Honey for a Child's Heart

Store Location

Gladys Hunt is right: kids don't stumble on great books by themselves, they read the titles they're given. Most adults discover books the same way, which is why she's written guides to help families choose only the best stories for their children and teenagers (as well as one for Christian women, Honey for a Woman's Heart).

These aren't simply book lists. Both Honey for a Child's Heart and Honey for a Teen's Heart are divided into two parts: the first discusses the importance of reading, various genres (science fiction, poetry, animal stories, etc.), the question of censorship, the elements of a good book, etc.; the second part offers extended book lists to direct you to the right titles for your family.

Part I of both books is equal parts information and encouragement. While Hunt identifies the two levels of reading (for the story, and for the ideas) and the place literature holds in the formation of good character and critical thinking skills, she also talks about how much fun it is to read good books, especially together as a family.

In Part II Hunt presents extensive lists of books. Each title is organized by age-level, genre and author, with a brief synopsis for each one. Honey for a Teen's Heart is more oriented toward students on their way to college, so the reading level is pretty high, but there's nothing most high schoolers won't be able to handle (thought parents will want to know some of the titles include fairly mature content).

Neither of these books are intended simply as "suggested entertainment," lists of books kids will enjoy. There is an emphasis on enjoyment, but there's an equally strong emphasis on reading for instruction and development. Hunt chooses books that will both delight and stretch readers, helping them to think clearly about themselves, the world around them, and God.

There are also a lot of books: over a thousand in Honey for a Child's Heart, and 400 in Honey for a Teen's Heart. No one will be able to read all the titles listed here; these are intended as general guides, not rigid models. There's no real curriculum element here, either—Hunt wants families to read because they want to and understand the benefits of good books, not because they must.

We decided early on at Exodus Books that we wanted a strong selection of quality literature for children. Honey for a Child's Heart was the first book we turned to, and it proved an immeasurable help. Whether you're a parent who wants to find great books for your kiddos but don't know where to start, or a veteran who's run out of ideas, these are some of the best available guides to building a reading list and library, and knowing how to make the very best use of them.

You'll find a good number of the books listed in Hunt's guides below. We're constantly working on expanding this section, so if you don't see a book she recommends let us know and we'll do our best to bring it in. As your kids make their way through these titles, be sure to discuss with them often, as the goal of reading is growth, not simply knowledge or fun. Gladys Hunt is a capable and enthusiastic guide, and we offer her books without reservation.

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.

Did you find this review helpful?

Parent Categories

Fiction & Literature

Doorways to Great Reading

Honey for a Child's Heart

58 Items found Print

Active Filters:

Beautiful Feet Resources

	Abraham Lincoln by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire 75th Anniversary Edition from Beautiful Feet Books Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade 1940 Caldecott Medal winner in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Adam of the Road Puffin Newbery Library by Elizabeth Gray from Puffin Books Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade 1943 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $8.99
	America's Paul Revere by Esther Forbes from Sandpiper Books Biography for 2nd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $12.99
	Benjamin Franklin by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Black Beauty Puffin Classics by Anna Sewell from Puffin Books Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $8.99
	Black Ships Before Troy The Story of the Iliad by Rosemary Sutcliff from Laurel-Leaf Books Greek Mythology for 4th-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Black Stallion Black Stallion #1 by Walter Farley from Yearling Realistic Animal Fiction for 5th-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $7.99
	Brave Irene by William Steig from Square Fish Publishing Realistic Fiction for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	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)
	Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink from Simon Pulse Realistic Family Fiction for 3rd-7th grade 1936 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Fiction for 2nd-6th grade 1941 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $4.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
	Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham from Houghton Mifflin Biography for 5th-9th grade 1956 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99
	Chanticleer and the Fox by Barbara Cooney from HarperCollins Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 1st-3rd grade 1959 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Columbus by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh Reissue from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Fiction for Kindergarten-6th grade 1955 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $5.99
	Crow Boy by Taro Yashima from Puffin Books Word Books for Preschool-2nd grade 1956 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli from Yearling Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 1950 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $7.99
	Gathering of Days A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 by Joan Blos from Aladdin Paperbacks Historical Fiction for 4th-6th grade 1980 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	George Washington's Breakfast by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 1st-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say Reprint from Sandpiper Books Realistic Fiction for Kindergarten-2nd grade 1994 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom from Bantam Books Biography for 6th-10th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $8.99
	Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes from Harcourt Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 1945 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99
	Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell Anv from Sandpiper Books Realistic Fiction for 5th-8th grade 1961 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes Reprint from Sandpiper Books Historical Fiction/Adventure for 5th-9th grade 1944 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	King of the Wind The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade 1949 Newbery Medal winner in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $6.39
	King of the Wind The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade 1949 Newbery Medal winner in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $19.99
	Landing of the Pilgrims Landmark Series by James Daugherty from Random House Historical Non-Fiction for 5th-8th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $6.99
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery from Harvest House Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $11.99 $7.50 (2 in stock)
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery from Harvest House Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $6.00 (2 in stock)
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, translated by Richard Howard from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in Everyman's Library Children's Classics (Location: FIC-ELC) $18.00
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery from Harcourt Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Matchlock Gun by Walter Edmonds from PaperStar Books Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade 1942 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $7.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1952 Newbery Honor Book in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $12.99
	Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney from Puffin Books Realistic Stories for Kindergarten-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-6th grade 1948 Newbery Honor Book in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $6.39
	Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown 2^nd edition from Aladdin Paperbacks Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1962 Caldecott Medal Winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown from Atheneum Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1962 Caldecott Medal Winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Owl Moon by Jane Yolen; illustrated by John Schoenherr from Philomel Books for Preschool-3rd grade 1988 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $17.99
	Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1942 Caldecott Honor Book in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $13.99
	Pagoo by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $12.99
	Perilous Road by William O. Steele from Harcourt for 5th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99 $3.50 (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 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)
	Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Puffin Modern Classics by Mildred Taylor from Puffin Books Realistic Fiction for 5th-8th grade 1977 Newbery Medal winner in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $8.99
	Runaway Bunny by Margaret Brown & Clement Hurd from HarperCollins for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong 1st Pbk. Ed from Crown Publishers for 4th-8th grade 1999 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award in 20th Century Exploration (Location: HISW-20EXP) $12.99
	Singing Tree Puffin Newbery Library by Kate Seredy from Puffin Books Realistic fiction for 4th-6th grade 1940 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin from Houghton Mifflin Biographies of Scientists and Inventors for 1st-3rd grade 1999 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack from Grosset & Dunlap Animal Realistic for Kindergarten-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $5.99
	Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf from Puffin Books Animal Stories for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey from Puffin Books Realistic Fiction for 2nd-4th grade 1958 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly from Aladdin Paperbacks Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade 1929 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $8.99
	Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly, illustrated by Angela Pruszynska from Macmillan Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade 1929 Newbery Medal winner in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $25.00 (1 in stock)
	When I Was Young In the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant from Puffin Books Family Stories for 1st-3rd grade 1983 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	When I Was Young In the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant from E.P. Dutton & Co. Family Stories for 1st-3rd grade 1983 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade 1987 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $6.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
	Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox from Kane Miller Realistic Fiction for in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston from Puffin Books for Nursery-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99

Shop

Support

Hours & Directions

Connect