Favorite Animals - Exodus Books

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It would be easy to make a catalog of all the pets we've had over the years, but that's not the kind of "favorite animals" we're talking about. Favorite animals are those animals that have most thoroughly captured the imagination and love of humans. Okay, so maybe love is the wrong word to describe the dragon-craze or our enduring fascination with dinosaurs, but it surely applies to horses, dogs and cats.

The philosopher Plato had an idea that subsequent thinkers called "idealism." They didn't mean that Mr. Plato was an idealist in the way we'd call Rosa Parks or Gandhi idealists: the term idealism referred to the concept that for everything in the world (trees, chairs, noses), there was an ideal form or version of that thing in the spiritual realm.

According to Plato's theory, the azalea bush in your front yard is simply a physical representation of the perfect Azalea Bush floating who-knows-where in the infinite void. While we don't want to start any kind of philosophical war here, that's kind of the idea we're going for in this category. The animals you'll encounter in these stories, coloring books, and reference volumes embody "horseness," "catness," and "dragon-ness."

After all, the image Fred Gipson paints of Old Yeller is just a bit too good to be true. Sure, many of us have had a favorite dog who could do no wrong in our forgiving eyes, but Old Yeller is like every awesome dog who ever lived rolled into one mangy mutt. Which is the whole point—by creating a slightly unrealistic portrait of an old doggy, Gipson is able to celebrate doghood itself.

In a culture that generally looks only at the way things sometimes appear to be, however, it's easy to value animals too highly. Sure, they deserve our attention and care as representatives of creation, but no more. The Creator who made them is the only One deserving all our praise, glory and love; the animals He's made are simply avenues through which to show our worship and gratitude.

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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Parent Categories

Just for Fun

Favorite Animals

Subcategories

- G&D Famous Dog Stories

- Hank the Cowdog

Dragons & Mythical Beasts

Elephant Books

Horses & Ponies

- G&D Famous Horse Stories

43 Items found Print

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4th grade (Ages 9-10),

For Reading Aloud

	Ant and the Elephant by Bill Peet from Sandpiper Books Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.49
	Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.34
	Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.64
	Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond 50th Anniversary Edition from Houghton Mifflin Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
	Black Beauty Whole Story Series by Anna Sewell, illustrated by William Geldart from Viking Press Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Black Beauty Illustrated Junior Library Series 4 by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg from Grosset & Dunlap Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $9.60 (1 in stock)
	Black Beauty Puffin Classics by Anna Sewell from Puffin Books Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.64
	Black Beauty Sterling Classics by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Scott McKowen Unabridged from Sterling Publishing Co. Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Black Beauty Illustrated Junior Library Series 3 by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg from Grosset & Dunlap Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Illustrated Junior Library (Location: VIN-IJL)
	Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, illustrated by John Speirs from Julian Messner Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Dinah Dryhurst from Breslich & Foss Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Black Beauty Books of Wonder by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Lucy Kemp-Welch from William Morrow & Company Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Christian Birmingham from Candlewick Press Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $24.99
	Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, illustrated by William Steinel from Golden Books Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Black Beauty Everyman Children's Classics by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Lucy Kemp-Welch from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Everyman's Library Children's Classics (Location: FIC-ELC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Black Beauty (abridged) by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Chiara Fedele from Miles Kelly Publishing Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Bonjour, Babar! The Six Unabridged Classics by the Creator of Babar by Jean De Brunhoff, introduction by Kevin Henkes from Random House Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Charlotte's Web by E. B. White from HarperCollins for 2nd-6th grade 1953 Newbery Honor Book in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.64 $3.20 (2 in stock)
	Charlotte's Web by E. B. White from HarperCollins for 2nd-6th grade 1953 Newbery Honor Book in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Chester the Worldly Pig by Bill Peet from Houghton Mifflin Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.49
	Dragon Used to Live Here by Annette LeBlanc Cate from Candlewick Press for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $15.29
	Ella by Bill Peet from Houghton Mifflin Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.49
	Encore for Eleanor by Bill Peet from Houghton Mifflin Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Gentle Ben by Walt Morey from Puffin Books Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $6.79
	Horse and His Boy Chronicles of Narnia Book 3 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.64 $3.60 (2 in stock)
	Horse and His Boy Chronicles of Narnia Book 5 by C. S. Lewis from Macmillan Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
	Horse and His Boy Chronicles of Narnia Book 5 by C. S. Lewis from Macmillan Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet from Houghton Mifflin Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.49
	Hurry Home, Candy by Meindert DeJong & Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins Realistic Animal Fiction for 4th-8th grade 1954 Newbery Honor Book in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Mouse and the Motorcycle Mouse & the Motorcycle #1 by Beverly Cleary Reissue from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.49
	Old Yeller by Fred Gipson from HarperCollins Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade 1957 Newbery Honor Book in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $8.49 $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Old Yeller by Fred Gipson from Scholastic Inc. Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade 1957 Newbery Honor Book in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Paddington Abroad by Michael Bond, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum Book Club Edition from Houghton Mifflin for 2nd-4th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges & Trina Schart Hyman from Little, Brown & Company Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 2nd-3rd grade 1985 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.64 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Squire and the Scroll A Tale of the Rewards of a Pure Heart by Jennie Bishop from Warner Press Allegories and Moral Stories for 2nd-5th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Stuart Little by E. B. White from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $6.79
	The Egg by M. P. Robertson from Puffin Books Fantasy for 1st-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Three Names by Patricia MacLachlan from HarperCollins for 2nd-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.79
	Three Names by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Alexander Pertzoff from HarperCollins for 2nd-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, illustrated by William Nicholson from Avon Books Personification for 1st-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.79 $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Velveteen Rabbit How Toys Become Real by Margery Williams, illustrated by Michael Green from Running Press Personification for 1st-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.31
	Velveteen Rabbit How Toys Become Real by Margery Williams, illustrated by Michael Green from Running Press Personification for 1st-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls from Bantam Books Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $7.64

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