Outside of a Dog Booklist

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"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
—Groucho Marx

We are frequently asked to recommend literature to kids, and while there's nothing better than taking the time to know what the individual likes and recommend for their tastes, we've definitely settled on a number of books that are our personal favorites. This list is meant to promote books that will branch kids beyond the latest pop-fiction, and beyond many of the curricular lists you'll find floating around.

The PDF version of Outside of a Dog offers a page of links helping you navigate the overwhelming resources scattered throughout this website. It includes recommended read-alouds for preschoolers and kindergartners and contains 50+ titles for grades 1-8, offering you summer reading aplenty for years on end. It doesn't promote a liberal agenda, cater to the lowest common denominator, or present books designed to make anyone look smart. We haven't limited ourselves to classics or "must-read" titles. There are plenty of those, but just as many are personal favorites that have kindled our own love of reading. These are books that will open the wide doors of reading to kids turned off by more than standard fare. Throughout the list, author names are links, often taking you to short biographies, links to more information, and a list of what we have.

It's also intended to challenge older readers, with two lists for high school students and two for adults:

150+ great literature and fiction titles
150+ non-fiction titles, containing history, biographies, basic philosophy, and titles that focus on spiritual matters and practical Christian living. We want to encourage you to be culture-changers for Christ

The printed version is a little different. It doesn't include the links, of course, nor does it have the preschool/kindergarten reading lists or the adult lists. It does include an "advanced" high school list, which is what was adapted into the adult lists. Also, in the digital version, the grade level lists have been tweaked, with some new favorites added, and some reading level suggestions adjusted.

This category on our site offers all of our recommended books in one place. We are working on adding an Exodus rating to every single one. Browse the list, or filter by grade with the sidebar.

Whether you're six or sixteen (or sixty!), whether you're a dog person or not, some new best friends are waiting!

