Book Tree - Exodus Books

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Unlike many books of its kind, The Book Tree doesn't waste time trying to tell you why reading is important, what makes a good story, or how the authors came to be interested in making a list of their favorite books—all that's relegated to the brief, straightforward preface. Instead, mother Elizabeth McCallum and daughter Jane Scott simply provide lists of titles accompanied by short synopses to whet your appetite.

The authors are Christian, and often they'll point out ethical or spiritual elements of the books they've chosen to include, but this isn't a "build-a-Christian-worldview-through-literature" kind of book. It's simply a guide to great literature for preschoolers, elementary and middle school students, and high school kids, divided into age-appropriate chapters for easy reference.

Six chapters are divided (very broadly) by grade-level and genre:

Preschool Literature
Elementary School Fiction
Middle School Fiction
Elementary & Middle School Biography
High School Fiction
High School Biography

Some parents will no doubt be surprised by the age-groups to which some titles are assigned. For instance, Anne of Green Gables is included in "Elementary School Fiction," and in middle school kids are supposedly reading Dickens and H.G. Wells. No doubt some students will be advanced enough for this timeline, but others will not; use your judgement, and don't adhere to the recommendations slavishly.

By high school, students should be reading almost exclusively "great books," and this list reflects that: recommended titles in the last two chapters include everything from Quo Vadis and David Copperfield to Foxe's Book of Martyrs and The Screwtape Letters. Many may balk at this level of reading, but if kids are taught a love of reading from an early age, they'll be ready for (and wanting) a challenge when they get older.

Three indexes covering titles, authors, and subjects help parents navigate quickly, finding similar books or works by one author. Older students can probably use The Book Tree on their own, finding books that sound interesting to them. This isn't school-related, and there aren't discussion topics or anything to help guide study; the point is to get kids reading, and to get kids to enjoy reading.

Most of the books you'll find in The Book Tree are titles we carry at Exodus Books; many of them are among our staff favorites. We've listed what we have below, though if you find one we don't have we'd love for you to suggest it, and we'll do our best to bring it in. If you want kid who love literature but don't know where to start, this is a fantastic and easy-to-use resource you can use for many years to come.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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	Adventures of Pinocchio Illustrated Junior Library Series 2 by Carlo Collodi, translated by M.A. Murray and illustrated by Fritz Kredel from Grosset & Dunlap for 3rd-8th grade in Illustrated Junior Library (Location: VIN-IJL) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, illustrated by Kamil Lohták from Simon and Schuster Realistic Fiction for 6th-10th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ullman from J.B. Lippincott Co. Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade 1955 Newbery Honor Book in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $15.00 (1 in stock)
	Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare from Houghton Mifflin Historical Fiction for 5th-9th grade 1962 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Calico Bush by Rachel Field from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Fiction for 5th-8th grade 1932 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Calico Bush by Rachel Field from Dell Publishing Realistic Fiction for 5th-8th grade 1932 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Call of the Wild by Jack London, Michael Clay Thompson from Royal Fireworks Press Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Children's Homer Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy by Padraic Colum & Willy Pogany from Aladdin Paperbacks Greek Mythology for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $10.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti Unabridged from Stewart, Tabori, & Chang Fantasy for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths - Audio CD by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Yearling Greek Mythology for 4th-8th grade in Audio Books & Dramas (Location: CD-AUDIO) $25.00 $14.00 (1 in stock)
	Eight Cousins Puffin Classics by Louisa May Alcott from Puffin Books Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Eric Liddell Men of Faith by Catherine Swift from Bethany House Biography for 6th-12th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Escape From Warsaw Originally titled The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier, illustrated by Irwin Hoffman from Scholastic Inc. Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Florence Nightingale Sowers Series by David Collins from Mott Media Biography for 5th-7th grade in Sowers Biographies (Location: BIO-SOW) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 5th-8th grade 1990 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award in Biographies (Location: BIO) $7.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
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	Indian Captive The Story of Mary Jemison by Lois Lenski from HarperCollins Historical Fiction for 4th-9th grade 1942 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Iron Scouts of the Confederacy by Lee McGiffin 2^nd edition from Christian Liberty Press Historical Fiction for 5th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	John Bunyan Tinker of Bedford by William Deal from Christian Liberty Press Biography for 6th-9th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $11.75 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Johnny Tremain Illustrated American Classics by Esther Forbes from Houghton Mifflin Historical Fiction/Adventure for 3rd-10th grade 1944 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $14.00 (1 in stock)
	Kitty, My Rib Katherine Luther by E. Jane Mall from Concordia Publishing House Biography for 7th-10th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $14.00 $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Chronicles of Narnia Book 2 by C. S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, illustrated by Dinah Dryhurst Reprint from Breslich & Foss Realistic Romantic Fiction for 5th-8th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Man of the Family Little Britches Series #2 by Ralph Moody from University of Nebraska Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $16.95 $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Man of the Family Little Britches Series #2 by Ralph Moody from People's Book Club Biography for 5th-9th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $15.00 (1 in stock)
	Man of the Family Little Britches Series #2 by Ralph Moody 1^st edition from W. W. Norton and Co. Biography for 5th-9th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $15.00 (1 in stock)
	Old Yeller by Fred Gipson from HarperCollins Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade 1957 Newbery Honor Book in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Peter Pan Puffin Classics by J. M. Barrie from Puffin Books Fantasy for 4th-8th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie from Barnes & Noble Fantasy for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Piece of the Mountain Story of Blaise Pascal by Joyce McPherson from Greenleaf Press Biography for 5th-9th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $8.00 (3 in stock)
	Pinocchio Puffin Classics by Carlo Collodi, translated by E. Hardin and illustrated by Gioia Fiammenghi from Puffin Books Fantasy for 3rd-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $2.50 (4 in stock)
	Princess and the Goblin Puffin Classics by George MacDonald from Puffin Books Fantasy for 5th-8th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99 $4.00 (9 in stock)
	Rascal Memoir of a Better Era by Sterling North from Puffin Books Biography for 4th-8th grade 1964 Newbery Honor Book in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $8.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Rascal Memoir of a Better Era by Sterling North from Puffin Books Biography for 4th-8th grade 1964 Newbery Honor Book in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Sarah Bishop by Scott O'Dell from Scholastic Inc. Historical Fiction for 6th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Son of Charlemagne Bethlehem Books Living History Library by Barbara Willard from Bethlehem Books Historical Fiction for 5th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $14.95 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Sounder by William H. Armstrong from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1970 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $6.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Sounder by William H. Armstrong from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1970 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Sounder by William H. Armstrong from Harper & Row Realistic Fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1970 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Story of King Arthur and His Knights & The Story of the Champions of the Round Table by Howard Pyle 3rd Print from Fall River Press Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 7th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $7.00 (2 in stock)
	Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars from Puffin Books Realistic Fiction for 5th-8th grade 1971 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
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	Tale of Troy Puffin Classics by Roger Green from Puffin Books Greek Mythology for 6th-9th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
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	Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Anna Leplar from Parragon Publishing Animal Fantasy for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Yearling with Reading Group Guide by Marjorie Rawlings from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 6th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $5.00 (1 in stock)

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