classic books

a few good girl friends and i formed a book club last summer. we met every other month to discuss the book and eat yummy food. i am hoping we'll pick up again soon. together we read:

persuasion by jane austen
hound of the baskervilles (a sherlock holmes classic) by sir arthur conan doyle
david copperfield by charles dickens
peter pan by jm barrie

silas marner by george eliot

our meetings were wonderful, from the company to the food and the discussions. i love having some kind of structure that encourages me to read "the classics"--books i have felt like i am supposed to read.

i also felt very fortunate to find this small collection of classic books for children at a nearby used bookstore. i got them for a steal, even if they need a little de-mildewing.

i am a sucker alone for the colors and illustration styles of the covers, but when i see the titles i become very excited for our kids to grow into reading these chapter books in a few years. we've started to get lulu's feet wet with the adventures of winnie the pooh and stuart little. i love hearing b's voice as he brings different characters to life. lulu giggles delightedly and never wants him to stop.

what are some of your favorite classic books? what classics do you enjoy with your children, or have you enjoyed sharing with your children?