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Classic Comparisons

Right away, we should point out that many of the versions listed in these pages are not consistently available here at Exodus. But even if they say "out of stock" the listings still have value! Many of them offer reviews, samples, links to internet versions, and much more. Please let us know if you have questions about anything here!

Once upon a time there was an old blind man with a harp. His name was Homer, and he spoke Greek, and he was really good at composing long poems about the adventures of Greek heroes. He never wrote anything down because that's just not how things were done back then, but other people did, and what Homer sang and they wrote we call The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Much more recently, you (or someone like you) stood in a bookstore and wondered why there were twelve thousand versions of these two relatively short books. Were there sequels? Did people other than Homer come up with the same stories? Or are there just different covers for one or two versions?

It's easy to resolve the problem by simply buying the least expensive copy. And it isn't just the works of Homer that present us with similar decisions: there are multiple editions of Virgil, Dante, The Epic of Gilgamesh, Cervantes' Don Quixote, etc. Does it matter which one you pick? Is cheapest always best?

Well, to quote a great philosopher, the price don't enter into it. The main reason there are so many versions of these books is because there are so many translations, and there are so many translations because foreign or ancient languages can be interpreted in so many ways. Choosing the best one can be exceedingly difficult, as each translation has its own strengths and weaknesses, and one size almost never fits all. With books written and published in English, there might be a wide selection of editions due to editorial changes or a variety of illustrators. Some books have had a number of retellings for children, and our goal is to familiarize you with which ones might best suit your needs.

That's why we've developed the Classic Comparisons pages. The issue here isn't to prove which version is the best—it's to help you figure out which version may become your favorite. Each page includes an original introduction to the text itself, links for further reading and activities online, an exclusive overview, kids' versions, and occasional extras. In the case of translation or editorial differences, we offer a side-by-side comparison chart of several versions, and if it's all about the illustrations, our pages will offer samples of the artwork. 

We started this section with an original dozen titles, but have several more in the works. Please be patient with us as several of those pages are still under construction! We hope you'll find these helpful, and that you'll learn as much from them as we did in making them.

