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.

	Adam of the Road Puffin Newbery Library by Elizabeth Gray from Puffin Books Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade 1943 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $9.99 $5.00 (1 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)
	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 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Blue Willow Puffin Newbery Library by Doris Gates from Puffin Books for 4th-7th grade 1941 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.50 (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)
	Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis from Laurel-Leaf Books Realistic Fiction for 4th-6th grade 2000 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $3.50 (2 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)
	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)
	Chasing Vermeer Balliet Art Mystery Series by Blue Balliett, Brett Helquist (Illustrator) from Scholastic Inc. Mystery & Suspense for 4th-6th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Corn Grows Ripe Puffin Newbery Library by Dorothy Rhoads from Puffin Books for 4th-6th grade 1957 Newbery Honor Book in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh Reissue from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Fiction for Kindergarten-6th grade 1955 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $5.99 $3.50 (2 in stock)
	Drinking Gourd OSI A Story of the Underground Railroad An I Can Read Book Level 3 by F. N. Monjo from HarperCollins Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $4.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Escape From Warsaw Originally titled The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier, illustrated by Irwin Hoffman from Scholastic Inc. Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Gladys Aylward The Adventure of a Lifetime Christian Heroes: Then & Now by Geoff & Janet Benge from YWAM Publishing Biography for 4th-7th grade in Christian Heroes: Then and Now (Location: BIO-BENGE) $11.99 $6.00 (2 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 $3.00 (2 in stock)
	Greg's Microscope An I Can Read Book Level 3 by Millicent Selsam & Arnold Lobel from HarperCollins Non-Fiction for 2nd-4th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $4.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
	Hill of Fire An I Can Read Book Level 3 by Thomas Lewis & Joan Sandin from HarperCollins Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $4.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
	Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan from HarperCollins for 4th-7th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	House of Sixty Fathers RUC by Meindert DeJong & Maurice Sendak from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade 1957 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.00 (2 in stock)
	Josefina Story Quilt An I Can Read Book Level 3 by Eleanor Coerr from HarperCollins Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $4.99 $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)
	Latin's Not So Tough! 4 - Quizzes & Exams by Karen Mohs from Greek N Stuff for 4th-6th grade in Clearance: Foreign Language (Location: ZCLE-FL) $4.13 $2.50 (2 in stock)
	Long Way to a New Land An I Can Read Book Level 3 by Joan Sandin from HarperCollins Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $4.99 $2.50 (4 in stock)
	Long Way Westward An I Can Read Book Level 3 by Joan Sandin from HarperCollins Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $4.99 $2.50 (2 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 (1 in stock)
	Minstrel in the Tower by Gloria Skurzynski from Random House Historical Fiction for 1st-4th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $6.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey from Puffin Books Personification story for 3rd-7th grade 1947 Newbery Medal winner in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $2.50 (3 in stock)
	Moccasin Trail Puffin Newbery Library by Eloise J. McGraw from Puffin Books Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade 1953 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99 $5.00 (3 in stock)
	Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater, illustrated by Jim Madsen from Little, Brown & Company Humorous Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 1939 Newbery Honor Book in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99 $4.50 (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) $9.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Once On This Island by Gloria Whelan from HarperCollins Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $6.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)
	One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-7th grade 2013 Newbery Award Winner in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Paint Brush Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla from Random House for 3rd-5th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $5.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Prairie School An I Can Read Book Level 4 by Avi from HarperCollins for 3rd-5th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $5.99 $3.50 (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)
	Second Mrs. Giaconda by E. L. Konigsburg from Aladdin Paperbacks Realistic Fiction for 4th-7th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $8.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)
	Secret of the Andes Puffin Newbery Library by Ann Nolan Clark from Puffin Books Realistic Fiction for 4th-7th grade 1953 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $7.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
	Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Snowshoe Thompson An I Can Read Book Level 3 by Nancy Smiler Levinson & Joan Sandin from HarperCollins Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $4.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins from Beech Tree Books Historical fiction for 4th-8th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $5.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Soft Rain A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Cornelia Cornelissen from Yearling Historical fiction for 3rd-5th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $7.99 $4.00 (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)
	Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski from HarperCollins Realistic fiction for 4th-6th grade 1946 Newbery Medal winner in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $9.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Surprises An I Can Read Book Level 3 by Lee Bennett Hopkins from HarperCollins for 2nd-4th grade in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR) $4.99 $2.50 (3 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)
	Trojan Horse How the Greeks Won the War Step Into Reading Level 5 by Emily Little from Random House Greek Mythology for 2nd-4th grade in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP) $4.99 $2.50 (2 in stock)
	Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White from HarperCollins Animal Fantasy for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois from Puffin Books Fantasy for 4th-7th grade 1948 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $8.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade 1987 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $6.99 $3.00 (2 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)

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