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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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Fiction by Genre
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45 Items found Print
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Active Filters: Kindergarten (Ages 5-6), Perfectbound, In-Stock Books & Materials
"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," said the Sloth
by Eric Carle
from World of Eric Carle
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
All Those Secrets of the World
by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Leslie Baker
1st edition from Little, Brown & Company
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
April's Kittens
by Claire Turlay Newberry
from Troll Publishing
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Barefoot Book of Buddhist Tales
by Sherab Chodzin & Alexandra Kohn (retellers), illustrated by Marie Cameron
from Barefoot Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Berenstain Bears' Dollars and Sense
by Jan Berenstain, Stan Berenstain
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Blueberries for Sal
by Robert McCloskey
from Puffin Books
Realistic Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1949 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Book for Bramble
by Lynne Garner, illustrated by Gaby Hansen
from Orchard Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Brother Eagle, Sister Sky
by Chief Seattle, illustrated by Susan Jeffers
from Puffin Books
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$8.99
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
by Bill Martin Jr.; illustrated by Eric Carle
Second Edition, 25th Anniversary Edition from Henry Holt and Company
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Catwings Return
A Catwings Tale Book 2
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Atheneum
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
Coyote Places the Stars
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Elves and the Shoemaker
by Freya Littledale, Illustrated by Brinton Turkle
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Good Night, Gorilla
by Peggy Rathmann
from Penguin Putnam
Picture Only Books for Preschool-Kindergarten
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Great Fuzz Frenzy
by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Hello, Red Fox
by Eric Carle
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
How We Say I Love You
by Nicole Chen, illustrated by Lenny Wen
Imagination Library Edition from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
I Go With My Family to Grandma's
by Riki Levinson, illustrated by Diane Goode
from Trumpet Club
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Jackrabbit and the Prairie Fire
Smithsonian Wild Heritage
by Susan Saunders, illustrated by Jo-Ellen Bosson
from Soundprints
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Mammals (Location: SCI-MAM)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Jane on Her Own
A Catwings Tale Book 4
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Atheneum
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
King Solomon and the Bee
by Dalia Hardof Renberg (adapter), illustrated by Ruth Heller
PJ Library from Crocodile Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
King Who Rained
by Fred Gwynne
from Prentice Hall
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Legend of the Loon
by Kathy-jo Wargin, illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
from Sleeping Bear Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Lyle at the Office
by Bernard Waber
from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Miss Twiggley's Tree
by Dorothea Fox
from Purple House Press
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$15.99
Mrs. Katz and Tush
by Patricia Polacco
from Dragonfly Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Outside Over There
by Maurice Sendak
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-2nd grade
1982 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Patrick's Dinosaurs
by Carol Carrick, illustrated by Donald Carrick
from Clarion Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Poppleton
Poppleton #1 of 5
by Cynthia Rylant, Illustrated by Mark Teague
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Prince Ivan and the Firebird
by Bernard Lodge
from Whispering Coyote Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Princess Who Lost Her Hair
by Tololwa M. Mollel, illustrated by Charles Reasoner
from Troll Associates
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Puppy Who Wanted a Boy
by Jane Thayer, Illustrated by Lisa McCue
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Puss In Boots
by John Cech (reteller), illustrated by Bernhard Oberdieck
from Sterling Publishing Co.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Rabbit's Snow Dance
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
by James and Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Jeff Newman
from Dial Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Rainbow Rhino
by Peter Sis
from Dragonfly Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Rosie's Walk
by Pat Hutchins
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99 $4.50 (5 in stock)
Salty Sails North
by Gloria Rand, illustrated by Ted Rand
from Henry Holt and Company
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
by William Steig
from Simon and Schuster
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1970 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Three Bears
by Frances Brundage (illustrator)
from Green Tiger Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Trouble with Tattle-Tails
The Fabled Stables #2
by Jonathan Auxier, illustrated by Olga Demidova
from Amulet Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Turquoise Boy
Native American Legends
by Terri Cohlene (adapter), illustrated by Charles Reasoner
2002 Reprint from Watermill Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams
from Dragonfly Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Where Have the Unicorns Gone?
by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Ruth Sanderson
2015th edition from Simon and Schuster
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Willa the Wisp
The Fabled Stables #1
by Jonathan Auxier, illustrated by Olga Demidova
from Amulet Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings
A Catwings Tale Book 3
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Atheneum
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
Wonky Donkey
by Craig Smith (Words & Music), Illustrated by Katz Cowley
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
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