SOURCE: "Not Much More Than Once upon a Classic," in Children's Literature Association Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 3, Fall, 1982, pp. 27-30.

In the following essay, Nodelman presents a negative appraisal of Once upon a Classic, a PBS series which adapted nineteenth-century novels into television for children.

This is not so much a review as it is a confession. I did try to watch Once Upon a Classic. Lord knows I tried. I wrote it down on my list of things to remember: "Watch Once Upon a Classic." But somehow, Sunday at twelve thirty passed, and I had not watched Once Upon a Classic.

Yes, Sunday at twelve thirty. That was part of the problem. Half past noon on Sunday, when sensible people are eating their lunch and yelling at their husbands to turn off that TV and get in here immediately or else: that's when my local PBS station shows...