Popular Fiction

Everyone has a favorite book. Whether it's a picture story from childhood, the first chapter book you read, or a huge tome about Incan civilization between 1429 and 1503 you read in college, some volume crashed more loudly and brightly on your horizon than any other and you never forgot it.

And likely never will forget it—the books that affect us most lodge somewhere between our emotions, intellect and soul, a place not easily ignored or closed off. It's no surprise that so many books are universal favorites: beauty and wonder are universal, and it stands to reason that a book that appeals to one person on those levels will make its way into the hearts of many others.

The categories we've included here represent some of our favorites, though they have broad appeal. Half of modern literature is based on the legends of King Arthur, Jane Austen has a rabid following, and the Lord of the Rings continues to enjoy a revival despite Peter Jackson's film adaptations.

We hope you have or will experience these books and authors for yourself. Lesser-knowns like R. M. Ballantyne and G. A. Henty are ripe for rediscovery, while Anne of Green Gables has never gone out of style. We've selected series and authors that represent a Christian worldview, or at least who honor virtue, so that your family can enjoy the stories without worrying about content.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and 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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50 Items found Print
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100-Year-Old Secret
Sherlock Files #1
by Tracy Barrett
1st edition from Square Fish Publishing
for 4th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights
by John Steinbeck
from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
for Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great
The Knights' Tales Book 1
by Gerald Morris
Reprint from Sandpiper Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
As You Like It (No Fear Shakespeare)
by William Shakespeare
Study Guide ed. from Sparknotes
for 9th-12th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
Battle for Skandia
Ranger's Apprentice #04
by John A. Flanagan
Reprint from Philomel Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.00 (2 in stock)
Beast of Blackslope
Sherlock Files #2
by Tracy Barrett
1st edition from Square Fish Publishing
for 4th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Boy's Guide to the Historical Adventures of G. A. Henty
by William Potter
from Vision Forum
for 5th-10th grade
in G. A. Henty Books (Location: FIC-HEN)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
By Conduct & Courage
by G. A. Henty
from Robinson Curriculum
for 6th-10th grade
in G. A. Henty Books (Location: FIC-HEN)
$11.50 (1 in stock)
C.S. Lewis: Through the Shadowlands
by Brian Sibley
from Revell Publishing
for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Complete Guide to Shakespeare's Best Plays
by Aileen M. Carroll
2 Revised
for 9th-12th grade
in Shakespeare Materials (Location: LIR-SHA)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Dragon and the Raven
by G. A. Henty
from Preston Speed
Historical Fiction for 6th-10th grade
in G. A. Henty Books (Location: FIC-HEN)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Fandex: Shakespeare
from Workman Publishing
for 4th-8th grade
in Shakespeare Materials (Location: LIR-SHA)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
First Four Years
Little House Series #9
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Reprint from HarperCollins
for 3rd-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$9.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
History of the Kings of Britain
Penguin Classics
by Geoffrey of Monmouth
from Penguin Classics
Historical Fairy Tale for 10th-12th grade
in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED)
$19.00 $10.00 (1 in stock)
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)
$9.99 $6.00 (4 in stock)
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare
by Ken Ludwig
1st Paperback Edition from Broadway Books
for Adult
in Shakespeare Materials (Location: LIR-SHA)
$17.00 $10.00 (2 in stock)
In the Land of the Big Red Apple
Rocky Ridge Years Book 3
by Roger Lea Macbride
from HarperCollins
for 4th-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Jack: A Life of C.S. Lewis
by George Sayer
1st edition from Crossway Books
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Journey into Narnia
by Kathryn Lindskoog
from Hope Publishing House
for 9th-Adult
in Exploring Narnia (Location: LIR-NAR)
$9.00 (2 in stock)
Julius Caesar (No Fear Shakespeare)
by William Shakespeare
Study Guide ed. from Sparknotes
for 9th-12th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
King Richard III
Cambridge School Shakespeare Series
by William Shakespeare
from Cambridge University
Historical Drama for 9th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Lady Susan, The Watsons and Sanditon
Penguin Classics
by Jane Austen
from Penguin Classics
Realistic fiction for 8th-12th grade
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$11.00 $6.00 (2 in stock)
Last Battle
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)
Laura Ingalls Wilder
by Pamela Smith Hill
from South Dakota State Historical Society Press
for 9th-Adult
in Little House Materials (Location: LIR-LHM)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
by J. R. R. Tolkien
from Houghton Mifflin
Biographies for 10th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$19.99 $11.50 (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 Rocky Ridge
Rocky Ridge Years Book 1
by Roger Lea MacBride
from HarperCollins
for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Master of Middle Earth
by Paul H. Kocher
from Houghton Mifflin
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Merchant of Venice
by William Shakespeare
from Dover Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$3.00 $1.00 (9 in stock)
My Little House Crafts Book
by Carolyn Strom Collins & Christina Wyss Eriksson
from HarperCollins
Arts and Crafts for 3rd-6th grade
in Little House Materials (Location: LIR-LHM)
$13.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Patchwork Girl of Oz
Wizard of Oz Book 7
by L. Frank Baum
Reissue from Dover Publications
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$12.95 $7.00 (1 in stock)
Romeo and Juliet (No Fear Shakespeare)
by William Shakespeare
Study Guide ed. from Sparknotes
for 9th-12th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
Rowan Hood
by Nancy Springer
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Shakespeare Stealer
Shakespeare Stealer #1
by Gary Blackwood
from Puffin Books
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Shakespeare's Scribe
Shakespeare Stealer #2
by Gary Blackwood
from Puffin Books
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Silmarillion
by J. R. R. Tolkien & Christopher Tolkien
from Houghton Mifflin
Fantasy for 8th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Silver Chair
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Silver Chair
Chronicles of Narnia Book 4
by C. S. Lewis
from Collier Books
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Stories of Knights
Usborne Young Reading
by Jane Bingham
from Usborne
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$2.70 (1 in stock)
Tempest
by William Shakespeare
from Barron's
for 9th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Tempest (No Fear Shakespeare)
by William Shakespeare
Study Guide ed. from Sparknotes
for 9th-12th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
Twelfth Night
by William Shakespeare
from Barron's
Comedy for 8th-12th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$6.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)
Twelfth Night (No Fear Shakespeare)
by William Shakespeare
Study Guide ed. from Sparknotes
for 9th-12th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$3.00 (3 in stock)
Two Towers
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Film cover art from Mariner Books
for 8th-12th grade
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne World of Shakespeare
Usborne Internet-Linked
from Usborne
Shakespeare Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation (Location: HISW-REN)
$6.30 (1 in stock)
Usborne World of Shakespeare
by Anna Claybourne, Rebecca Treays
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Renaissance & Reformation (Location: HISW-REN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Wizard of Oz Book 1
by L. Frank Baum
Unknown from Dover Publications
for 3rd-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by Paul Granger
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Young Carthaginian
by G. A. Henty
from Preston Speed
Historical Fiction for 6th-10th grade
in G. A. Henty Books (Location: FIC-HEN)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Young Shakespeare
by Tony Bonning, illustrated by Gillian Alexander
from Waverly Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.50 (1 in stock)