Staff Favorites & Reviews

Store Location

No staff is entirely static, staying exactly the same for years with no additions or subtractions. We realize that, but we're also pretty proud of our current personnel, and the many ways they've helped shape Exodus Books and point it in some unforeseen and wonderful directions. So, in 2011 we started asking each individual to share their favorite books, curricula, games, etc., and these pages are the result.

Because sharing favorites is fairly personal, we thought you should get to know each of these peculiar persons and asked them all to write a main bio, as well as section-specific bios. These are partly to show why they selected the titles and products in their lists, and partly just to show you that Exodus Books is inhabited by real people who do real things.

One of our biggest in-store services is making recommendations and helping people find what works best for them. These lists aren't as customer-specific, but they serve the same purpose—we're not just trying to parade our excellent taste or prove that we're literate, we're trying to help you discover things you may never have found otherwise, and maybe to rediscover some old favorites.

It's probably a fact universally true of book-lovers: given the chance, they'll talk your ear off about the books they love, the books they hate, and all the books you'll never read but that are really much better than the well-known books you will read. This isn't pretension. It's simply what happens to those who love words and want to share them. We've tried to cut the talk down here, though we'll gladly answer any pertinent questions.

With that, we present Staff Favorites. You'll find some overlap (lots of people seem to like The Chronicles of Narnia), but rarely if ever will you find complete consensus on a single title, product, or curriculum line. That's why we let everyone make their own lists: you know the official Exodus stance by reading our reviews, but the individuality that makes our store unique and awesome is what's on display here. Enjoy, and don't judge too harshly.

