To this day I have very fond memories of beginning to work my way through the classics, beginning in fourth grade, with a wonderful series of books that presented the greats of literature in comic book form. Fully illustrated and abridged with young readers in mind, the Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Junior books are a godsend to parents who are struggling with a reluctant reader, or who’d like to get their kids hooked on the classics early. They’re also a fun trip down memory lane for anyone who remembers them from childhood. And now, these series are available in Kindle format with panel zoom!
Panel zoom is a feature available on some Kindle comic books and graphic novels that allows the reader to zoom in on a single panel with a double-tap, then continue moving from one enlarged panel to the next with the usual page-swiping motion used to “turn” pages in any Kindle book. The reader can exit back to normal view at any time by double-tapping again.
The series includes:
The Man In The Iron Mask (no reviews yet, but I’d personally give it 5 stars, currently priced at 99 cents) – This is a great one to try if you’re new to the series, since it’s currently priced at just 99 cents.
A graphic novel that is based on the final section of the novel The Vicomte of Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, pere, which was itself based on the 18th century legend of The Man in the Iron Mask.
The plot often involves D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers and an identical twin brother of King Louis XIV of France, and it is considered a sequel to The Three Musketeers.
Beautifully illustrated, this classic tale will capture children’s interest and spark their imagination inspiring a lifelong love of literature and reading.
Optimized for Kindle devices and featuring Panel Zoom facility.
The Count of Monte Cristo (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $3.75)
A tantalizing tale of intrigue, villainy and ultimate revenge.
A young sailor, Edmond Dantes, is incarcerated falsely as a Bonapartist to the Chateau’ d’If by his enemies: Danglers, Fernand Mondego, Caderousse and Monsieur de Villefort.
While in prison he befriends the Abbe Faria who educates him in the languages, arts and sciences. He also tells Edmond of a huge treasure buried in a cave on the Island of Monte Cristo.
Follow this amazing tale of how Edmond, armed with knowledge and patience, sets out to exact revenge on all his enemies.
Beautifully illustrated, this comic graphic novel is a classic you will enjoy and treasure. A must-have for your digital library. Optimized for Kindle devices and featuring Panel Zoom facility.
The Time Machine (4/5 stars, currently priced at $2.56)
The Time Machine is a science fiction tale by H. G. Wells, published in 1895, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of science fiction ever created.
After inventing a machine that can move through time, the Traveler leaves Victorian London and goes far into the future.
The world he discovers seems calm and quiet but as the Traveler looks below the surface he realizes that things are not exactly as they appear.
Thought provoking and beautifully illustrated, this classic captures the imagination of readers of all ages and inspires a love of literature and reading.
Optimized for Kindle devices and featuring Panel Zoom facility.
Les Miserables (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $4.99)
A monumental classic dedicated to the oppressed, the underdog, the laborer, the rebel, the orphan, and the misunderstood, Les Miserables is a rich, emotional novel that captures nothing less than the entirety of life in nineteenth-century France.
Les Miserables is primarily a great humanitarian work that encourages compassion and hope in the face of adversity and injustice. It is also a historical novel of great scope, and provides a detailed vision of nineteenth-century French politics and society.
Sensational, dramatic, packed with rich excitement and filled with the sweep and violence of human passions, Les Miserables is not only superb adventure but a powerful social document.
The story of how the convict Jean-Valjean struggled to escape his past and reaffirm his humanity, in a world brutalized by poverty and ignorance, became the gospel of the poor and the oppressed. Beautifully illustrated, this classic tale will capture children’s interest and spark their imagination inspiring a lifelong love of literature and reading.
Optimized for Kindle devices and featuring Panel Zoom facility.
This post barely scratches the surface of the series, which also includes works of Shakespeare, historical accounts, gothic classics like Frankenstein, adventure classics like Treasure Island (both of these latter two are currently priced at 99 cents), and many, many more.
Click here to browse the entire Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Junior series.