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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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67 Items found Print
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Active Filters: Kindergarten (Ages 5-6), Trade Paperback, Used Books & Materials
Apple Picking Time
from Dragonfly Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Armadillo from Amarillo
by Lynne Cherry
Reprint from Sandpiper Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Armadillo Rodeo
by Jan Brett
from Scholastic Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Big Frank's Fire Truck
by Leslie McGuire
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Biggest Bear
by Lynd Ward
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Bony-Legs
by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Dirk Zimmer
from Scholastic Inc.
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Caps for Sale
by Esphyr Slobodkina
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Carrot Seed
by Ruth Krauss & Crockett Johnson
from HarperCollins
Humorous Book on Botany for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (4 in stock)
Chick & the Duckling
by Mirra Ginsburg
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Word Books for Nursery-Kindergarten
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.50 (8 in stock)
Cinderella
by Marcia Brown (translator)
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1955 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Coming On Home Soon
by Jacqueline Woodson
1st edition from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix Potter
from Frederick Warne & Company
for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Day the Goose Got Loose
by Reeve Lindbergh, illustrated by Steven Kellogg
First Scholastic Printing April 1993 from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa
by William Steig
Reprint from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.99 $4.89 (1 in stock)
Everybody Cooks Rice
from First Avenue Editions
for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Feast for 10
by Cathryn Falwell
for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Feelings
by Aliki
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Emotions for Kids (Location: BIB-CHEM)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Fin M'coul
by Tomie dePaola
from Holiday House
for Preschool-3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Gingerbread Boy
by Paul Galdone
from Clarion Books
for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Gingerbread Man
by Jim Aylesworth
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Goodnight Moon
by Margaret Wise Brown
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)
Granny Han's Breakfast
by Shelia Groves
from OMF
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$2.50 (4 in stock)
Granny Han's Breakfast
by Shelia Groves
from OMF
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Hardest Word
for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Harold and the Purple Crayon
by Crockett Johnson
from HarperCollins
Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$11.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Hidden Tales from Eastern Europe
by Antonia Barber
from Frances Lincoln
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (3 in stock)
Ian and the Gigantic Leafy Obstacle
by Sheila Miller
from OMF
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
In Search of the Lost Colony
Outer Banks Animals Adventure Series
by Mary Maden
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in New World Colonization (Location: HISA-17NW)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Ira Says Goodbye
by Bernard Waber
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Jamberry
by Bruce Degen
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
King's Chessboard
by David Birch & Devis Grebu
Reprint from Puffin Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.99 $3.50 (1 in stock)
Little Engine That Could
by Watty Piper, Cristina Ong (Illustrator)
1st edition from Philomel Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Looking for Home
by Eileen M. Berry
from Bob Jones University Press
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
Many Moons
by James Thurber
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Mary McLean and the St. Patrick's Day Parade
by Steven Kroll
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Millicent and the Wind
by Robert Munsch
from Annick Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Molly's Pilgrim
by Barbara Cohen, illustrated by Daniel Mark Duffy
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$1.50 (2 in stock)
Most Wonderful Doll in the World
by Phyllis McGinley
from Scholastic Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1951 Caldecott Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
My Little Island
by Frane Lessac
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Once a Mouse
by Marcia Brown
2nd edition from Aladdin Paperbacks
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1962 Caldecott Medal Winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
One Grain of Rice
by Demi
from Scholastic Press
for Nursery-Kindergarten
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$21.99 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Opossum and the Great Firemaker
Legends of the World
by Jan M. Mike; illustrated by Charles Reasoner
from Troll Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Patchwork Quilt
by Valerie Flournoy
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Poke in the I
by Paul Janeczko
from Candlewick Press
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
$7.99 $5.50 (2 in stock)
Pulling Together
by Dawn L. Watkins
from Bob Jones University Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)
Salmon Princess
by Mindy Dweyer
from Paws IV Publishing
Fairy Tales & Fables for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Seven Chinese Brothers
by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng
from Scholastic Inc.
for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Shoemaker Martin
by Leo Tolstoy & Bernadette Watts
from North-South Books
Realistic Fiction for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and the Big Surprise
by Maj Lindman
from Albert Whitman & Company
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and the Buttered Bread
by Maj Lindman
from Albert Whitman & Company
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and the Gingerbread
by Maj Lindman
from Albert Whitman & Company
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and the Red Shoes
by Maj Lindman
from Albert Whitman & Company
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Snipp, Snapp, Snurr Learn to Swim
by Maj Lindman
from Albert Whitman & Company
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Stories of Knights
Usborne Young Reading
by Jane Bingham
from Usborne
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$2.70 (1 in stock)
Story of Ruby Bridges
by Robert Coles, Illustrated by George Ford
Rep Anv Sp from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Story of Ruby Bridges
by Robert Coles, Illustrated by George Ford
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
Strega Nona
by Tomie dePaola
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Summer My Father Was Ten
by Pat Brisson
from Boyds Mill Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Tacky the Penguin
by Helen Lester
from Sandpiper Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
Tenth Good Thing About Barney
by Judith Viorst
1st edition from Atheneum
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Three Little Kittens
by Paul Galdone
from Clarion Books
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Through Grandpa's Eyes
by Patricia MacLachlan
from HarperCollins
Family Stories for K-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.99 $3.50 (1 in stock)
Welcome to the Ice House
by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Laura Regan
Other Printing from G.P. Putnam's Sons
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
2004 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak
from HarperCollins
Fantasy for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1964 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.95 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Wind Blew
by Pat Hutchins
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Yeh-Shen
by Ai-Ling Louie
from Puffin Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
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