	Almost Home A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower's Mary Chilton Daughters of the Faith by Wendy G. Lawton from Moody Press Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade in Daughters of the Faith (Location: SER-DAU) $7.99 $5.00 (4 in stock)
	And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $7.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Baby Elephant All Aboard Science Reader Level 2 by Ginjer L. Clarke from Grosset & Dunlap for Kindergarten-1st grade in Penguin Young Readers / All Aboard Readers (Location: EAR-PYR) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Bad Puppy Lad, a Dog by Margo Lundell from Scholastic Inc. for 2nd-3rd grade in Scholastic / Hello Reader! (Location: EAR-SCH) $1.50 (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)
	Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward from Houghton Mifflin Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade 1953 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Black Stallion Black Stallion #1 by Walter Farley from Yearling Realistic Animal Fiction for 5th-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $8.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Bony by Frances Zweifel; illustrated by Whitney Darrow, Jr. from Harper & Row for 1st-3rd grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Brand New Day with Mouse and Mole Green Light Readers Level 3 by Wong Herbert Yee from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for 1st-3rd grade in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC) $4.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Bravest Dog Ever The True Story of Balto Step Into Reading Level 3 by Natalie Standiford from Random House Animal Stories for 1st-3rd grade in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP) $5.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $6.39 $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz from Puffin Books Historical fiction for 4th-6th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
	Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth from Aladdin Paperbacks Eastern Fairy Tale for 3rd-6th grade 1931 Newbery Medal winner in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $6.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
	Cats Usborne Beginners by Anna Milbourne from Usborne for 1st-2nd grade in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA) $3.00 (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) $8.99 $4.00 (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)
	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)
	Colonial Kids An Activity Guide to Life in the New World by Laurie Carlson 1^st edition from Chicago Review Press for 4th-6th grade in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL) $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Corduroy by Don Freeman from Viking Books for Young Readers Personification Stories for Preschool-2nd grade in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Creating Books with Children by Valerie Bendt 2^nd edition for Preschool-1st grade in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn & Hal Iggulden 2013 reprint from William Morrow & Company for 3rd-Adult in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN) $25.99 $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Dinosaurs Usborne Beginners by Stephanie Turnbull from Usborne for 1st-2nd grade in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Dogs Usborne Beginners by Emma Helbrough from Usborne for 1st-2nd grade in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Early American History for Intermediate Grades (really old) A Literature Approach by Rea Berg from Beautiful Feet Books for 4th-6th grade in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Elephant and Piggie Complete Collection - Boxed Set by Mo Willems from Disney-Hyperion for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $95.00 (1 in stock)
	Elephants Usborne Beginners by James MacLaine from Usborne for 1st-2nd grade in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Fizz, Bubble & Flash! Element Explorations & Atom Adventures for Hands-On Science Fun! by Anita Brandolini from Williamson Publishing Company for 3rd-8th grade in Chemistry (Location: SCI-CHEM) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Fourth of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh 2^nd edition from Aladdin Paperbacks Historical Non-fiction for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster, expanded by Joanna Foster and edited by Rea Berg from Beautiful Feet Books History Reference/Biography for 7th-10th grade 1942 Newbery Honor Book in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $21.95 $15.00 (1 in stock)
	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 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble from Aladdin Paperbacks Native American Legends for Kindergarten-2nd grade 1979 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Gizmos & Gadgets Creating Science Contraptions That Work by Jill Frankel Hauser from Williamson Publishing Company for 1st-8th grade in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Go, Dog, Go! by P. D. Eastman from Random House Animal Fantasy/Rhyming Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $9.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Go, Dog, Go! by P. D. Eastman Kohls Cares For Kids from Random House Animal Fantasy/Rhyming Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Go, Train, Go! by Elizabeth Terrill, Rev. W. Awdry from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Handy Dad 25 Awesome Projects for Dads and Kids by Todd Davis from Chronicle Books for Adult in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN) $24.95 $12.50 (1 in stock)
	Harry and the Lady Next Door An I Can Read Book Level 1 by Gene Zion from HarperCollins Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $5.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Henry and Mudge The First Book of Their Adventures by Cynthia Rylant from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade in Ready-to-Read (Location: EAR-R2R) $5.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Horse Heroes: True Stories of Amazing Horses A DK Eyewitness Reader Level 4 by Kate Petty from DK Publishing for 2nd-4th grade in DK Readers (Location: EAR-DK) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Horse Heroes: True Stories of Amazing Horses A DK Eyewitness Reader Level 4 by Kate Petty from DK Publishing for 2nd-4th grade in DK Readers (Location: EAR-DK) $4.99 $2.50 (2 in stock)
	Horses and Ponies Usborne Beginners by Anna Milbourne from Usborne for 1st-2nd grade in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss from Random House Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $16.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Jump, Pup! National Geographic Kids Pre-reader by Susan B. Neuman from National Geographic for Preschool-Kindergarten in National Geographic Early Readers (Location: EAR-NGR) $2.50 (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) $6.39 $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Light and the Glory Did God Have a Plan for America? by Peter Marshall & David Manuel from Revell Publishing American History Reference for 9th-Adult in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift & Lynd Ward from Houghton Mifflin for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot by Margot Theis Raven from Sleeping Bear Press for 3rd-6th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $17.95 $12.00 (1 in stock)
	My Little House Crafts Book 18 Projects from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Stories 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)
	New World In View To Pledge Allegiance #1 by Gary DeMar & Fred Douglas Young from American Vision Press American History Reference for 8th-10th grade in To Pledge Allegiance (Location: HISCUR-TPA) $12.00 (2 in stock)
	Niagara Falls Wonders of America Ready-to-Read Level 1 by Marion Dane Bauer from Simon Spotlight for Preschool-1st grade in Ready-to-Read (Location: EAR-R2R) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur? All About Dinosaurs by Bonnie Worth, illustrated by Steve Haefele from Random House Books for Young Readers for 2nd-4th grade in Cat in the Hat's Learning Library (Location: EAR-CAT) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 4 - Video Lectures Early Moderns: The Novels by Wesley Callihan from Roman Roads Media for 9th-Adult in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC) $55.00 (1 in stock)
	On the Road to Independence To Pledge Allegiance #3 by Gary DeMar & George Grant from American Vision Press American History Reference for 9th-12th grade in To Pledge Allegiance (Location: HISCUR-TPA) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Penny and Her Marble I Can Read Level 1 by Kevin Henkes from Greenwillow Books for Preschool-1st grade 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $5.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
	Ponies and Horses DK Eyewitness Readers Level 1 by Fiona Lock from DK Publishing for 1st-3rd grade in DK Readers (Location: EAR-DK) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	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 $3.00 (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)
	Seabird by Holling C. Holling from Houghton Mifflin Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade 1949 Newbery Honor Book in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG) $12.99 $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope from Sandpiper Books for 10th-12th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Shiloh Shiloh #1 by Phyllis R. Naylor from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Animal Stories for 5th-8th grade 1992 Newbery Medal winner in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $8.99 $3.00 (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)
	Spaceships and Rockets DK Readers Level 2 by Deborah Lock from DK Publishing for Kindergarten-2nd grade in DK Readers (Location: EAR-DK) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Story of the Thirteen Colonies by Helene Guerber from Nothing New Press History Reference for 3rd-8th grade Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL) $16.50 (1 in stock)
	Story of the Wright Brothers and Their Sister by Lois Mills from Christian Liberty Press for 3rd grade in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP) $11.75 $6.00 (2 in stock)
	Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright from Square Fish Publishing Realistic Fiction for 4th-6th grade 1939 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $5.00 (3 in stock)
	Three Pigs by David Wiesner 1^st edition from Clarion Books for Preschool-2nd grade 2002 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $18.99 $11.00 (1 in stock)
	Why Not, Lafayette? by Jean Fritz from Scholastic Inc. for 4th-8th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Wolves by James Maclaine, illustrated by John Francis and Kimberley Scott from Usborne for 1st-2nd grade in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Wolves Scholastic Science Readers Level 2 by Carolyn B. Otto from Scholastic Inc. for 1st-2nd grade in Scholastic / Hello Reader! (Location: EAR-SCH) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Yankee Doodle Boy A Young Soldier's Adventures in the American Revolution Told by Himself by Joseph Martin from Holiday House Historical Non-Fiction for 5th-8th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Yankee Doodle Boy A Young Soldier's Adventures in the American Revolution Told by Himself by Joseph Martin from William R. Scott Inc. Historical Non-Fiction for 5th-8th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS) $14.00 (1 in stock)

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