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Fiction by Genre

Fiction is good. It's not just lies—lies are the dishonest things we tell other people out of selfishness, while fiction is (or should be) those stories used to reveal truth. Not that all stories have to be tied up with a neat moral at the end. Truth wears many faces, and our favorite stories are as varied, and often as unresolved, as life itself.

A good book always has something to say, however. Even if the message is as simple as "it's good to have friends" or "growing up is difficult no matter who you are," there is a message and it can be understood. There are books that are all plot....but they aren't good books. There are books that are all blatant morality and character-building....also not good books, at least in the sense we mean here.

For those of you about to stop reading, know this: we aren't promoting immoral books. Just because there isn't an obvious "and Johnny was happy because he knew that stealing was bad" ending doesn't mean we support kids reading about worldly characters doing worldly things as though this was normal and healthy. But we also don't think Pathway Readers are the only appropriate fiction available to children.

What we mean by "good book" is one which accurately depicts human nature, demonstrates an engaging style, displays a consistent worldview, and doesn't use cheap tricks to get readers interested. That excludes a lot of books. It also includes a lot of books, and they typically aren't the ones filling the new release racks at Barnes & Noble.

We emphasize classic fiction at Exodus Books. That's not to say we shun all modern fiction, but typically good writing survives for years and years and years on its own merits, and those books that fit that description can be trusted more than those still in their infancy. Genres we find particularly problematic are those built around cheap formulas and plots with little to say (fantasy, sci-fi and mystery series come immediately to mind).

Books that rely on non-stop action and thrills are also avoided by our charming and discerning book-buying staff. Kids need to learn to enjoy reading because it's good for them and offers new ways to look at the world, not simply for a book's entertainment value. It's not enough just to read—if you read a steady diet of trash or sub-standard fiction you're really no better off than watching hours of television.

There is a difference between children's and adult literature. Kids shouldn't be sheltered, but they also aren't prepared to deal with the themes and darker elements adults must confront. Most of the titles in this section are "safe"—not a lot of extreme violence, sexual content, profanity, etc. here (though there is some overlap with the adult and children's genres).

Along the same lines, we don't encourage letting kids read abridged versions of classics or advanced material. Everything we offer is unabridged unless explicitly stated—it's far better to have kids read stories at their level than to have them read edited and often misrepresented versions of books not intended for children. If they read Charlotte's Web and Rufus M. as kids, they'll be ready for Great Expectations when they're older.

Nowhere in the Bible does God say "Read fiction. It'll make you a better person." But neither does He say "Have a time set aside for daily devotions. It's the only path to true spirituality." Simply because there's no command in Scripture doesn't mean a particular activity isn't a really good idea. Not that reading the Bible and reading fiction are in any way on the same level. Reading God helps us understand Him better—reading fiction helps us understand ourselves.

