Honey for a Child's Heart

Store Location

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.

Did you find this review helpful?

Parent Categories

Fiction & Literature

Doorways to Great Reading

Honey for a Child's Heart

59 Items found Print

Active Filters:

3rd grade (Ages 8-9),

Hardcover,

In-Stock Books & Materials

	Animalia by Graeme Base from Harry N. Abrams, Inc. for Kindergarten-3rd in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $7.00 (1 in stock)
	Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $15.99 $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $16.99
	Blind Colt by Glen Rounds from Holiday House for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Blind Colt A World Famous Horse Story Library selection by Glen Rounds from Holiday House for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	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) $19.99
	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 (1 in stock)
	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
	Charlotte's Web by E. B. White from HarperCollins for 2nd-6th grade 1953 Newbery Honor Book in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $6.00 (2 in stock)
	Dangerous Journey The Story of Pilgrim's Progress by Oliver Hunkin (abridger) from Eerdmans Allegorical and Moral Stories for 3rd-6th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $25.00 $15.00 (2 in stock)
	Ella Enchanted - Special Read-Aloud Edition by Gail Carson Levine from HarperCollins for 3rd-7th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Exodus by Brian Wildsmith from Eerdmans Bible Stories for Kindergarten-4th grade in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $21.00
	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) $19.99
	First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $18.99 $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Flaming Arrows by William O. Steele, Illustrated by Paul Galdone 1^st edition from Harcourt Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Frog and Toad Are Friends An I Can Read Book Level 2 by Arnold Lobel from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade 1971 Caldecott Honor Book in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh 50th Anniversary from Delacorte Press Humorous Stories for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.00 (1 in stock)
	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
	How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss from Random House Christmas Stories for Kindergarten-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $16.99
	Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber from Houghton Mifflin for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	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) $24.99
	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) $18.99
	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) $19.99
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, translated by Richard Howard from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in Everyman's Library Children's Classics (Location: FIC-ELC) $18.00
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery from Harcourt Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $7.50 (2 in stock)
	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) $19.99
	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) $21.99 $9.50 (1 in stock)
	Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans from Viking Press Realistic Fiction, Rhyming Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1940 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey from Viking Press Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1942 Caldecott Medal winner in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $19.99 $11.00 (1 in stock)
	Mitten A Ukrainian Folktale by Jan Brett Rei/Cas from Putnam Juvenile Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $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) $19.99
	Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss 1^st edition from Random House for 2nd-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $18.99 $8.00 (2 in stock)
	Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss Special Deluxe Edition from Random House for 2nd-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $10.00 (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) $18.99
	One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey from Viking Press Realistic Family Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1953 Caldecott Honor Book in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $19.99
	Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, illustrated by Colin West from Frederick Warne & Company for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, illustrated by Gwen Fulton from Atheneum for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.50 (1 in stock)
	Owl Moon by Jane Yolen; illustrated by John Schoenherr from Philomel Books for Preschool-3rd grade 1988 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $17.99
	Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, illustrated by Alice Carsey from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Fantasy for 3rd-8th grade in Everyman's Library Children's Classics (Location: FIC-ELC) $18.00
	Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin 1^st edition from Grosset & Dunlap for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness from Holt, Rinehart and Winston Allegorical and Moral Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1967 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Sing a Song of Popcorn by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers 1^st edition from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin from Houghton Mifflin Biographies of Scientists and Inventors for 1st-3rd grade 1999 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $17.99
	So You Want To Be President? by Judith St. George from Philomel Books for 2nd-5th grade 2001 Caldecott Medal winner in American Presidency (Location: HISV-PRE) $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. for 1st-3rd grade 1989 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Sounder by William H. Armstrong from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1970 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig from Simon and Schuster Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1970 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $19.99
	Tales of the Resistance by David & Karen Mains from Lamplighter Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $30.00
	Tell Me the Story by Max Lucado, Ron Dicianni, Timothy Botts 1^st edition from Crossway Books for 3rd-6th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	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) $19.99
	Thomas Jefferson A Picture Book Biography by James Cross Giblin from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Thy Friend, Obadiah (hardcover) by Brinton Turkle from Beautiful Feet Books Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1970 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $14.95
	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)
	When We Were Very Young by A. A. Milne from Dutton Juvenile Poetry for Kindergarten-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $19.99
	Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak 25th Anniversary from HarperCollins Fantasy for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1964 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $18.95
	Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from Coward McCann Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Who Am I? And What Am I Doing Here? What We Believe Series #2 by John Hay & David Webb from Apologia Educational Ministries for 1st-8th grade in Apologia What We Believe (Location: BIBWV-APO) $41.60 $32.00 (2 in stock)
	Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema, Leo & Diane Dillon from Dial Books for Young Readers for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1976 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.00 (1 in stock)

Shop

Support

Hours & Directions

Connect