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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 is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes 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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161 Items found Print
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Active Filters: 2nd grade (Ages 7-8), Mass market paperback
18 Penny Goose
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Sally M. Walker
from HarperCollins
Realistic fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99
26 Fairmont Avenue
by Tomie De Paola
from Puffin Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Adventures of Grandfather Frog
Thornton Burgess Peter Cottontail Books #12
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$4.00
Adventures of Reddy Fox
Thornton Burgess Peter Cottontail Books #5
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Dover Publications
Animal Stories: Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$4.00 $2.50 (1 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop, edited by Ann McGovern
from Scholastic Inc.
for Nursery-2nd grade
$2.50 (3 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop
from Wordsworth Classics
for Nursery-2nd grade
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
Puffin Classics
by Aesop
Reprint from Puffin Books
Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$7.99
Afraid to Ride
by C. W. Anderson
from Scholastic Book Services
for 2nd-4th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$1.50 (2 in stock)
Aladdin and Other Tales from the Arabian Nights
Puffin Classics
by N.J. Dawood, illustrated by William Harvey
from Puffin Books
Fairy Tales for 2nd-6th grade
$7.99
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Puffin Classics
by Lewis Carroll
from Puffin Books
Fantasy for 2nd-7th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$7.99
All Alone
by Claire Huchet Bishop
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-4th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
All-of-a-Kind Family
by Sydney Taylor, illustrated by Helen John
from Yearling
Family Stories for 2nd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Amelia Bedelia
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Peggy Parish
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99
Bargain for Frances
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Russell & Lillian Hoban
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Ben and Me
by Robert Lawson
from Little, Brown & Company
Humor/historical fiction for 2nd-5th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Big Balloon Race
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Eleanor Coerr
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
Blacky the Crow
Thornton Burgess Peter Cottontail Books #30
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Dover Publications
for 1st-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.00
Brand New Day with Mouse and Mole
Green Light Readers Level 3
by Wong Herbert Yee
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 1st-3rd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.99
Bravest Dog Ever
Step Into Reading Level 3
by Natalie Standiford
from Random House
Animal Stories for 1st-3rd grade
in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP)
$5.99
Burt Dow, Deep-Water Man
by Robert McCloskey
from Puffin Books
Humorous Folk Tale for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Buster Bear's Twins
Thornton Burgess Peter Cottontail Books #32
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$4.00
Caleb's Story
by Patricia MacLachlan
from HarperCollins
Family Stories for 2nd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Call it Courage
by Armstrong Sperry
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Fiction for 2nd-6th grade
1941 Newbery Medal winner
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$4.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Canada Geese Quilt
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
from Puffin Books
Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$4.99
Canada Geese Quilt
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
from Cobblehill Books
Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Case of the Cat's Meow
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Crosby Bonsall
from HarperCollins
Mystery/Suspense for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99
Case of the Double Cross
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Crosby Bonsall
from HarperCollins
Mystery/Suspense for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99
Case of the Hungry Stranger
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Crosby Bonsall
from HarperCollins
Children's Mystery for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99
Cay
by Theodore Taylor
from Yearling
Realistic Fiction for 2nd-6th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Chang's Paper Pony
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Eleanor Coerr
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
Charlotte's Web
by E. B. White
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-6th grade
1953 Newbery Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Children On Troublemaker Street
by Astrid Lindgren
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Courage of Sarah Noble
by Alice Dalgliesh
Reissue from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Fiction for Kindergarten-6th grade
1955 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$5.99
Daniel's Duck
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Clyde Robert Bulla & Joan Sandin
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Days with Frog and Toad
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99
Dolphin Treasure
by Wayne Grover
from HarperTrophy
for Ages 8-12
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.99 $3.50 (2 in stock)
Drinking Gourd
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by F. N. Monjo
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99
Emily's Runaway Imagination (Dockray illustrations)
by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Tracy Dockray
2008th edition from HarperCollins
for 2nd-4th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.39
Emily's Runaway Imagination (Krush illustrations)
by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-4th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$2.40 (2 in stock)
Fables
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Preschool-3rd grade
1981 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Fantastic Mr. Fox
by Roald Dahl
from Puffin Books
Animal Fantasy for 2nd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Five Chinese Brothers
by Claire Huchet Bishop & Kurt Wiese
from PaperStar Books
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99
Flip
by Wesley Dennis
from Scholastic Book Services
for 2nd-5th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon
Tales from Deckawoo Drive Book 2
by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
from Candlewick Press
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
Frog and Toad All Year
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99
Frog and Toad Are Friends
An I Can Read Book Level 2 (Reading with Help)
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade
1971 Caldecott Honor Book
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
Frog and Toad Together
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade
1973 Newbery Honor Book
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99
George the Drummer Boy
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Nathaniel Benchley
from HarperCollins
Historical fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Going West
by Jean Van Leeuwen
from Puffin Books
Historical fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in Pioneer & Frontier Life (Location: HISA-19PIO)
$6.99
Grain of Rice
by Helena Clare Pittman
from Yearling
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 2nd-4th grade
$7.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Grasshopper on the Road
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99
Great Rescue Operation
by Jean Van Leeuwen, illustrated by Margot Apple
from Puffin Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Greg's Microscope
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Millicent Selsam & Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Non-Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99
Hannah
Stepping Stones: A Chapter Book
by Gloria Whelan
from Random House
Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$5.99
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales
Puffin Classics
by Hans Christian Andersen
3rd edition from Puffin Books
Fairy Tales for 2nd-6th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$7.99
Happy Day
by Ruth Krauss; illustrated by Marc Simont
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$1.50 (2 in stock)
Hattie and the Wild Waves
by Barbara Cooney
from Puffin Books
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle #2
by Betty MacDonald
from HarperCollins
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Henry and Mudge
by Cynthia Rylant
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Ready-to-Read (Location: EAR-R2R)
$4.99
Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble
by Cynthia Rylant
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Ready-to-Read (Location: EAR-R2R)
$4.99
Henry and Ribsy
by Beverly Cleary
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-4th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Hildilid's Night
by Cheli Duran Ryan, illustrated by Arnold Lobel
from Aladdin Paperbacks
1972 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Hill of Fire
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Thomas Lewis & Joan Sandin
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
House at Pooh Corner
by A. A. Milne
from Puffin Books
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
House on Walenska Street
by Charlotte Herman
from Avyx, Inc.
