Action & Adventure

The Blackthorn Key

by Kevin Sands

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Published in 2015, The Blackthorn Key is a children’s historical fantasy novel by Kevin Sands. Set in 17th-century London, the story follows Christopher Rowe, the young apprentice to a successful apothecary, as he puts all his skills to the test to uncover a terrible secret that is threatening the city’s apothecaries. After earning his degree in theoretical physics, Sands has worked as a business consultant and teacher. The Blackthorn Key, his debut novel, is the first book in... Read The Blackthorn Key Summary

The Blood of Olympus

by Rick Riordan

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Colonialism, Self Discovery, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Coming of Age, Death, Place, Hope

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action & Adventure, Leadership, Coming of Age, Animals, European History, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Children`s Literature

Originally published in 2014, The Blood of Olympus is the fifth and final book in Rick Riordan’s young adult fantasy series The Heroes of Olympus, inspired by Greek and Roman mythologies. The series follows seven demigods—children of one divine and one mortal parent—as they try to stop the earth goddess, Gaea, from rising to power. The novel won several awards, including the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Middle Grade and Children’s Book of 2014. The... Read The Blood of Olympus Summary

The Blue Sword

by Robin McKinley

Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Femininity, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, War

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

The Blue Sword (1982) is a young adult fantasy novel by American author Robin McKinley. Set in the mythical kingdom of Damar, the story follows Angharad “Harry” Crewe, a young orphaned woman from a colonizing nation known as the Homeland. After being sent to live in a remote desert outpost, Harry is unexpectedly kidnapped by Corlath, the king of the native Hillfolk, who senses ancient magic in her. As Harry is drawn deeper into the... Read The Blue Sword Summary

The Body

by Stephen King

Publication year 1982

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Fear, Love, Coming of Age

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Coming of Age, Action & Adventure, Horror & Suspense, Trauma & Abuse, Bullying, Relationships, American Literature

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The Book of Lost Things

by John Connolly

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Fantasy, Children`s Literature, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Action & Adventure

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly is a coming-of-age novel for young adults. It follows the voyage and return plot structure, in which the hero, David, is transported to a magical land, Elsewhere, where he encounters an evil power and eventually returns home having learned a valuable lesson. Published in 2006, The Book of Lost Things is Connolly’s first non-mystery novel and was a nominee for the Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of... Read The Book of Lost Things Summary

The Book of Three

by Lloyd Alexander

Publication year 1964

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Classic Fiction

Published in 1964, The Book of Three is a high-fantasy adventure novel for middle-grade readers. The first of five books in the series The Chronicles of Prydain, The Book of Three tells the story of Taran, a farm boy who treks with three companions across an ancient kingdom on a mission to inform its rulers of an impending attack by evil forces. The book won an ALA Notable Book award, and the series won a... Read The Book of Three Summary

The Borrowers

by Mary Norton

Publication year 1952

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Social Class, Family

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, British Literature

Introduction Written by British author Mary Norton in 1952, The Borrowers is the first in a five-part series along with The Borrowers Afield (1955), The Borrowers Afloat (1959), The Borrowers Aloft (1961), and The Borrowers Avenged (1982). The book follows the story of the Clock family, a trio of tiny people who live beneath the kitchen floorboards in a large house in the British countryside. Norton was born in London in 1903 and grew up... Read The Borrowers Summary

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler

by Phillip M. Hoose

Publication year 2015

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Tags European History, Children`s Literature, World War II, Military & War, World History, Action & Adventure, Biography

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip Hoose is a young adult (YA) nonfiction book published in 2015. Hoose, who previously received a Newbery Honor for Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, was inspired to write the book after learning about the Churchill Club on a visit to the Museum of Danish Resistance in Copenhagen. The book is composed of Hoose’s research-based narration of the actions and events surrounding the... Read The Boys Who Challenged Hitler Summary

The Burning Bridge

by John Flanagan

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Loyalty & Betrayal, Friendship, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Appearance & Reality, Teamwork, Self Discovery, War, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure

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The Butterfly Lion

by Michael Morpurgo

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Coming of Age, Death, Animals, Friendship, War, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Animals, World History, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure

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The Call of the Wild

by Jack London

Publication year 1903

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Animals, Community, Power & Greed

Tags Action & Adventure, American Literature, Animals, Naturalism, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

Originally serialized in 1903, Jack London’s The Call of the Wild is an adventure story about Buck, a dog from the Santa Clara Valley who finds himself living the life of a sled dog in the Arctic wilderness. Through Buck’s adventure, the novel addresses what it takes to survive in the natural world, contemplates the connection between life and death, and demonstrates the power of respect and love. The Call of the Wild was immediately... Read The Call of the Wild Summary

The Camel Club

by David Baldacci

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Revenge, The Past, Teamwork, Politics & Government

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure, Espionage

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The Candymakers

by Wendy Mass

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Revenge, Fathers, Family, Friendship

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Food, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Wendy Mass’s novel The Candymakers is a work of middle-grade fiction that follows four children competing in a national candy making competition. As the children learn more about each other and the Life is Sweet candy factory, they give up their personal ambitions for the common good: to save the factory from a businessman who desires to steal the factory’s secret chocolate ingredient. Brown Books for Young Readers published the novel in 2010.Plot SummaryThe Candymakers... Read The Candymakers Summary

The Canyon's Edge

by Dusti Bowling

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Family, Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger, Self Discovery

Tags Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Animals, Grief & Death, Mental Illness, Parenting, Natural Disaster, Science & Nature, Trauma & Abuse, Children`s Literature

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