Staff Favorites & Reviews

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.

Did you find this review helpful?
Subcategories
70 Items found Print
Active Filters: 7th grade (Ages 12-13), Hardcover, New Books & Materials
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Sterling Classics
by Mark Twain, illustrated by Scott McKowen
from Sterling Publishing Co.
for 6th-10th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$14.95
All American History Volume I - Student Reader
by Celeste W. Rakes
from Bright Ideas Press
for 5th-8th grade
in All American History (Location: HISCUR-US)
$64.95
All American History Volume II - Student Reader
by Celeste W. Rakes
from Bright Ideas Press
for 6th-9th grade
in All American History (Location: HISCUR-US)
$64.95
America the Beautiful Part 1
by Charlene Notgrass
2nd edition from Notgrass Company
for 5th-8th grade
in Notgrass America the Beautiful (Location: HISCUR-NG)
$45.00
America the Beautiful Part 2
by Charlene Notgrass
2nd edition from Notgrass Company
for 5th-8th grade
in Notgrass America the Beautiful (Location: HISCUR-NG)
$45.00
Anne of Green Gables
Anne #1
by L. M. Montgomery
from Tundra Books (NY)
Orphan Stories for 5th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$19.99
Book of Nations
by Rebecca Allen
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 3rd-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$35.00
Cave Book
Wonders of Creation Series
by Emil Silvestru
from Master Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$15.19
City of Ember
Book of Ember #1
by Jeanne DuPrau
1st edition from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 4th-7th grade
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$8.99
Complex Circulatory System
God's Wondrous Machine
by Lainna Callentine, M.Ed., M.D.
from Master Books
for 3rd-7th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$12.79 $11.00 (1 in stock)
Dangerous Book for Boys
by Conn & Hal Iggulden
from William Morrow & Company
for 3rd-Adult
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$22.99
Eagle of the Ninth
by Rosemary Sutcliff, illustrated by C. Walter Hodges
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade
$20.00
Ecology Book
by Jean Lightner, Tom Hennigan
from Master Books
for 5th-10th grade
in Ecology (Location: SCI-ECO)
$15.19
European World 400-1450
by Barbara Hanawalt
from Oxford University
for 5th-8th grade
in Middle Ages (Location: HISW-MID)
$39.95 $27.50 (1 in stock)
Fossil Book
Wonders of Creation Series
by Gary & Mary Parker
from Master Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$15.19
From Adam to Us - Our Creative World
by John Notgrass
from Notgrass Company
for 4th-8th grade
in Notgrass From Adam to Us (Location: HISCUR-NG)
$25.00
From Adam to Us Part 1
by Ray Notgrass, Charlene Notgrass
from Notgrass Company
for 5th-8th grade
in Notgrass From Adam to Us (Location: HISCUR-NG)
$45.00
Geology Book
Wonders of Creation Series
by John D. Morris
from Master Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$15.19
Gilgamesh the Hero
by Geraldine McCaughrean
from Eerdmans
for 4th-8th grade
$20.00
Good Fight
by Stephen Ambrose
from Atheneum
WWII Historical Reference for 4th-9th grade
in World War II (1939-1945) (Location: HISA-20WW2)
$27.99
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter Book 2
by J. K. Rowling
First American Edition from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$26.99
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter Book 2
by J. K. Rowling
Illustrated from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$39.99
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter Book 7
by J. K. Rowling
1st edition from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$34.99 $16.00 (1 in stock)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter Book 4
by J. K. Rowling
1st American Edition from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter Book 6
by J. K. Rowling
1st American Edition from Scholastic Inc.
for 6th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99 $16.00 (1 in stock)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter Book 5
by J. K. Rowling
1st American Edition from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter Book 3
by J.K. Rowling
1st edition from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99 $15.00 (2 in stock)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$39.99
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter Book 1
by J. K. Rowling
from Scholastic Press
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$29.99
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter Book 1
by J. K. Rowling
from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$39.99
Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition
Harvey's Language Course
by Thos. W. Harvey
from Mott Media
for 4th-8th- grade
in McGuffey's Readers & Workbooks (Location: REA-MCG)
$15.00 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Harvey's Revised English Grammar
Harvey's Language Course
by Thos. W. Harvey
from Mott Media
for 4th-8th grade
in McGuffey's Readers & Workbooks (Location: REA-MCG)
$17.50 $10.00 (2 in stock)
Hobbit
by J. R. R. Tolkien
from Houghton Mifflin
Fantasy for 5th-9th grade
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$19.99
King of the Wind
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)
$24.99
Life of Fred: Beginning Algebra
Life of Fred
by Stanley Schmidt
Expanded edition from Polka Dot Publishing
for 7th-8th grade
in Life of Fred Math (Location: MAT-FRED)
$49.00
Life of Fred: Pre-Algebra 0 with Physics
