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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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64 Items found Print
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Active Filters: Lauren's Reviews, 7th grade (Ages 12-13)
100 Cupboards
by N. D. Wilson
from Random House
Fantasy for 3rd-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
100 Cupboards - Paperback Trilogy
by N. D. Wilson
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 3rd-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$24.62
Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Conan Doyle
from Penguin Classics
for 7th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$14.00
Anna of Byzantium
by Tracy Barrett
from Random House
Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$6.99
Around the World in Eighty Days
by Jules Verne, George M. Towle (Translator)
from Bantam Books
for 7th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$5.95 $3.00 (1 in stock)
Ashtown Burials Collection - Paperback
by N. D. Wilson
for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$23.17
Beauty
by Robin McKinley
First Paperback Edition, 2018 from Greenwillow Books
Fantasy/Retold Fairy Tale for 5th-8th grade
$7.99
Beware, Princess Elizabeth
A Young Royals Book
by Carolyn Meyer
from Harcourt
for 6th-10th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99
Boys of Blur
by N. D. Wilson
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Castle Corona
by Sharon Creech
Reprint from HarperCollins
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Castle in the Air
Howl's Castle: 2 of 3
by Diana Wynne Jones
Reprint from Greenwillow Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Chestnut King
100 Cupboards Book #3
by N. D. Wilson
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
City of Ember
Book of Ember #1
by Jeanne DuPrau
1st edition from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 4th-7th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$8.99
Dandelion Fire
100 Cupboards Book #2
by N. D. Wilson
from Random House
Fantasy for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Diamond of Darkhold
Book of Ember #4
by Jeanne DuPrau
from Yearling
for 4th-7th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$8.99
Dragon's Tooth
Ashtown Burials #1
by N.D. Wilson
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 7th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Drowned Vault
Ashtown Burials #2
by N. D. Wilson
from Random House
for 7th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Ella Enchanted
by Gail Carson Levine
from HarperCollins
for 3rd-7th grade
$9.99
Ella Enchanted - Special Read-Aloud Edition
by Gail Carson Levine
from HarperCollins
for 3rd-7th grade
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Ender's Game
by Orson Scott Card
from Tor Classic
Science Fiction for 7th-Adult
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$9.99
Golden
Once Upon a Time Series
by Cameron Dokey
from Simon Pulse
for 6th-9th grade
$8.99
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter Book 2
by J. K. Rowling
First American Edition from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$26.99
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter Book 7
by J. K. Rowling
1st edition from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$34.99 $16.00 (1 in stock)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter Book 4
by J. K. Rowling
1st American Edition from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter Book 6
by J. K. Rowling
1st American Edition from Scholastic Inc.
for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99 $16.00 (1 in stock)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter Book 5
by J. K. Rowling
1st American Edition from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter Book 3
by J.K. Rowling
1st edition from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99 $15.00 (2 in stock)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter Book 1
by J. K. Rowling
from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$39.99
House of Many Ways
Howl's Castle: 3 of 3
by Diana Wynne Jones
Reprint from Greenwillow Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Howl's Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones
Reprint from Greenwillow Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Howl's Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones
Reprint from Greenwillow Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade
by Diane Wilson
from Sourcebooks
for 4th-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$10.99
I, Robot
by Isaac Asimov
from Bantam Books
Science Fiction for 7th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$7.99
Inkdeath
Inkheart Trilogy #3
by Cornelia Funke
1St Edition from Scholastic Press
for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$12.99
Inkheart
Inkheart Trilogy #1
by Cornelia Funke
from Scholastic Press
for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$10.99
Inkheart Trilogy
Inkheart Trilogy
by Cornelia Funke
from Scholastic Press
for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Inkspell
Inkheart Trilogy #2
by Cornelia Funke
from Chicken House
for 7th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$10.99
Kingdom Series
by Chuck Black
from Multnomah Books
Fantasy for 5th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Mara, Daughter of the Nile
by Eloise J. McGraw
from Puffin Books
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99
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
Mysterious Benedict Society
Mysterious Benedict Society #1
by Trenton Lee Stewart
from Little, Brown & Company
for 4th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$9.99
Outlaws of Time
by N. D. Wilson
from Katherine Tegen Books
for 3rd-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.99
Outlaws of Time
by N. D. Wilson
from Katherine Tegen Books
for 3rd-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
People of Sparks
Book of Ember #2
by Jeanne DuPrau
Reprint from Yearling
for 4th-7th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$8.99 $3.50 (2 in stock)
Perilous Gard
by Elizabeth Marie Pope
from Houghton Mifflin
Historical Fantasy for 7th-10th grade
1975 Newbery Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Princess and Curdie
Puffin Classics
by George MacDonald
from Puffin Books
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Princess and Curdie
by George MacDonald
from Living Book Press
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Princess and Curdie
by George MacDonald
from Canon Press
Fantasy for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$13.95
Princess and the Goblin
Puffin Classics
by George MacDonald
from Puffin Books
Fantasy for 5th-8th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$7.99 $4.00 (9 in stock)
Princess and the Goblin
Everyman Library
by George MacDonald
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Fantasy for 5th-8th grade
$18.00
Princess and the Goblin
by George MacDonald
from Living Book Press
Fantasy for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Princess and the Goblin
Puffin Classics
by George MacDonald
from Canon Press
Fantasy for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$13.95
Prophet of Yonwood
Book of Ember #3
by Jeanne DuPrau
Reprint from Yearling
for 4th-7th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$8.99
Queen Zixi of Ix
by L. Frank Baum
from Dover Publications
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Savage Damsel and the Dwarf
Squire's Tales Book 3
by Gerald Morris
from Houghton Mifflin
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Shadow Spinner
by Susan Fletcher
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 5th-8th grade
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Squire's Tale
Squire's Tales Book 1
by Gerald Morris
from Houghton Mifflin
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Squire's Tales set
by Gerald Morris
from Houghton Mifflin
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Squire, His Knight, and His Lady
Squire's Tales Book 2
by Gerald Morris
from Houghton Mifflin
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Thief Lord
by Cornelia Funke
from Chicken House
for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Two Princesses of Bamarre
by Gail Carson Levine
from HarperCollins
for 4th-7th grade
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
William Shakespeare's Star Wars Part the Fourth
William Shakespeare Star Wars #4
by Ian Doescher
Advance Reading Copy from Quirk Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
William Shakespeare's Star Wars Trilogy: The Royal Imperial Boxed Set
William Shakespeare Star Wars
by Ian Doescher
from Quirk Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$47.97 $32.00 (1 in stock)
Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick
First Edition from Scholastic Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$29.99
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