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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Parent Categories
Fiction by Genre
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157 Items found Print
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Active Filters: 8th grade (Ages 13-14), Print-on-demand paperback
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, illustrated by Sidney Paget
100th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$10.95
Aeneid for Boys and Girls
by Alfred J. Church
from Yesterday's Classics
Roman Mythology for 5th-8th grade
$11.95
Aeneid for Boys and Girls
by Alfred J. Church
from Living Book Press
Roman Mythology for 5th-8th grade
$6.99
Allan Quatermain
by H. Rider Haggard
from SeaWolf Press
Adventure for 7th-12th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Around the World in 80 Days
by Jules Verne, Translated by George M. Towle
Illustrated Fir from SeaWolf Press
Adventure for 6th-10th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$9.85
At the Back of the North Wind
by George MacDonald, illustrated by Frank C. Pape
from Living Book Press
for 4th-Adult
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$12.99
Bastable Adventures Set
by E. Nesbit, illustrated by Cecil Leslie
from Living Book Press
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$39.56
Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare
by Edith Nesbit
from Yesterday's Classics
Shakespeare/Drama for Children for 4th-8th grade
$13.95
Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare
by Edith Nesbit
from Living Book Press
Shakespeare/Drama for Children for 4th-8th grade
$16.99
Behold Your Queen
by Gladys Malvern
from Special Edition Books
for 6th-Adult
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$14.95
Behold Your Queen
by Gladys Malvern
from Purple House Press
for 6th-Adult
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
Black Arrow
by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth
from SeaWolf Press
Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Black Arrow
by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Frances Brundage
from Living Book Press
Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
Book of Golden Deeds
by Charlotte M. Yonge
from Living Book Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$13.99
Book of Marvels: Marvels of the Occident
by Richard Halliburton
from Living Book Press
for 3rd-Adult
in International Landmarks & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANINT)
$17.99
Book of Marvels: Marvels of the Orient
by Richard Halliburton
from Living Book Press
for 3rd-Adult
in International Landmarks & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANINT)
$17.99
Borrowed House
Bethlehem Books Young Adult Bookshelf
by Hilda Van Stockum
from Purple House Press
Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$13.95
Boy Who Was
by Grace Taber Hallock, illustrated by Harrie Wood
2024 Reprint from Unknown Publisher
for 4th-8th grade
1929 Newbery Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$19.99
Burning of Rome
by Alfred J. Church
from Yesterday's Classics
for 6th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$14.95
Call of the Wild
by Jack London, illustrated by Philip R. Goodwin & Charles Livingston Bull
from SeaWolf Press
Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Canterbury Tales (retold)
Puffin Classics
by Geoffrey Chaucer, retold by Geraldine McCaughrean
from Puffin Books
Epic Poetry for 7th-9th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$6.99
Captains Courageous
by Rudyard Kipling
from Living Book Press
Nautical Fiction for 7th-10th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Cedric the Forester
by Bernard Marshall
from CreateSpace
for 6th-8th grade
1922 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Chaucer's Stories Simply Told
by Mary Seymour, illustrated by E.M. Scannell
from Hillside Education
for 5th-8th grade
in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET)
$14.95
Children of the Red King
by Madeleine Polland
from Hillside Education
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$14.95
Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Greeks
by F. J. Gould
from Yesterday's Classics
Greek History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET)
$11.95
Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans
by F. J. Gould, Reteller
from Yesterday's Classics
for 4th-8th grade
in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET)
$11.95
Chuiraquimba and the Black Robes
by Madeleine Polland, illustrated by Juan Carlos Barberis
from Hillside Education
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$14.95
City of the Golden House
by Madeleine Polland
from Hillside Education
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$14.95
Egyptian Adventures
by Olivia Coolidge, illustrated by Joseph Low
from Hillside Education
Realistic fiction for 5th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Eight Cousins
by Louisa May Alcott
150th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Emma
by Jane Austen, Illustrated by Hugh Thomson
200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$12.99
Escape to King Alfred
by Geoffrey Trease
from Hillside Education
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$16.95
Famous Legends Adapted for Children
by Emeline G. Crommelin
2022 Reprint from Living Book Press
for 5th-9th grade
$7.99
Fingal's Quest
by Madeleine Polland, illustrated by W.T. Mars
2019 Reprint from Hillside Education
for 5th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$14.95
First Men in the Moon
by H. G. Wells
100th Anniversary Edition from SeaWolf Press
for 7th-Adult
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.45
Five Weeks in a Balloon
by Jules Verne, translated by William Lackland and illustrated by Edouard Riou
Illustrated Fir from SeaWolf Press
for 5th-10th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
from Living Book Press
Horror for 7th-10th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
Freckles
by Gene Stratton-Porter
from Living Book Press
Romance for 7th-10th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Friendship Train
by Linda Baten Johnson
from Katy Crossing Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Gabriel and the Hour Book
by Evaleen Stein
from Yesterday's Classics
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$9.95
Gabriel and the Hour Book
by Evaleen Stein
from Unknown Publisher
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Gilgamesh (retold)
by Bernarda Bryson
from CreateSpace
for 4th-8th grade
in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET)
$26.87
Golden Age
by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Maxfield Parrish
from SeaWolf Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$7.95
Great Quest
by Charles Boardman Hawes
from CreateSpace
for 5th-8th grade
1922 Newbery Honor Book
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$9.95
Greyfriars Bobby
by Eleanor Atkinson
from Living Book Press
for 6th-Adult
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$9.99
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales
by Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by Louis Rhead
from SeaWolf Press
for 3rd-8th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$11.95
Hans Brinker
by Mary Mapes Dodge
from Living Book Press
Realistic Fiction for 4th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$11.99
He Went with Hannibal
by Louise Andrews Kent
2022 Reprint from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$15.99
Hereward the Wake
by Charles Kingsley
from Living Book Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$18.99
Heroes Every Child Should Know