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.
Did you find this review helpful?
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We Love Translations
Another site with a similar goal! She's done more of the French and Russian lit we have yet to do!
256 Items found Print
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Active Filters: 7th grade (Ages 12-13), Hardcover
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Illustrated Junior Library Series 4
by Jules Verne, translated by Anthony Bonner and illustrated by Stephen Armes
from Grosset & Dunlap
Science Fiction for 5th-10th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Sterling Classics
by Jules Verne, translated by Lewis Page Mercier and illustrated by Scott McKowen
from Sterling Publishing Co.
for 5th-10th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Books of Wonder
by Jules Verne, translated by Anthony Bonner and illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon
from HarperCollins
Science Fiction for 5th-10th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
by Jules Verne, Translated by Lewis Page Mercier, edited by Allen Grove
from Chartwell Books
for 7th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Sterling Classics
by Jules Verne, translated by Lewis Page Mercier and illustrated by William O'Connor
from Sterling Publishing Co.
for 5th-10th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
Adventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha
by Miguel De Cervantes, adapted by Leighton Barret and illustrated by Warren Chappell
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for 7th-10th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Adventures of Pinocchio
Illustrated Junior Library Series 3
by Carlo Collodi, translated by M.A. Murray and illustrated by Fritz Kredel
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Adventures of Pinocchio
Illustrated Junior Library Series 1
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)
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)
Adventures of Pinocchio
Illustrated Junior Library Series 4
by Carlo Collodi, translated by M.A. Murray and illustrated by ??
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
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)
Adventures of Pinocchio
by Carlo Collodi, translated by M.A. Murray and illustrated by Charles Folkard
from David McKay Company
for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Adventures of Pinocchio
by Carlo Collodi, illustrated by Robert Ingpen
from Sterling Publishing Co.
for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Adventures of Pinocchio
Travel and Adventure Library for Young Folks
by Carlo Collodi, translated and adapted by Angelo Patri and illustrated by Mary Liddell
from Doubleday, Doran & Company Inc.
Fantasy for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Adventures of Robin Hood
Reader's Digest World's Best Reading
by Paul Creswick, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth
1991 Edition from Reader's Digest
for 6th-12th grade
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$8.00 (2 in stock)
Adventures of Robin Hood
by E. Charles Vivian, compiled by Cooper Edens
from Chronicle Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
Aeneid for Boys and Girls
Macmillan Classics
by Alfred J. Church, illustrated by Eugene Karlin
1st Printing from Macmillan
Roman Mythology for 5th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Aladdin and Other Tales from the Arabian Nights
by Anonymous, illustrated by William Heath Robinson
from Everyman's Library
for 6th-9th grade
$20.00
Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Maraja
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Annotated Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
from W. W. Norton and Co.
for 6th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
Arabian Nights
Illustrated Junior Library Series 4
by Earle Goodenow, illustrator
from Grosset & Dunlap
Eastern Fairy Tales for 4th-8th grade
Arabian Nights
Illustrated Junior Library Series 2
by Earle Goodenow, illustrator
from Grosset & Dunlap
Eastern Fairy Tales for 4th-8th grade
Arabian Nights
Illustrated Junior Library Series 1
by Earle Goodenow, illustrator
from Grosset & Dunlap
Eastern Fairy Tales for 4th-8th grade
Arabian Nights
Calla Editions
by Rene Bull (Illustrator)
Reprint from Dover Publications
for 4th-9th grade
Arabian Nights
Children's Classics
by Rene Bull, illustrator
from Dilithium Press, Ltd.
for 4th-9th grade
Arabian Nights
Illustrated Junior Library Series 3
by Earle Goodenow, illustrator
from Grosset & Dunlap
Eastern Fairy Tales for 4th-8th grade
Arabian Nights
Illustrated Junior Library Series 2
by Earle Goodenow, illustrator
from Grosset & Dunlap
Eastern Fairy Tales for 4th-8th grade
Arabian Nights
by W. H. D. Rouse, illustrated by Walter Paget
from E.P. Dutton & Co.
for 7th-Adult
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Arabian Nights
by Padraic Colum, illustrated by Lynd Ward
for 4th-8th grade
Arabian Nights / Aesop's Fables
by Mamoru Funai, Aesop
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 4th-7th grade
in Companion Library (Location: VIN-FIC)
Arthur the Always King
by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by Chris Riddell
from Candlewick Press
for 4th-8th grade
$29.99
Beowulf (retold)
by Rosemary Sutcliff
from E.P. Dutton & Co.
for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Beowulf (retold)
by Michael Morpurgo
from Candlewick Press
for 3rd-8th grade
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Bows Against the Barons
by Geoffrey Trease, illustrated by C. Walter Hodges
Revised edition, 1977 printing from Hodder & Stoughton
Adventure story for 5th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Boy's King Arthur
by Sidney Lanier (illustrated by N.C. Wyeth)
from Charles Scribner's Sons
for 6th-10th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$18.00 (1 in stock)
Boys of Blur
by N. D. Wilson
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Camelot
by Jane Yolen
First Edition from Philomel Books
for 6th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$5.00 (2 in stock)
Canterbury Tales (retold)
by A. Kent & Constance Hieatt, illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren
from Golden Press
for 5th-9th grade
Charles Dickens Christmas
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Warren Chappell
from Oxford University
for 6th-12th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Christmas Carol
Sterling Classics
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Scott McKowen
Unabridged from Sterling Publishing Co.
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
from Bantam Books
for 6th-10th grade
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$3.95
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Greg Hildebrandt
Unabridged from Simon and Schuster
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
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)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Unabridged from Holiday House
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by P.J. Lynch
Unabridged from Candlewick Press
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$19.99
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Robert Ingpen
Unabridged from Palazzo Editions Limited
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$24.99
Christmas Carol
Macmillan Classics
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by John Groth
from Macmillan
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Robert Ball
from Macmillan
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Maraja
from Grosset & Dunlap
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti
Unabridged from Creative Editions
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$35.00
Christmas Carol (adapted)
by Charles Dickens, adapted by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Dean Morrissey
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-7th grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Stories
by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Arthur Rackham
from Dilithium Press, Ltd.
for 5th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