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Hundred Penny Box
by Sharon Bell Mathis
from Scholastic Inc.
Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
Newbery Honor
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Hundred Penny Box
by Sharon Bell Mathis
from Puffin Books
Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
1976 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
by Bette Bao Lord
from HarperCollins
Immigration for 2nd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99 $4.00 (7 in stock)
Invisible Dog
from Yearling
for 2nd-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.99
Knights of the Round Table
Stepping Stones: A Chapter Book
by Gwen Gross (adapter), illustrated by Norman Green
from Random House
Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
Lentil
by Robert McCloskey
from Puffin Books
Realistic Fiction/Humor for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Leroy Ninker Saddles Up
Tales from Deckawoo Drive Book 1
by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
from Candlewick Press
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
Les Miserables (adapted)
Stepping Stones: A Chapter Book
by Victor Hugo, Adapted by Monica Kulling
from Random House
Historical Fiction for 1st-4th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Light Princess
by George MacDonald, illustrated by Craig Yoe
from William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Fantasy for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Lion to Guard Us
by Clyde Robert Bulla
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction for 2nd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99
Littles
by John Peterson
from Scholastic Inc.
Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$4.99 $3.00 (4 in stock)
Long Way to a New Land
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Joan Sandin
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $2.50 (3 in stock)
Long Way Westward
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Joan Sandin
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $2.50 (3 in stock)
Lost Lake
by Allen Say
from Houghton Mifflin
Word Books for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99
Lotta On Troublemaker Street
by Astrid Lindgren
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Magic of Oz
Wizard of Oz Book 13
by L. Frank Baum
Unabridged from Dover Publications
for 2nd-5th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$10.95
Magic Tree House #45 (Merlin Mission #17)
Magic Tree House
by Mary Pope Osborne
FIRST SCHOLASTIC PRINTING from Scholastic Inc.
in Magic Tree House (Location: SER-MTH)
Magic Tree House #46 (Merlin Mission #18)
Magic Tree House
by Mary Pope Osborne
First Scholastic Edition from Scholastic Inc.
in Magic Tree House (Location: SER-MTH)
Magic Tree House #46 (Merlin Mission #18)
Magic Tree House
by Mary Pope Osborne
from Random House
in Magic Tree House (Location: SER-MTH)
Magic Tree House #46 (Merlin Mission #18) - Fact Tracker
Magic Tree House
by Mary Pope Osborne
from Random House
in Magic Tree House (Location: SER-MTH)
Magic Tree House #47 (Merlin Mission #19)
Magic Tree House
by Mary Pope Osborne
First Scholastic Edition from Random House
in Magic Tree House (Location: SER-MTH)
Make Way for Ducklings
by Robert McCloskey
from Puffin Books
Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1942 Caldecott Medal winner
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$9.99
Matchlock Gun
by Walter Edmonds
from PaperStar Books
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
1942 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm
by Sid Fleischman
from Greenwillow Books
Fantasy for 2nd-5th Grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Minstrel in the Tower
by Gloria Skurzynski
from Random House
Historical Fiction for 1st-4th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$5.99
Miss Pickerell Goes to the Artic
by Ellen MacGregor
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Molly's Pilgrim
A Bantam First Skylark
by Barbara Cohen, illustrated by Daniel Mark Duffy
from HarperTrophy
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$2.00 (5 in stock)
Mouse and Mole: A Winter Wonderland
Green Light Readers Level 3
by Wong Herbert Yee
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 1st-3rd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.99
Mouse and the Motorcycle
Mouse & the Motorcycle #1
by Beverly Cleary
Reissue from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Mouse Soup
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Mouse Tales
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Mr. Revere and I
by Robert Lawson
from Little, Brown & Company
Humor/historical fiction for 2nd-5th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Mr. Revere and I
by Robert Lawson
from Little, Brown & Company
Humor/historical fiction for 2nd-5th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle #1
by Betty MacDonald
from HarperCollins
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle #4
by Betty MacDonald
from HarperCollins
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
12
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