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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3rd grade (Ages 8-9)

	Abraham Lincoln by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire 75th Anniversary Edition from Beautiful Feet Books Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade 1940 Caldecott Medal winner in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Benjamin Franklin by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Betsy-Tacy Betsy-Tacy #1 by Maud Hart Lovelace 2^nd edition from HarperCollins Family/Friendship Story for 3rd-6th grade HarperTrophy in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.99
	Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, editor from Dover Publications Fairy Tales for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $16.95
	Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey from Viking Press Realistic Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1949 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $19.99
	Borrowers Borrowers Series #1 by Mary Norton from Harcourt Fantasy for 3rd-6th grade 1952 Carnegie Medal in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99
	By the Shores of Silver Lake Little House Series #5 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade 1940 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99
	By the Shores of Silver Lake (Pictorial Cover) Little House Series #5 by Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade 1940 Newbery Honor Book in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink from Simon Pulse Realistic Family Fiction for 3rd-7th grade 1936 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink from Simon and Schuster Realistic Family Fiction for 3rd-7th grade 1936 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $19.99
	Chanticleer and the Fox by Barbara Cooney from HarperCollins Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 1st-3rd grade 1959 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	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
	Chronicles of Narnia - Mass-Market Boxed Set by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX) $55.00
	Columbus by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli from Yearling Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 1950 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $7.99
	Farmer Boy Little House Series #3 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	Farmer Boy Little House Series #3 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99
	First Four Years Little House Series #9 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	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
	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 at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne from Dutton Children's Books Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $19.99
	Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes from Harcourt Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 1945 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99
	Just So Stories Puffin Classics by Rudyard Kipling from Puffin Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 1st-6th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99
	King of the Wind The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade 1949 Newbery Medal winner in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $6.39
	King of the Wind The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade 1949 Newbery Medal winner in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $19.99
	Last Battle Chronicles of Narnia Book 7 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99 $5.00 (5 in stock)
	Last Battle Chronicles of Narnia Book 7 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Little House by Virginia Lee Burton from Sandpiper Books Personification Stories for Preschool-3rd grade 1943 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Little House in the Big Woods Little House Series #1 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Little House on the Prairie Little House Series #2 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	Little House on the Prairie Little House Series #2 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $17.99
	Little Princess Puffin Classics by Frances Hodgson Burnett from Puffin Books for 3rd-8th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99
	Little Princess Puffin Classics by Frances Hodgson Burnett from Puffin Books for 3rd-8th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Little Town on the Prairie Little House Series #7 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade 1942 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	Long Winter Little House Series #6 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade 1941 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99
	Magician's Nephew Chronicles of Narnia Book 1 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	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)
	Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1952 Newbery Honor Book in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $12.99
	Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney from Puffin Books Realistic Stories for Kindergarten-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater, illustrated by Jim Madsen from Little, Brown & Company Humorous Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 1939 Newbery Honor Book in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater, illustrated by Robert Lawson from Little, Brown & Company Humorous Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 1939 Newbery Honor Book in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
	Now We Are Six by A. A. Milne from Puffin Books Poetry for Kindergarten-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $6.99
	Now We Are Six by A. A. Milne from Dutton Children's Books Poetry for Kindergarten-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $19.99
	Now We Are Six by A. A. Milne from Dutton Children's Books Poetry for Kindergarten-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	On the Banks of Plum Creek Little House Series #4 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade 1938 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99
	On the Banks of Plum Creek Little House Series #4 by Laura Ingalls Wilder Full Color Collector's Edition from HarperCollins for 3rd-6th grade 1938 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99
	One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey from Puffin Books Realistic Family Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1953 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall from Puffin Books Realistic Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1980 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children's Poems by Donald Hall from Oxford University for 2nd-5th grade in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL) $12.95
	Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1942 Caldecott Honor Book in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $13.99
	Pagoo by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $12.99
	Pinocchio Puffin Classics by Carlo Collodi, translated by E. Hardin and illustrated by Gioia Fiammenghi from Puffin Books Fantasy for 3rd-8th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99
	Rabbit Hill Puffin Newbery Library by Robert Lawson from Puffin Books for 3rd-6th grade 1945 Newbery Medal winner in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $7.99
	Rabbit Hill Puffin Modern Classics by Robert Lawson from Puffin Books for 3rd-6th grade 1945 Newbery Medal winner in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99
	Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm Dover Evergreen Classics by Kate Douglas Wiggin from Dover Publications for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $5.99
	Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin from Wordsworth Classics for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin from Living Book Press for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $10.99
	Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, editor from Dover Publications Fairy Tales for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $14.95
	Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges & Trina Schart Hyman from Little, Brown & Company Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 2nd-3rd grade 1985 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Tales from Shakespeare Puffin Classics by Charles & Mary Lamb from Puffin Books Shakespeare Stories for 3rd-8th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $8.99
	Tales from Shakespeare by Charles & Mary Lamb, illustrated by Elizabeth Shippen Elliott from Dilithium Press, Ltd. Shakespeare Stories for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT)
	These Happy Golden Years Little House Series #8 by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade 1944 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99
	Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher from University Press of New England Family Stories for 2nd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Understood Betsy (abridged) by Dorothy Canfield Fisher from Bob Jones University Press Family Stories for 2nd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $6.99
	Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne from Puffin Books Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99

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