Action & Adventure

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Mythology, Action / Adventure

Rick Riordan’s The Last Olympian is the fifth and final installment of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Published in 2009, this fantasy children’s book was a #1 bestseller on the lists of USA Today, the LA Times, and the Wall Street Journal. The novel follows the teenage demigod Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon and of a mortal woman. He and other demigods spend their summers at Camp Half-Blood, located in Long Island, NY.When... Read The Last Olympian Summary


Publication year 1968

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1993

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure

The Last Wish, by Andrzej Sapkowski, is a collection of short stories in the fantasy genre, although it borrows heavily from the folk and fairy tale tradition, as well. The collection was first published in Polish in 1993, although several stories had previously been published as part of a separate collection in 1990. Along with a series of short story collections and novels, The Last Wish is part of the Witcher saga. Subtitled Introducing the... Read The Last Wish Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction

The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch and published in 2006, is the first entry in the Gentleman Bastards series. These novels mix caper stories and fantasy stories and include adventure, violence, dark humor, and intimate friendships. The Lies of Locke Lamora is an international best seller and was nominated for multiple awards. The other entries in the series are Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, and The Thorn of... Read The Lies of Locke Lamora Summary


Publication year 1854

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Society: Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: World, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Children's Literature, Mythology, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Book DetailsThe Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, published in 2005, is the first installment in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, a six-book fantasy series for young readers. It was named School Library Journal’s Best Book of 2005, an American Library Association Notable Book (2006), and a New York Times Notable Book (2005). The book follows its young protagonist, Percy Jackson, as he discovers that he is a demigod and embarks on a journey save his... Read The Lightning Thief Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Historical Fiction, Incarceration, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, History: World, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Natural World: Space & The Universe

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Fantasy


Publication year 1950

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Food, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Christian literature, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the best-known work of author and literary critic Clive Staples (C. S.) Lewis. Published in 1951, the novel presents complex moral conundrums through the genre of children’s fantasy. Lewis later noted that his inspiration for the novel came from a recollection of images that he found particularly striking, such as a picture of a faun holding an umbrella in a snow-covered wood. The Lion, the Witch and... Read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Summary


Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Race / Racism, Class, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction

The Living by Matt de la Peña is a young adult novel that is in equal parts thriller, adventure, coming-of-age story, and commentary on the social divides of race and class in American culture. The Living was published in 2013 and received the Pura Belpré Award, a US literary prize for young people’s literature that represents the Latino cultural experience. A sequel to The Living, called The Hunted, was published in 2015. Other works by... Read The Living Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure

Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars (2006) is a reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s Victorian fairy tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and its sequel, Alice Through the Looking-Glass (1871). The Looking Glass Wars is the first book in the middle-grade fantasy trilogy of the same name, followed by Seeing Redd (2007) and ArchEnemy (2009).The novel uses several of Carroll’s iconic figures, including Alice, the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, and the White Rabbit. Beddor... Read The Looking Glass Wars Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags History: U.S., Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, History: World, Travel Literature, Action / Adventure

The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story is a New York Times best-selling nonfiction book written by journalist and novelist Douglas Preston and published by Grand Central Publishing in 2017. Preston’s book follows the history of various expeditions in search of the legendary Lost City of the Monkey God in the La Mosquitia region of Honduras. Most of the book covers an aerial lidar survey and a ground expedition organized and led... Read The Lost City of the Monkey God Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place

Tags History: World, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: The Americas, Race / Racism, WWI / World War I, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Biography

David Grann’s The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (2009) tells the story of Percy Harrison Fawcett’s ill-fated expedition into the Brazilian jungle. After nearly two decades spent exploring the region and gathering evidence, Fawcett concluded that a sophisticated ancient civilization, a city he called Z, lay hidden deep in the Amazonian wilderness. In 1925, while searching for Z, Fawcett disappeared along with his son Jack and Jack’s friend... Read The Lost City of Z Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Mythology, Action / Adventure

Rick Riordan’s 2010 YA novel, The Lost Hero, tells the story of three demigods: Jason Grace, son of Jupiter/Zeus; Piper McClean, daughter of Aphrodite; and Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus. The book alternates between narrating these three characters’ thoughts and experiences in free indirect discourse. Each has a distinctive style: Jason is vaguely confused, but aware of others’ high expectations; Piper is lovelorn over Jason, and self-pitying because her father’s fame has weakened their bond;... Read The Lost Hero Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction

IntroductionThe Lost Symbol is a bestselling novel by Dan Brown and is the third to feature Harvard professor and symbology expert Robert Langdon. In this novel, Langdon makes a last-minute trip to Washington, DC, to give a keynote speech at an event hosted by his friend and mentor, Peter Solomon. However, when Langdon arrives, he discovers that Peter’s kidnapper lured him to Washington in order to compel him to decipher a code that will reveal... Read The Lost Symbol Summary


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Animals

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Fantasy

The Lost World (1995) is a sequel to Michael Crichton’s techno-thriller Jurassic Park, a 1990 bestseller. The original novel focuses on an ambitious business plan to hatch live dinosaurs through genetic engineering and then display them in a family-friendly theme park on Isla Nublar off the coast of Costa Rica. The plan goes awry when the great animals take over the island and compel the company that initially bankrolled the park, In-Gen, to destroy the... Read The Lost World Summary


Publication year 1912

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race

Tags Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Animals, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure

The Magicians is a 2009 fantasy novel by Lev Grossman. It tells the story of Quentin Coldwater, a 17-year-old high school student living in Brooklyn, New York. Despite coming from a solid, middle-class home, having good friends, and doing well at school, Quentin is unhappy with his life. As a boy, he read a series of fictional fantasy books, the Fillory and Further series, by fictional author Christopher Plover. These books have led Quentin to... Read The Magicians Summary