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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Outside of a Dog Booklist

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1st Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

2nd Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

3rd Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

4th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

5th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

6th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

7th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

8th Grade Outside of a Dog Booklist

9th-12th Outside of a Dog - Fiction

9th-12th Outside of a Dog - Nonfiction

Adult Fiction Outside of a Dog Booklist

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46 Items found Print

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3rd grade (Ages 8-9),

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	Anna Hibiscus Anna Hibiscus #01 by Atinuke Reprint from Candlewick Press for 1st-5th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Ant and the Elephant by Bill Peet from Sandpiper Books Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	Bear That Heard Crying by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock & Helen Kinsey from Puffin Books Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry & Wesley Dennis Reprint from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $7.99
	Best Friends for Frances RUC by Russell & Lillian Hoban from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Billy and Blaze by C. W. Anderson from Aladdin Paperbacks for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	Birthday for Frances by Russell & Lillian Hoban from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	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
	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
	Cowardly Clyde by Bill Peet from Sandpiper Books Animal Fantasy for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $9.99
	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
	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
	Flora & Ulysses The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo Reprint from Candlewick Press for 3rd-6th grade 2014 Newbery Medal winner in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Frog Went A-Courtin' by John Langstaff from HMH Books for Young Readers in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes from Harcourt Realistic Animal Fiction for 2nd-5th grade 1952 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Horse and His Boy Chronicles of Narnia Book 3 by Lewis, C. S. from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $12.99 $7.00 (4 in stock)
	House on East 88th Street by Bernard Waber from Houghton Mifflin for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman from Sandpiper Books for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	King's Equal by Katherine Paterson from HarperCollins Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.99
	Knight's Castle by Edward Eager from Harcourt for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99
	Last Battle RUC Chronicles of Narnia Book 7 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade 1956 Carnegie Medal in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Light Princess by George MacDonald, illustrated by Maurice Sendak from Sunburst Book Fantasy for 2nd-5th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.99
	Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Chronicles of Narnia Book 2 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $11.99
	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) $8.99 $5.00 (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) $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
	Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber from Houghton Mifflin for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.99
	Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans from Puffin Books Realistic Fiction, Rhyming Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1954 Caldecott Medal winner in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $8.99
	Magic by the Lake by Edward Eager from Harcourt for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Magic by the Lake by Edward Eager from Harcourt for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99
	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) $11.99
	Middle Moffat Moffats #2 by Eleanor Estes from Harcourt Realistic Fiction for 2nd-5th grade 1943 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Moffat Museum Moffats #4 by Eleanor Estes from Harcourt Realistic Fiction for 2nd-5th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Moffats Moffats #1 by Eleanor Estes from Harcourt Realistic Fiction for 2nd-5th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.99
	More All-of-a-Kind Family All-of-a-Kind Family Series #3 by Sydney Taylor from Lizzie Skurnick Books Family Stories for 2nd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $12.95
	No. 1 Car Spotter and the Broken Road No. 1 Car Spotter #05 by Atinuke from Kane Miller for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	No. 1 Car Spotter and the Car Thieves No. 1 Car Spotter #03 by Atinuke from Kane Miller for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird No. 1 Car Spotter #02 by Atinuke from Kane Miller for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	No. 1 Car Spotter Goes to School No. 1 Car Spotter #04 by Atinuke from Kane Miller for 3rd-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Prince Caspian TOS Chronicles of Narnia Book 4 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.99
	Rufus M. Moffats #3 by Eleanor Estes from Harcourt Realistic Fiction for 2nd-5th grade 1944 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99
	Silver Chair Chronicles of Narnia Book 6 by C. S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	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
	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
	Time Garden by Edward Eager from Harcourt for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99
	Voyage of the Dawn Treader TOS Chronicles of Narnia Book 5 by C. S. Lewis from HarperCollins Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.99

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