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Wholesome Reading

No one wants their kids reading complete trash. It's pretty widely understood that what goes in comes out, and if kids consume a steady diet of books with bad morals, chances are they're going to retain those attitudes, regardless of the instruction they get at home. Wouldn't it be better to have them read books with clear messages of Christian virtue and well-behaved main characters?

Yes and no—obviously, we want good examples set for our children, and character-building stories often provide them. At the same time, they have a tendency to portray their heroes and heroines as too good, so that kids see a completely unrealistic picture of childhood which they consequently reject, if not at home, then later in life when it matters even more.

In the Bible, of course, Jesus Himself is presented as our example for leading a godly life. The difference is that these books are supposed to be representations of ordinary people, not the Son of God. To suggest that human beings (especially children!) can attain a state of near-sinless perfection is dangerously close to heresy.

That said, even stories of this kind are better than a lot of the available reading material for youngsters. If the goal is to raise children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, giving them an unattainable standard is superior to giving them one far too easily achieved, or none at all. Stories about selfish kiddos, kiddos who get their way, kiddos who are more wise than adults—these aren't the kind of stories our impressionable tykes need to read.

With that in mind, we offer wholesome fiction. A lot of these books are Victorian-era novels highly influenced by the moralist tones of the period, but many are also more recent ventures (and also a little more realistic). We suggest you not make a steady diet of these sorts of books (they don't typically feature the best writing), but every now and then it's not a bad idea to refresh your children's pool of good examples.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes 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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74 Items found Print
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Active Filters: 1st grade (Ages 6-7)
Among the Farmyard People
by Clara Dillingham Pierson
from Yesterday's Classics
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.61
Among the Forest People
by Clara Dillingham Pierson
from Yesterday's Classics
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$8.95
Among the Meadow People
by Clara Dillingham Pierson
from Yesterday's Classics
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.61
Among the Night People
by Clara Dillingham Pierson
from Yesterday's Classics
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.61
Among the Pond People
by Clara Dillingham Pierson
from Yesterday's Classics
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.61
Another Hive of Bees
Stories That Help Build Character Volume 2
by DeVern Fromke (editor)
from Sure Foundation
in Wholesome Reading (Location: FIC-WHO)
Barnabas
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Bible Wise Series
by Carine MacKenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Bible Stories for Kids (Location: BIBR-STO)
BibleTime Series
by Carine MacKenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Bible Stories for Kids (Location: BIBR-STO)
Book of Legends
by Horace E. Scudder
from Yesterday's Classics
for 1st-5th grade
in Yesterday's Classics (Location: FIC-YC)
$7.95
Burgess Animal Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Yesterday's Classics
for 1st-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$11.86
Burgess Bird Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Yesterday's Classics
for 1st-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$11.86 $7.65 (1 in stock)
Child's Book of Character Building - Book 1
by Ron & Rebekah Coriell
from Revell Publishing
for 1st-5th grade
in Wholesome Reading (Location: FIC-WHO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Children's Book of America
by William J. Bennett
from Simon and Schuster
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Short Story Anthologies for Kids (Location: FIC-ANTH)
$5.10 (1 in stock)
Children's Book of Virtues
by William J. Bennett
from Simon and Schuster
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Short Story Anthologies for Kids (Location: FIC-ANTH)
$5.10 (1 in stock)
Christie's Old Organ
Lamplighter Rare Collector Series
by O. F. Walton
from Lamplighter Publishing
for 1st-5th grade
in Lamplighter Rare Collector Series (Location: FIC-WHO)
Daniel
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
$3.99
David
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
$3.99
Elijah
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
$3.39
Esther
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Fairy Ring
by Kate Douglas Wiggin
from Yesterday's Classics
in Yesterday's Classics (Location: FIC-YC)
$20.95
Fifty Famous People
by James Baldwin
from Yesterday's Classics
for 1st-4th grade
in Yesterday's Classics (Location: FIC-YC)
$9.95
Fifty Famous Stories Retold
by James Baldwin
from Yesterday's Classics
for 1st-4th grade
in Yesterday's Classics (Location: FIC-YC)
$8.46
Fifty Famous Stories Retold
by James Baldwin
from Living Book Press
for 1st-4th grade
$6.38
For the Children's Hour
by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, Clara M. Lewis
from Yesterday's Classics
for Nursery-1st grade
in Yesterday's Classics (Location: FIC-YC)
$15.95
Gideon
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
$3.39
God is Good Series (9 books)
by Mrs. James Swartzentruber
from Rod & Staff Publishers, Inc.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Rod & Staff Fiction (Location: REA-R&S)
Hannah
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Jesus is Alive
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Jesus: The Promised Child
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
John the Baptist
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Jonah
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Jonathan
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Joseph
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Joseph's Shield
by Pansy
from Lamplighter Publishing
for 1st-5th grade
in Lamplighter Rare Collector Series (Location: FIC-WHO)
Joshua
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Kindergaten Gems
by Agnes Taylor Ketchum, Ida M. Jorgensen
from Yesterday's Classics
for Preschool-1st grade
in Yesterday's Classics (Location: FIC-YC)
Lost Milk Jar
Little Jewel Books
by Lucy Ann Conley
from Rod & Staff Publishers, Inc.
for K-2nd grade
in Rod & Staff Fiction (Location: REA-R&S)
$4.25 (1 in stock)
Make & Do with the Millers
by Mildred A. Martin & Ruthie J. Fisher
from Green Pastures Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Miller Family Series (Location: SER-MILLER)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Manual of Clay Modeling
by Hermione Unwin
from Yesterday's Classics
for 1st-12th grade
in Yesterday's Classics (Location: FIC-YC)
$9.95
Martha & Mary
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Mary
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Miriam
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Moses
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Nehemiah
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
Noah
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
$3.39
Not Forgotten
by Cal Ainley
from Pediment Group, Inc.
for 1st-3rd grade
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: ZCLE-CHR)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Paul the Wise Preacher
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
$3.39
Paul: Journeys of Adventure
BibleWise Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Preschool-3rd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
$3.39
Peter the Apostle
BibleTime Books
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-2nd grade
in BibleTime & BibleWise Books (Location: EAR-BTW)
12
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