that ... MoreClassic Starts®: Arabian Nights
This is a fascinating adventure story, grounded in American history. As the French and Indian war rages, the two daughte... MoreClassic Starts®: The Last of the Mohicans
The long-ago mysteries of the great opera house in Paris have never been explained. Why did so many terrible tragedies h... MoreClassic Starts (R): The Phantom of the Opera
Now every child can celebrate the 100th anniversary of Lucy Maud Montgomery's ever-popular story! First introduced in An... MoreClassic Starts (R): Anne of Avonlea
When young Pip accidentally meets a convict out in the marsh one Christmas Eve, he has no idea that his life is about to... MoreClassic Starts (R): Great Expectations
This title is suitable for children aged 7 to 9 years old. Once upon a time, there were two brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm ... MoreClassic Starts (R): Grimm's Fairy Tales
Why does a burglar keep smashing statues of Napoleon? What is the speckled band? And who is the mysterious Irene Adler? ... MoreClassic Starts®: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Enter Sherwood Forest with the fabled Robin Hood and his band of merry men, and meet such unforgettable characters as Fr... MoreClassic Starts®: The Adventures of Robin Hood
Camelot awaits! From the sword in the stone and the founding of Camelot to the famed Knights of the Round Table and th... MoreClassic Starts®: The Story of King Arthur and His Knights
A shipwreck; a deserted island; a family wondering if they can survive. Rich in suspense and surprises, The Swiss Fam... MoreClassic Starts®: The Swiss Family Robinson
Used this as a class book whilst dipping into shorter versions and the film. A really good edition for year 5 children to read together....
