Honey for a Child's Heart

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Gladys Hunt is right: kids don't stumble on great books by themselves, they read the titles they're given. Most adults discover books the same way, which is why she's written guides to help families choose only the best stories for their children and teenagers (as well as one for Christian women, Honey for a Woman's Heart).

These aren't simply book lists. Both Honey for a Child's Heart and Honey for a Teen's Heart are divided into two parts: the first discusses the importance of reading, various genres (science fiction, poetry, animal stories, etc.), the question of censorship, the elements of a good book, etc.; the second part offers extended book lists to direct you to the right titles for your family.

Part I of both books is equal parts information and encouragement. While Hunt identifies the two levels of reading (for the story, and for the ideas) and the place literature holds in the formation of good character and critical thinking skills, she also talks about how much fun it is to read good books, especially together as a family.

In Part II Hunt presents extensive lists of books. Each title is organized by age-level, genre and author, with a brief synopsis for each one. Honey for a Teen's Heart is more oriented toward students on their way to college, so the reading level is pretty high, but there's nothing most high schoolers won't be able to handle (thought parents will want to know some of the titles include fairly mature content).

Neither of these books are intended simply as "suggested entertainment," lists of books kids will enjoy. There is an emphasis on enjoyment, but there's an equally strong emphasis on reading for instruction and development. Hunt chooses books that will both delight and stretch readers, helping them to think clearly about themselves, the world around them, and God.

There are also a lot of books: over a thousand in Honey for a Child's Heart, and 400 in Honey for a Teen's Heart. No one will be able to read all the titles listed here; these are intended as general guides, not rigid models. There's no real curriculum element here, either—Hunt wants families to read because they want to and understand the benefits of good books, not because they must.

We decided early on at Exodus Books that we wanted a strong selection of quality literature for children. Honey for a Child's Heart was the first book we turned to, and it proved an immeasurable help. Whether you're a parent who wants to find great books for your kiddos but don't know where to start, or a veteran who's run out of ideas, these are some of the best available guides to building a reading list and library, and knowing how to make the very best use of them.

You'll find a good number of the books listed in Hunt's guides below. We're constantly working on expanding this section, so if you don't see a book she recommends let us know and we'll do our best to bring it in. As your kids make their way through these titles, be sure to discuss with them often, as the goal of reading is growth, not simply knowledge or fun. Gladys Hunt is a capable and enthusiastic guide, and we offer her books without reservation.

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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Honey for a Child's Heart

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Preschool (Ages 4-5)

	Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst from Atheneum for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	All Those Secrets of the World by Jane Yolen 1^st edition from Little, Brown & Company for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward from Sandpiper Books Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade 1953 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward from Houghton Mifflin Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade 1953 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward from Houghton Mifflin Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade 1953 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Buford the Little Bighorn by Bill Peet from Houghton Mifflin Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes from Greenwillow Books for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.99
	Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes from William Morrow & Company Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes from Greenwillow Books Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes from William Morrow & Company Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Crickwing by Janell Cannon 1^st edition from Harcourt Children's Books for Preschool-3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Curious George by H. A. Rey 36th printing from Houghton Mifflin Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $10.99
	Father Bear Comes Home An I Can Read Book Level 1 by Else Minarik & Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $5.99
	Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Frederick by Leo Lionni from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade 1968 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Frederick by Leo Lionni from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade 1968 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Frederick by Leo Lionni from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade 1968 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone from Clarion Books for Nursery-1st grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann from Penguin Putnam Picture Only Books for Preschool-Kindergarten in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD) $8.99
	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)
	Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	Great Gracie Chase Stop That Dog! by Cynthia Rylant from Blue Sky press for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illustrations by Anita Jeram from Candlewick Press for Preschool-1st grade in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD)
	Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illustrations by Anita Jeram from Candlewick Press for Preschool-1st grade in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD)
	Have You Seen My Cat? by Eric Carle from Scholastic Inc. in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (2 in stock)
	Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom from Little Simon for Preschool-Kindergarten in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD) $8.99
	Just Plain Fancy by Patricia Polacco 1^st edition from Dragonfly Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Kermit the Hermit by Bill Peet from Houghton Mifflin Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	Kiss for Little Bear An I Can Read Book Level 1 by Else Minarik & Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Kiss for Little Bear (September 2025) An I Can Read Book Level 1 by Else Minarik & Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
	Letting Swift River Go by Jane Yolen from Little, Brown & Company for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes 1^st edition from Greenwillow Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Little Bear An I Can Read Book Level 1 by Else Minarik & Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $5.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Little Bear's Friend An I Can Read Book Level 1 by Else Minarik & Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $5.99
	Little Bear's Visit An I Can Read Book Level 1 by Else Minarik & Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade 1962 Caldecott Honor Book in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $5.99
	Little Fur Family by Margaret Wise Brown from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy/Rhyming Stories for Preschool-Kindergarten in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD)
	Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone from Clarion Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Love You Forever by Robert Munsch from Firefly Books for Preschool-1st grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $5.95 $4.00 (3 in stock)
	Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present by Charlotte Zolotow from HarperCollins for Preschool-3rd grade 1963 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.95
	Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins for Preschool-3rd grade 1963 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters An African Tale by John Steptoe from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool-3rd grade 1988 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	My Great-Aunt Arizona by Gloria Houston Reprint from HarperCollins for Preschool-3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Norman the Doorman by Don Freeman from Puffin Books for Preschool-1st grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Olivia by Ian Falconer from Atheneum Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade 2001 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $18.99
	Olivia - Board Book by Ian Falconer from Atheneum Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade 2001 Caldecott Honor Book in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Runaway Bunny by Margaret Brown & Clement Hurd from HarperCollins for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	Runaway Bunny by Margaret Brown & Clement Hurd from HarperFestival for Preschool-2nd grade in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD) $10.99
	Runaway Bunny by Margaret Brown & Clement Hurd from HarperCollins for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes from Greenwillow Books for Preschool-3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Sleeping Beauty by K. Y. Craft from Chronicle Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf from Puffin Books Animal Stories for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf from Viking Press Animal Stories for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $17.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf 2000 Printing from Grosset & Dunlap Animal Stories for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Tale of Peter Rabbit Book 1 by Beatrix Potter from Frederick Warne & Company for Preschool-2nd grade in Peter Rabbit & Friends (Location: FIC-PETER) $8.99
	To Everything There Is a Season by Diane Dillon, Leo Dillon 1^st edition from Blue Sky press for Preschool-3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Tuesday by David Wiesner from Clarion Books for Preschool-2nd grade 1992 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $19.99
	Verdi by Janell Cannon 1^st edition from Harcourt Children's Books for Preschool-3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)

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