Books Children Love - Exodus Books

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A lot of parents understand the bankruptcy of the "read-and-regurgitate" educational method in which kids mostly just learn to hate any subject they have to study via textbook. But, almost as many parents aren't sure where to start instead, being unfamiliar with what many call "living books." Living books are usually written by a single author (as opposed to a board of experts) with a particular enthusiasm for his or her subject who passes that excitement to readers through an accessible narrative style.

The 19th-century British educator Charlotte Mason believed living books were the best way to teach children whatever they couldn't learn through simple observation, and so does Elizabeth Wilson, whose Books Children Love provides a great starting place for the uninitiated as well as an excellent resource for more experienced families. Besides a short introduction and a brief note on the book's organization, Wilson hasn't muddied her waters with explanations, instead opting to present hundreds of books in list form.

Each chapter (there are 25) simply contains a list of books grouped by subject. Subjects include history and geography, celebration days and seasons, talking animal stories, crafts and domestic arts, language, poetry, music, nature, etc. Two chapters at the end offer recommendations for parents with special needs kids, as well as supplemental teaching resources. A comprehensive index including authors and titles at the back helps with easy reference.

In every chapter, books are listed alphabetically by author (except in the "Biography" chapter, where books are listed alphabetically by subject). Wilson offers very helpful descriptions of each title, so you can find books particularly suited to your kids and family. Just about every type of book you'd ever want to read can be found here, and all of them are suited to younger readers—you won't find poorly written books or stories with sketchy content here, just books to expand kids' horizons by imparting a love of the subject and a curiosity to know more.

You also won't find books that controvert a Christian worldview. That's not to say every book listed is explicitly Christian, or written by a Christian author; simply that all these books support a Judeo-Christian values system, point kids to virtue, and help them learn more about God and His world by simply showing rather than telling. Wilson is a Christian and understands the need for kids to be given books that will support rather than challenge their faith, and she's done an excellent job assembling appropriate resources.

We offer a fair number of Wilson's chosen titles, though we want to bring in more; those we currently carry are listed below. Whether you intend to give your kids a Charlotte Mason education, or just want to open them to the world of great reading, Books Children Love deserves an honored place on your bookshelf. These aren't your typical recommended books: these are the sorts of books you need to hear about secondhand because you aren't likely to find many of them on your own. We recommend you let Elizabeth Wilson show you.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and 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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Books Children Love