Chronicles of Robin Hood
by Rosemary Sutcliff, illustrated by C. Walter Hodges
from Oxford University
for 5th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Coronation Edition of the Faerie Queene
by Edmund Spenser, illustrated by John Austen and Agnes Miller Parker
from Heritage Press
for 7th-Adult
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes, illustrated by W. Heath Robinson
1962 printing from J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd.
for 5th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Don Quixote (retold)
by Miguel de Cervantes, adapted by Magda Bogin and illustrated by Manuel Boix
1st edition from Stewart, Tabori, & Chang
for 6th-10th grade
in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET)
Don Quixote (retold)
by Michael Harrison (reteller), illustrated by Victor G. Ambrus
from Oxford University
for 5th-8th grade
in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET)
Don Quixote for Young People
by James Baldwin (adapted from Miguel de Cervantes)
from American Book Co.
for 5th-7th grade
in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET)
Don Quixote of the Mancha (retold)
by Miguel de Cervantes, retold by Judge Parry and illustrated by Walter Crane
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
ECL: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Educator Classic Library #2
by Jules Verne, translated by Lewis Page Mercier and illustrated by Don Irwin
Complete and Unabridged Edition from Classic Press
in Educator Classic Library (Location: VIN-ECL)
ECL: Arabian Nights (abridged)
Educator Classic Library #8
by Andrew Lang (selections and edits), illustrated by William Dempster
from Classic Press
in Educator Classic Library (Location: VIN-ECL)
ECL: Book of King Arthur
by Howard Pyle, illustrated by Ron King
for 4th-8th grade
in Educator Classic Library (Location: VIN-ECL)
ECL: Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Educator Classic Library #9
by Howard Pyle, illustrated by Don Irwin
Complete and Unabridged Edition from Classic Press
in Educator Classic Library (Location: VIN-ECL)
ECL: Pinocchio
Educator Classic Library #3
by Carlo Collodi, translated by Joseph Walker and illustrated by William Dempster
Complete and Unabridged Edition from Classic Press
in Educator Classic Library (Location: VIN-ECL)
Exploits of Don Quixote
by Miguel Cervantes, retold by James Reeves and illustrated by Edward Ardizzone
from Blackie & Son LTD.
for 5th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Eyewitness Classics: Odyssey (adapted & annotated)
by Homer
1st edition from DK Children
for 3rd-8th grade
in Adapted or Abridged (Location: SER-ABR)
Eyewitness Classics: Robinson Crusoe (adapted & annotated)
by Daniel Defoe
from DK Publishing
for 6th-12th grade
in Adapted or Abridged (Location: SER-ABR)
Gilgamesh the Hero
by Geraldine McCaughrean
from Eerdmans
for 4th-8th grade
$20.00 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Gulliver's Travels / Treasure Island
by Jonathan Swift & Jo Polseno, Robert Louis Stevenson & Gerald McCann
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 4th-10th grade
in Companion Library (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
Illustrated Junior Library Series 4
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Helen B. Dole and illustrated by William Sharp
from Grosset & Dunlap
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Heidi
A Golden Classic
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Helen Dole and illustrated by Judith Cheng
from Golden Books
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Heidi
Sterling Classics
by Johanna Spyri, illustrated by Scott McKowen
from Sterling Publishing Co.
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, illustrated by Frances Brundage
1930s? from Saalfield Publishing Co.
for 3rd-7th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, illustrated by Donna Pacinelli
from Unicorn Publishing House
for 4th-7th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, translated by M. Rosenbaum and illustrated by June Goldsborough
from Golden Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, illustrated by Sergio Leone
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Heidi
Macmillan Classics
by Johanna Spyri, illustrated by Greta Elgaard
from Macmillan
for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Louise Brooks and illustrated by Roberta MacDonald
from Junior Deluxe Editions
for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Marian Edwardes and illustrated by Janet Good
from Longmeadow Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Helen Dole (no illustrator)
from Grosset & Dunlap
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Heidi
Illustrated Junior Library Series 3
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Helen B. Dole and illustrated by William Sharp
from Grosset & Dunlap
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Illustrated Junior Library (Location: VIN-IJL)
Heidi
Illustrated Junior Library Series 2
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Helen B. Dole and illustrated by William Sharp
from Grosset & Dunlap
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Shirley Watkins
from Macrae-Smith Company
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
Windermere Series 4
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Philip Schuyler Allen and illustrated by Maginel Wright Enright
1938 edition from Rand McNally
for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
A Golden Classic
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Helen Dole
from Grosset & Dunlap
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Helen B. Dole and illustrated by William Sharp
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
$20.00
Heidi
Rainbow Classics
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Marian Edwards and illustrated by Leonard Weisgard
1st Printing from World Publishing Company
for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
A Golden Classic
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Helen Dole, illustrated by Edna Cook Shoemaker & Pelagie Doane
from Grosset & Dunlap
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Marian Edwardes with uncredited illustrator
from J. G. Ferguson Publishing Co.
for 4th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
Windermere Readers #3
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Philip Schuyler Allen and illustrated by Maginel Wright Enright
1954 Edition from Rand McNally
for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heidi
Windermere Series 3
by Johanna Spyri, translated by Philip Schuyler Allen and illustrated by Maginel Wright Enright
1938 edition from Rand McNally
for 3rd-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Herodotus
Travel and Adventure Library for Young Folks
by Gordon King, editor, illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff
1930s edition from Doubleday, Doran & Company Inc.
for 5th-8th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Heroes Every Child Should Know
Every Child Should Know
by H. W. Mabie
from Grosset & Dunlap
Biography for 5th-8th grade
Iliad and the Odyssey (retold)
by Jane Werner Watson, illustrated by Alice & Martin Provensen
from Golden Books
for 5th-9th grade
Iliad for Boys and Girls
by Alfred J. Church
from Macmillan
for 5th-8th grade
Illustrators of the Wind in the Willows
from McFarland & Co.
for 7th-Adult
John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
by Geraldine McCaughrean
from Overlook Press
for 2nd-7th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
King Arthur
by Sidney Lanier
from Charles Scribner's Sons
for 6th-10th grade
in Scribner Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SCRIB)
$29.99
King Arthur and His Knights
Junior Deluxe Editions
by Henry Frith, illustrated by Henry C. Pitz
from Nelson Doubleday, Inc.
Fairy Tales, Fables, & Legends for 7th-10th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
King Arthur and His Knights
by Sir James Knowles, illustrated by Louis Rhead and other artists
from Dilithium Press, Ltd.
for 5th-10th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
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