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Used Books & Materials

	Andrew Henry's Meadow by Doris Burn from Philomel Books for Kindergarten-3rd grade Exodus Books 5-Star Rating in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $18.99 $10.50 (1 in stock)
	Anna Hibiscus Anna Hibiscus #01 by Atinuke Reprint from Candlewick Press for 1st-5th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Barber Who Wanted to Pray by R. C. Sproul from Crossway Books for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $17.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Beowulf (retold) by Michael Morpurgo from Candlewick Press for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill Betsy-Tacy #3 by Maud Hart Lovelace from HarperTrophy for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.99
	Betsy-Tacy and Tib Betsy-Tacy #2 by Maud Hart Lovelace 2^nd edition from HarperCollins Family/Friendship Story for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.99
	Black Island Adventures of Tintin by Herge from Little, Brown & Company Comic Book for 2nd-6th grade in Adventures of Tintin (Location: COM-TIN) $14.99 $7.50 (2 in stock)
	Borrowers Avenged Borrowers Series #5 by Mary Norton from Harcourt Fantasy for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Boy Who Drew Birds A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies from Houghton Mifflin for 1st-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.99 $11.50 (1 in stock)
	Boy Who Held Back the Sea by Thomas Locker from Puffin Books for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Casey at the Bat A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888 by Ernest L. Thayer & Christopher Bing 1^st edition from Chronicle Books for 2nd-6th grade 2001 Caldecott Honor Book in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $19.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
	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)
	Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Tasha Tudor from Simon and Schuster Poetry for 1st-5th grade in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL) $15.99 $11.60 (1 in stock)
	Children of Odin The Book of Northern Myths by Padraic Colum, illustrated by Willy Pogany from Macmillan Norse Mythology for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $40.00 (1 in stock)
	Children's Homer Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy by Padraic Colum & Willy Pogany from Aladdin Paperbacks Greek Mythology for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $10.99 $6.00 (2 in stock)
	Dragons of Blueland My Father's Dragon Trilogy #3 by Ruth Stiles Gannett, illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett from Random House Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99 $5.00 (1 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)
	Elmer and the Dragon My Father's Dragon Trilogy #2 by Ruth Stiles Gannett from Yearling Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Elmer and the Dragon My Father's Dragon Trilogy #2 by Ruth Stiles Gannett, illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett from Random House Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Explorers on the Moon Adventures of Tintin by Herge from Little, Brown & Company Comic Book for 2nd-6th grade in Adventures of Tintin (Location: COM-TIN) $14.99 $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Fables by Arnold Lobel from HarperCollins Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Preschool-3rd grade 1981 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Fables by Arnold Lobel from HarperCollins Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Preschool-3rd grade 1981 Caldecott Medal winner in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson, illustrated by Garth Williams from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 1959 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl from Puffin Books Animal Fantasy for 2nd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99 $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Frederic Chopin, Son of Poland: Early Years by Opal Wheeler, illustrated by Christine Price from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	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 $3.50 (1 in stock)
	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) $5.99 $3.00 (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 Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.00 (1 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) $5.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Gardener by Sarah Stewart & David Small from Sunburst Book Realistic fiction for Kindergarten-4th grade 1998 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Grain of Rice by Helena Clare Pittman from Yearling Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 2nd-4th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $7.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Handel at the Court of Kings by Opal Wheeler from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak 1^st edition for 3rd-8th grade in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss from Random House read-aloud poetry picture book for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $18.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
	How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty from HarperCollins Non-fiction for 2nd-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	John Knox Christian Biographies for Young Readers by Simonetta Carr from Reformation Heritage Books for 3rd-6th grade in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID) $18.00 $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Joseph Haydn The Merry Little Peasant by Opal Wheeler from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Jumanji With free audio book download read by Robin Williams by Chris Van Allsburg, Robin Williams (Narrator) 30th Anniversary Edition from Houghton Mifflin Animal Stories: Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade 1982 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $19.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Jungle Doctor Spots a Leopard Jungle Doctor #3 by Paul White from Christian Focus Publications for 3rd-6th grade in Jungle Doctor (Location: SER-JD) $4.50 (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) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Little Pear The Story of a Little Chinese Boy by Eleanor F. Lattimore from Harcourt in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery from Harvest House Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $6.00 (2 in stock)
	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)
	Lon Po Po A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young from PaperStar Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 1st-4th grade 1990 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Ludwig Beethoven and the Chiming Tower Bells by Opal Wheeler from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Matchlock Gun by Walter Edmonds from PaperStar Books Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade 1942 Newbery Medal winner in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)
	Mercy Watson Fights Crime Mercy Watson #3 by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen from Candlewick Press for 1st-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $6.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Mercy Watson to the Rescue Mercy Watson #1 by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen 1 Reprint from Candlewick Press for 1st-3rd grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney from Puffin Books Realistic Stories for Kindergarten-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-6th grade 1948 Newbery Honor Book in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	More Perfect Union The Story of Our Constitution The American Story Series by Betsy & Giulio Maestro from HarperCollins Historical Reference for 2nd-6th grade in New Nation (1783-1801) (Location: HISA-18NN) $11.99 $5.50 (1 in stock)
	Mouse and the Motorcycle Mouse & the Motorcycle #1 by Beverly Cleary Reissue from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Mr. Revere and I by Robert Lawson from Little, Brown & Company Humor/historical fiction for 2nd-5th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Nate the Great Nate the Great #1 by Marjorie Sharmat from Yearling Mystery for 1st-3rd grade in Nate the Great (Location: SER-NATE) $6.99 $3.50 (1 in stock)
	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)
	Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye from Puffin Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 2nd-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $7.99 $3.50 (1 in stock)
	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)
	Paganini, Master of Strings by Opal Wheeler from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Peter Tchaikovsky and the Nutcracker Ballet by Opal Wheeler from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Pippi Goes on Board Pippi Longstocking #2 by Astrid Lindgren from Viking Press Humor for 2nd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Pippi Longstocking Pippi Longstocking #1 by Astrid Lindgren from Puffin Books Humor for 2nd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $6.00 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Red Rackham's Treasure Adventures of Tintin by Herge from Little, Brown & Company Comic Book for 2nd-6th grade in Adventures of Tintin (Location: COM-TIN) $14.99 $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton from Puffin Books for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Robert Schumann and Mascot Ziff by Opal Wheeler from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99 $4.50 (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)
	San Domingo The Medicine Hat Stallion by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Robert Lougheed from Rand McNally for 3rd-7th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Sebastian Bach The Boy from Thuringia by Opal Wheeler & Sybil Deucher from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Shh! We're Writing the Constitution! by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade in New Nation (1783-1801) (Location: HISA-18NN) $9.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and All the King's Tens A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander & Wayne Geehan from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the First Round Table A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander & Wayne Geehan from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the First Round Table A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander & Wayne Geehan from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $5.50 (1 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander & Wayne Geehan from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander & Wayne Geehan from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the Off-the-charts Dessert by Cindy Neuschwander from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the Roundabout Battle A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander & Wayne Geehan from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander & Wayne Geehan from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Sir Cumference and the Viking's Map by Cindy Neuschwander from Charlesbridge for 2nd-6th grade in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC) $8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan from Dutton Children's Books Historical Fiction for 3rd-7th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99 $4.50 (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) $9.99 $5.50 (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) $6.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting from Yearling Animal Fantasy for 3rd-7th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Story of Peter Tchaikovsky by Opal Wheeler from Zeezok Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in Opal Wheeler Great Musicians Series (Location: BIO-OPAL) $14.95 $9.00 (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) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Tale of Despereaux Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo from Candlewick Press for 3rd-6th grade 2004 Newbery Medal winner in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99 $5.50 (2 in stock)
	Time Garden by Edward Eager from Harcourt for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Tintin and the Picaros Adventures of Tintin by Herge from Little, Brown & Company Comic Book for 2nd-6th grade in Adventures of Tintin (Location: COM-TIN) $14.99 $7.50 (1 in stock)
	TYR: Tintin and the Broken Ear Tintin Young Readers by Herge from Little, Brown & Company Comic Book for 2nd-6th grade in Adventures of Tintin (Location: COM-TIN) $6.50 (1 in stock)
	William Bradford, Pilgrim Boy by Bradford Smith from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $10.95 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Wonderful Wizard of Oz Wizard of Oz Book 1 by L. Frank Baum from Disney Press for 3rd-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.00 (1 in stock)

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