Outside of a Dog Booklist

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"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
—Groucho Marx

We are frequently asked to recommend literature to kids, and while there's nothing better than taking the time to know what the individual likes and recommend for their tastes, we've definitely settled on a number of books that are our personal favorites. This list is meant to promote books that will branch kids beyond the latest pop-fiction, and beyond many of the curricular lists you'll find floating around.

The PDF version of Outside of a Dog offers a page of links helping you navigate the overwhelming resources scattered throughout this website. It includes recommended read-alouds for preschoolers and kindergartners and contains 50+ titles for grades 1-8, offering you summer reading aplenty for years on end. It doesn't promote a liberal agenda, cater to the lowest common denominator, or present books designed to make anyone look smart. We haven't limited ourselves to classics or "must-read" titles. There are plenty of those, but just as many are personal favorites that have kindled our own love of reading. These are books that will open the wide doors of reading to kids turned off by more than standard fare. Throughout the list, author names are links, often taking you to short biographies, links to more information, and a list of what we have.

It's also intended to challenge older readers, with two lists for high school students and two for adults:

150+ great literature and fiction titles
150+ non-fiction titles, containing history, biographies, basic philosophy, and titles that focus on spiritual matters and practical Christian living. We want to encourage you to be culture-changers for Christ

The printed version is a little different. It doesn't include the links, of course, nor does it have the preschool/kindergarten reading lists or the adult lists. It does include an "advanced" high school list, which is what was adapted into the adult lists. Also, in the digital version, the grade level lists have been tweaked, with some new favorites added, and some reading level suggestions adjusted.

This category on our site offers all of our recommended books in one place. We are working on adding an Exodus rating to every single one. Browse the list, or filter by grade with the sidebar.

Whether you're six or sixteen (or sixty!), whether you're a dog person or not, some new best friends are waiting!

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Parent Categories

Fiction & Literature

Doorways to Great Reading

Outside of a Dog Booklist

Subcategories

1st Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

2nd Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

3rd Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

4th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

5th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

6th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

7th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

8th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

9th-12th Outside of a Dog - Fiction

9th-12th Outside of a Dog - Nonfiction

Adult Fiction Outside of a Dog Booklist

Adult Nonfiction Outside of a Dog Booklist

46 Items found Print

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Realistic Fiction,

8th grade (Ages 13-14),

Trade Paperback

	Anne of Green Gables Anne #1 by L. M. Montgomery from Tundra Books (NY) Orphan Stories for 5th-9th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.99
	Belles On Their Toes by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey from HarperCollins Family Stories for 4th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $15.99
	Book Thief by Markus Zusak from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. for 8th-12th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $14.99
	Cheaper By the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey from HarperCollins Family Stories for 4th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $16.99
	Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt from Atheneum for 6th-10th grade 1983 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $12.99
	Dobry by Monica Shannon, illustrated by Atanas Katchamakoff from Puffin Books for 4th-8th grade 1935 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Dry Divide Little Britches Series #7 by Ralph Moody from University of Nebraska Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $16.95
	Fields of Home Little Britches Series #5 by Ralph Moody from University of Nebraska Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $16.95
	First Four Years Little House Series #9 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter from Indiana University Press Romance for 7th-10th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter from Dover Publications Romance for 7th-10th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter from Indiana University Press Realistic Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter from Dover Publications Realistic Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.99
	Going Solo by Roald Dahl from Puffin Books for 7th-9th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman from HarperCollins for 6th-9th grade 2009 Newbery Medal winner, 2010 Carnegie Medal in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $10.99
	Home Ranch Little Britches Series #3 by Ralph Moody from University of Nebraska Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $14.95
	Home Ranch Little Britches Series #3 by Ralph Moody from Purple House Press Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
	Horse of a Different Color Reminiscences of a Kansas Drover Little Britches Series #8 by Ralph Moody from University of Nebraska Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $16.95
	Journey to Topaz A Story of the Japanese-American Evacuation by Yoshiko Uchida from Heyday Books Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
	Journey to Topaz A Story of the Japanese-American Evacuation by Yoshiko Uchida from Heyday Books Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $12.00
	Little Britches Father and I Were Ranchers Little Britches Series #1 by Ralph Moody from University of Nebraska Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $16.95
	Little Town on the Prairie Little House Series #7 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade 1942 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	Long Winter Little House Series #6 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade 1941 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99
	Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes from Harcourt Realistic Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $15.99 $7.00 (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)
	Mary Emma and Company Little Britches Series #4 by Ralph Moody from University of Nebraska Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $14.95
	Mitchells Five for Victory Mitchells Series #1 by Hilda Van Stockum from Bethlehem Books Family Stories for 4th-8th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $16.95
	My Heart Lies South The Story of My Mexican Marriage by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño Young People's Edition from Bethlehem Books Biography for 8th-12th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $14.95
	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
	Peter Duck A Treasure Hunt in the Caribbees Swallows and Amazons #3 by Arthur Ransome from David R. Godine for 5th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $15.95
	Peterkin Papers by Lucretia P. Hale from Dover Publications Humorous Fiction for 7th-9th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Seabird by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1949 Newbery Honor Book in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $12.99
	Shaking the Nickel Bush Little Britches Series #6 by Ralph Moody from University of Nebraska Biography for 5th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $16.95
	Sir Gibbie Classics for Young Readers by George MacDonald from P&R Publishing Realistic Fiction for 6th-10th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp from HarperCollins Biography for 7th-10th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $16.99
	Swallowdale Swallows and Amazons #2 by Arthur Ransome from David R. Godine for 5th-8th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $15.95
	Swallows and Amazons Swallows and Amazons #1 by Arthur Ransome from Overlook Press Family stories/boating for 5th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
	Tanglewoods' Secret by Patricia St. John 2^nd edition from Moody Press Realistic Fiction for 3rd-8th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99
	These Happy Golden Years Little House Series #8 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade 1944 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	Treasures of the Snow (adapted) by Patricia St. John, adapted by Mary Mills 2^nd edition from Moody Press Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Tree in the Trail by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $12.99
	View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg from Aladdin Paperbacks for 5th-9th grade 1997 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)
	Waterless Mountain by Laura Adams Armer from Dover Publications for 4th-8th grade 1932 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $5.99
	We Were There on the Oregon Trail by William O. Steele from American Home-School Publishing Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
	When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead from Yearling for 5th-9th grade 2010 Newbery Medal winner in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $7.99
	Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck from Puffin Books Humorous Family Stories for 5th-9th grade 2001 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)

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