by H. W. Mabie
from Yesterday's Classics
Biography for 5th-8th grade
$15.95
Heroes Every Child Should Know
by H. W. Mabie
from Living Book Press
Biography for 5th-8th grade
$13.99
His Last Bow
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
100th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
for 6th-Adult
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Horsecatcher, The
by Mari Sandoz
First Bison Book from Bison Books
for 6th-10th grade
1958 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$14.95
Hound of the Baskervilles
by Arthur Conan Doyle, Illustrated by Sidney Paget
100th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
for 7th-Adult
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$7.95
How the Heather Looks
by Joan Bodger, illustrated by Mark Lang
Reprint from Living Book Press
for 7th-Adult
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$14.99
Iliad for Boys and Girls
by Alfred J. Church
from Yesterday's Classics
for 5th-8th grade
$11.95
Iliad for Boys and Girls
by Alfred J. Church
from Living Book Press
for 5th-8th grade
$7.99
In Freedom's Cause
by G. A. Henty
from Living Book Press
Historical Fiction for 6th-10th grade
in G. A. Henty Books (Location: FIC-HEN)
In the Days of Queen Elizabeth
by Eva March Tappan
from Yesterday's Classics
for 6th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$12.95
In the Days of Queen Elizabeth
by Eva March Tappan
from Living Book Press
for 6th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.99
In the Days of Queen Victoria
by Eva March Tappan
from Yesterday's Classics
for 6th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$12.95
In the Days of Queen Victoria
by Eva March Tappan
from Living Book Press
for 6th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$10.99
Invisible Man
by H. G. Wells, illustrated by Louis Strimpl
from SeaWolf Press
Science Fiction for 7th-Adult
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$7.95
Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte, Illustrated by F. H. Townsend
from SeaWolf Press
Realistic Romantic Fiction for 8th-Adult
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$11.19
Jo's Boys
by Louisa May Alcott, Illustrated by Ellen Wetherald Ahrens
150th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$9.95
John of the Sirius
by Doris Chadwick
from Living Book Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$15.95
Journey to the Center of the Earth
by Jules Verne, illustrated by Edouard Riou
Illustrated Fir from SeaWolf Press
Science Fiction for 6th-10th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Just David
by Eleanor H. Porter
from Living Book Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99
Keeper of the Bees
by Gene Stratton-Porter, illustrated by Gordon Grant, decorations by Lee Thayer
from Purple House Press
for 7th-10th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$15.99
Kidnapped
by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Louis Rhead
from SeaWolf Press
for 7th-10th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$9.95
Kim
Reader's Digest World's Best Reading
by Rudyard Kipling
from Living Book Press
for 8th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
King Solomon's Mines
by H. Rider Haggard
from SeaWolf Press
Adventure for 7th-12th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Lances of Lynnwood
by Charlotte M. Yonge; illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli
from Hillside Education
for 5th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
Legend of Annie Murphy
The Cooper Kids Adventure Series #7
by Frank Peretti
Reprinted from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 5th-9th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$6.99
Lioness and Her Knight
Squire's Tales Book 7
by Gerald Morris
from Houghton Mifflin
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$19.99
Little Duke
by Charlotte M. Yonge
from Living Book Press
for 5th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.99
Little Lord Fauntleroy
by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Reginald Birch
from Living Book Press
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99
Little Men
by Louisa May Alcott, Illustrated by Reginald B. Birch
150th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$9.95
Little Princess
by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Illustrated by Ethel Franklin Betts
Illustrated Fir from SeaWolf Press
for 3rd-8th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.45
Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott, Illustrated by Frank Merrill
from SeaWolf Press
Romantic Realistic Fiction for 4th-9th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$15.45
Lost Prince
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
from Living Book Press
Action Adventure for 4th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$11.99
Mad Scientists Club
by Bertrand R. Brinley, illustrated by Charles Geer
from Purple House Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$14.99
Mansfield Park
by Jane Austen, Illustrated by Hugh Thomson
200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$12.95
Marathon Looks on the Sea
by Olivia Coolidge, illustrated by Erwin Schachner
from Hillside Education
Historical Fiction for 5th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$16.95
Mayday at Two Thousand Five Hundred
The Cooper Kids Adventure Series #8
by Frank Peretti
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 5th-9th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$6.99
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle, Illustrated by Sidney Paget
100th Anniversary Edition from SeaWolf Press
for 7th-Adult
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$9.95
Men of Iron
by Howard Pyle
2nd edition from Living Book Press
Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$9.99
Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
by Howard Pyle
from Living Book Press
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 7th-9th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$14.99
Nicholas: A Manhattan Christmas Story
by Annie Carroll Moore, illustrated by Jay Van Everen
2025 Reprint from Unknown Publisher
for 5th-8th grade
1925 Newbery Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$19.99
Northanger Abbey
by Jane Austen, illustrated by Hugh Thomson
200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Number Stories of Long Ago
by David Eugene Smith
from Living Book Press
for 4th-8th grade
$8.99
Odyssey for Boys and Girls
by Alfred J. Church
from Yesterday's Classics
for 5th-8th grade
$11.95
Odyssey for Boys and Girls
by Alfred J. Church
from Living Book Press
for 5th-8th grade
$7.99
Old-Fashioned Girl
by Louisa May Alcott, Illustrated by Jessie Wilcox Smith
150th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
Realistic Romantic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$10.95
Otto of the Silver Hand
by Howard Pyle
from Living Book Press
Historical Fiction for 5th-9th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.99
Penrod
by Booth Tarkington
from Living Book Press
Realistic Fiction for 7th-Adult
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$11.99
Penrod and Sam
by Booth Tarkington, illustrated by Gordon Grant
from Living Book Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$10.99
Persuasion
by Jane Austen, Illustrated by Hugh Thomson
200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
Realistic Romantic Fiction for 8th-12th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$8.95
Peter and Wendy
by James M. Barrie, illustrated by F.D. Bedford
from SeaWolf Press
for 2nd-8th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
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