from Polka Dot Publishing
for 7th-9th grade
in Life of Fred Math (Location: MAT-FRED)
$39.00
Life of Fred: Pre-Algebra 1 with Biology
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for 6th-9th grade
in Life of Fred Math (Location: MAT-FRED)
$39.00 $26.00 (1 in stock)
Life of Fred: Pre-Algebra 2 with Economics
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for 7th-10th grade
in Life of Fred Math (Location: MAT-FRED)
$39.00 $26.00 (1 in stock)
Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott, illustrated by M.E. Gray
Unabridged from Everyman's Library
Realistic Romantic Fiction for 5th-8th grade
$16.95
Luther
by Frederick Nohl
from Concordia Publishing House
for 5th-8th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$15.99 $7.50 (4 in stock)
Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams
by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares
from Levine Querido
for 6th-9th grade
2024 Newbery Honor Book
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$21.99
Math-U-See Pre-Algebra - Level Up Base Set
from Math-U-See
for 7th grade
in Math-U-See (Location: MAT-MUS)
$107.00
Math-U-See Pre-Algebra - Student Pack
from Math-U-See
for 7th grade
in Math-U-See (Location: MAT-MUS)
$48.00
Mineral Book
by David McQueen
from Master Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$15.19 $11.00 (1 in stock)
Mouse and His Child
by Russell Hoban, illustrated by David Small
from Arthur A. Levine Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$19.99
Mystery of History Volume I
3rd edition from Bright Ideas Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Mystery of History (Location: HISCUR-MoH)
$99.95
Mystery of History Volume II
by Linda Lacour Hobar
2nd edition from Bright Ideas Press
History Curriculum for 5th-8th grade
in Mystery of History (Location: HISCUR-MoH)
$99.95
Mystery of History Volume III
by Linda Lacour Hobar
from Bright Ideas Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Mystery of History (Location: HISCUR-MoH)
$99.95
New Astronomy Book
Wonders of Creation Series
by Jonathan Henry
2nd edition from Master Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$15.19
New Ocean Book
Wonders of Creation Series
by Frank Sherwin
from Master Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Oceanography & Marine Biology (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
$15.19 $9.00 (1 in stock)
New Weather Book
Wonders of Creation Series
by Michael Oard
2nd edition from Master Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$15.19 $11.00 (1 in stock)
North Star Geography
by Tyler H. Hogan
1st edition from Bright Ideas Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Geography Curriculum (Location: GEO-CUR)
$89.95 $49.00 (1 in stock)
Novare Life Science
by Tracy Creek
from Novare
for 6th-8th grade
in Novare Science & Math (Location: SCICUR-NOV)
$89.95
Novare Physical Science
by John D. Mays
3rd edition from Novare
for 7th grade
in Novare Science & Math (Location: SCICUR-NOV)
$86.95 $55.00 (1 in stock)
Omnibus I - Text Only
by Doug Wilson & G. Tyler Fischer
4th edition from Veritas Press
for 7th-10th grade
in Veritas Press Omnibus (Location: LITCUR-OMN)
$85.00
Outlaws of Time
by N. D. Wilson
from Katherine Tegen Books
for 3rd-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.99
Pages of History Volume 1
by Bruce Etter, Alexia Detweiler
2nd edition from Veritas Press
for 6th-10th grade
in Veritas Press History (Location: HISCUR-VP)
$25.00
Pages of History Volume 2
from Veritas Press
for 6th-10th grade
in Veritas Press History (Location: HISCUR-VP)
$25.00
Princess and the Goblin
Everyman Library
by George MacDonald
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Fantasy for 5th-8th grade
$18.00
Seeking True Values
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 7th grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$11.00
Uncle Sam and You - Part 1
by Ray & Charlene Notgrass with Mary Evelyn McCurdy
from Notgrass Company
for 5th-8th grade
in Notgrass Uncle Sam and You (Location: GOV-CURNG)
$45.00
Uncle Sam and You - Part 2
by Ray & Charlene Notgrass with Mary Evelyn McCurdy
from Notgrass Company
for 5th-8th grade
in Notgrass Uncle Sam and You (Location: GOV-CURNG)
$45.00 $31.00 (1 in stock)
Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
by Hugh Lofting
from Dover Publications
for 3rd-7th grade
1923 Newbery Medal winner
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$14.95
Waiting to Waltz
by Cynthia Rylant
from Atheneum
for 1st-7th grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
$19.99
We the People
by John & Charlene Notgrass (Editors)
2nd edition from Notgrass Company
for 5th-8th grade
in Notgrass America the Beautiful (Location: HISCUR-NG)
$25.00 $15.00 (2 in stock)
William Shakespeare's Star Wars Trilogy: The Royal Imperial Boxed Set
William Shakespeare Star Wars
by Ian Doescher
from Quirk Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$47.97 $32.00 (1 in stock)
Wind in the Willows
by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Robert Ingpen
from Sterling Publishing Co.
Humorous Animal Fantasy for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$24.95
Wonders of the Human Body - Volume 3 (old)
by Dr. Tommy Mitchell
from Master Books
for 5th-10th grade
in Old Edition Science (Location: OSCI)
$14.39
Wonders of the Human Body - Volume 4 (old)
by Dr. Tommy Mitchell
from Master Books
for 5th-10th grade
in Old Edition Science (Location: OSCI)
$14.39
Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick
First Edition from Scholastic Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$29.99