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	Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick from Bethlehem Books Biography for 5th-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $14.95 $9.50 (1 in stock)
	Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick from Purple House Press Biography for 5th-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $10.99
	Book of Pirates by Howard Pyle from Dover Publications for 4th-8th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $16.95
	Book of Three Prydain Chronicles #1 by Lloyd Alexander from Henry Holt and Company Fantasy for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $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)
	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
	Castle by David Macaulay from Graphia Architecture for 4th-8th grade 1978 Caldecott Honor Book in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER) $16.99
	Cathedral The Story of Its Construction by David Macaulay from Houghton Mifflin Architecture for 4th-8th grade 1974 Caldecott Honor Book in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER) $12.99
	City A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by David Macaulay from Houghton Mifflin for 4th-8th grade in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER) $14.99 $7.50 (2 in stock)
	Day of Pleasure by Isaac Bashevis Singer from Farrar, Straus and Giroux for 7th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $10.99
	Early Thunder by Jean Fritz from Puffin Books for 4th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $6.99
	George Washington Carver Man's Slave Becomes God's Scientist Sowers Series by David Collins from Mott Media Biography for 5th-7th grade in Sowers Biographies (Location: BIO-SOW) $8.99
	George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster, expanded by Joanna Foster from Beautiful Feet Books History Reference/Biography for 7th-10th grade 1942 Newbery Honor Book in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
	George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster, expanded by Joanna Foster and edited by Rea Berg from Beautiful Feet Books History Reference/Biography for 7th-10th grade 1942 Newbery Honor Book in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $21.95
	Hawk That Dare Not Hunt By Day by Scott O'Dell from Bob Jones University Press Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Helen Keller: The Story of My Life by Helen Keller from Dover Publications Autobiography for 7th-10th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $1.50 (4 in stock)
	Hobbit There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien from Houghton Mifflin Fantasy for 5th-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $13.99
	How to be Your Own Selfish Pig And Other Ways You've Been Brainwashed by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay from Summit Ministries for 6th-9th grade in Summit Worldview Curriculum (Location: BIBWV-SUM)
	I Am David Previously published as North to Freedom by Anne Holm from Harcourt Realistic Fiction for 3rd-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $7.99
	I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño from Square Fish Publishing Realistic Fiction/Slavery for 5th-8th grade 1966 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)
	I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño from Farrar, Straus and Giroux Realistic Fiction/Slavery for 5th-8th grade 1966 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Iliad (retold) by Homer & Barbara Leonie Picard from Oxford University for 4th-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT)
	Invincible Louisa The Story of the Author of Little Women by Cornelia Meigs from Little, Brown & Company Biography for 5th-8th grade 1934 Newbery Medal winner in Biographies (Location: BIO) $13.99
	Kidnapped Dover Evergreen Classics by Robert Louis Stevenson from Dover Publications Action/Adventure for 5th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $5.99
	Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Chronicles of Narnia Book 2 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $11.99
	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 House Cookbook by Barbara Walker from HarperCollins for 2nd-8th grade in Little House Materials (Location: LIR-LHM) $14.99
	Louis Pasteur Founder of Modern Medicine Sowers Series by John Hudson Tiner from Mott Media Biography for 7th-9th grade in Sowers Biographies (Location: BIO-SOW)
	Men of Iron by Howard Pyle 2^nd edition from Bob Jones University Press Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $8.99
	Mill by David Macaulay from Houghton Mifflin for 4th-8th grade in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER) $12.99
	My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara from HarperCollins Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $16.99
	Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens from Oxford University Realistic Fiction for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $6.95
	Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle from Dover Publications Historical Fiction for 5th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $12.95
	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
	Perrault's Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault, Gustave Dore from Dover Publications for 5th-10th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $12.95
	Peterkin Papers by Lucretia P. Hale from Dover Publications Humorous Fiction for 7th-9th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Pyramid by David Macaulay from Houghton Mifflin Ancient Egyptian Architecture for 4th-8th grade in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER) $12.99 $7.00 (4 in stock)
	Pyramid by David Macaulay from Trumpet Club Ancient Egyptian Architecture for 4th-8th grade in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Rainbow Garden by Patricia St. John 2^nd edition from Moody Press in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99
	Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, editor from Dover Publications Fairy Tales for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $14.95
	Robert Boyle Sowers Series by John Hudson Tiner from Mott Media Biography for 7th-9th grade in Sowers Biographies (Location: BIO-SOW)
	Robin Hood and His Merry Outlaws Dover Evergreen Classics by J. Walker McSpadden from Dover Publications for 4th-8th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
	Scout: The Flying Phantom Scout Series by Piet Prins from Inheritance Publications Action/Adventure for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $10.95
	Star of Light by Patricia St. John from Moody Press Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99
	Stories of Young Pioneers In Their Own Words by Violet T. Kimball from Mountain Press Historical Non-fiction for 6th-11th grade in Pioneer & Frontier Life (Location: HISA-19PIO) $14.00
	String in the Harp by Nancy Bond from Aladdin Paperbacks for 4th-8th grade 1977 Newbery Honor Book in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	String in the Harp by Nancy Bond from Puffin Books for 4th-8th grade 1977 Newbery Honor Book in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome from David R. Godine Family stories/boating for 7th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $16.95
	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)
	Sword Song by Rosemary Sutcliff from Sunburst Book Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $11.99
	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
	Virginia's General Robert E. Lee and the Civil War by Albert Marrin from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for 7th-10th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $15.95 $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Wonder Clock by Howard & Katherine Pyle from Dover Publications Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 4th-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $12.95 $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Wonder Clock by Howard & Katherine Pyle 1^st edition from Starscape Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	World of William Penn by Genevieve Foster from Beautiful Feet Books in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL) $14.95
	Wrinkle in Time Wrinkle in Time Series #1 by Madeleine L'Engle from Square Fish Publishing Fantasy for 4th-9th grade 1963 Newbery Medal winner in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	Wrinkle in Time Wrinkle in Time Series #1 by Madeleine L'Engle from Quality Paperback Book Club Fantasy for 4th-9th grade 1963 Newbery Medal winner in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)

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