Action & Adventure

Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Self Discovery, Coming of Age

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

The Neverending Story (originally titled Die unendliche Geschichte) is a 1979 Young Adult fantasy novel by German author Michael Ende. The book describes the adventures of a boy named Bastian who initially reads about and then physically enters the world of Fantastica, which is threatened by a sinister, amorphous of destruction called “the Nothing.” Like Ende’s other novels, Momo (1973) and The Night of Wishes: Or the Satanarchaeolidealcohellish Notion Potion (1989), the novel is a... Read The Neverending Story Summary

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Justice, Family, Education, Immigration, Guilt

Tags Crime & Law, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer is a 2010 middle-grade novel written by John Grisham, and it is the first installment in the Theodore Boone series. Grisham is an experienced layer and writer of over 30 novels, with most of his writing in the legal thriller genre. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer is Grisham’s first foray into writing for a younger audience, which the author called a challenge in shifting the way he thought about his writing approach... Read Theodore Boone Summary

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Family, Fate

Tags Classic Fiction, Narrative Poem, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Education, Education, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Book DetailsThe Odyssey is a classic ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer. One of the foundational works of Western literature, The Odyssey draws on conceits and concepts from Near Eastern epics, most notably the Homecoming Husband. The narrative revolves around the restoration of a family after a prolonged separation, exploring The Importance of Home and Family, Reciprocity as Virtue and Obligation, and the Intersection of Fate, the Gods, and Human Choices in determining outcomes.Author... Read The Odyssey Summary

Publication year 1952

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Masculinity, Animals, Conflict, Perseverance

Tags American Literature, Action & Adventure, Classic Fiction, Education, Education

In The Old Man and the Sea, a 1952 adventure novella by American author Ernest Hemingway, an aging fisherman pits his life and wits against a giant fish as he battles to catch it and then protect its flesh from ravenous sharks. With its themes of endurance, perseverance, and respect for one’s opponent, this simple, straightforward narrative is widely regarded as an American classic and one of the greatest sea stories ever told.The book helped... Read The Old Man and the Sea Summary

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Arts & Culture

The Only Road (2016) is Alexandra Diaz’s second novel. Diaz is the daughter of Cuban immigrants, and this book focuses on the experience of migration. The novel, written primarily for young adults, follows cousins Jaime and Ángela, who are forced to flee their small Guatemalan village after the local gang kills Ángela’s brother. Faced with either joining the gang responsible for his death or taking the uncertain 4,000-kilometer journey north, Jaime and Ángela reluctantly leave... Read The Only Road Summary

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Safety & Danger, Justice

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Business & Economics, Journalism, Politics & Government, Crime & Law, American Literature

The Pelican Brief is a 1992 novel by the American writer John Grisham. The legal thriller tells the story of Darby Shaw, a young law student who uncovers a vast conspiracy. The book was adapted into a film in 1993 starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington.Other works by this author include The Client, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, Skipping Christmas, and Playing For Pizza.Plot SummaryAn assassin named Khamel kills two Supreme Court Justices. Though the Justices... Read The Pelican Brief Summary

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Family, Self Discovery, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Animals

Tags Realistic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Coming of Age, Animals, Relationships, Social Class, Music, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Teamwork, Community, Conflict

Tags Science Fiction, Children`s Literature, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

The People of Sparks is the second of four science fiction novels in the highly lauded Book of Ember series, written by Jeanne DuPrau. Published in 2004, The People of Sparks follows Lina and Doon, the protagonists of The City of Ember, as they attempt to help the people of Ember navigate the post-apocalyptic surface world. This middle grade novel explores ideas of communities, the cyclical nature of violence and war, and the importance of... Read The People of Sparks Summary

Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags World History, Science & Nature, Travel Literature, Action & Adventure, Biography

The Perfect Storm is a 1997 nonfiction book by Sebastian Junger, who writes for numerous magazines, including Outside, American Heritage, and Men’s Journal. He has lived most of his life on the Massachusetts coast.In late September of 1991, the swordfishing boat Andrea Gail departs the town of Gloucester, Massachusetts with six men aboard, for a month-long fishing trip. In late October, as a powerful storm begins to build in the fishing waters of the North... Read The Perfect Storm Summary

Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Science & Technology, Order & Chaos, Music, Beauty, Self Discovery, Siblings

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

In Norton Juster’s 1961 middle-grade fantasy adventure The Phantom Tollbooth, a bored young boy visits a magical land whose people suffer from a strange delusion and volunteers to find a source of wisdom that can heal them. The book is a touchstone for generations of young readers; it has sold nearly five million copies in more than a dozen languages and has been adapted for film, stage, and symphony hall. Author Juster published a dozen... Read The Phantom Tollbooth Summary

Publication year 1823

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Classic Fiction, American Revolution, American Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Western, Action & Adventure

The Pioneers, written by James Fenimore Cooper and published in 1823, tells the interlocking story of three characters in the fictional frontier town of Templeton, New York (based on the real Cooperstown, New York) between Christmas Eve 1793 and October 1794. The Pioneers is the fourth chronological story of five novels Cooper wrote about the region, henceforth known as the Leatherstocking Tales series. The protagonist is Nathaniel “Natty” Bumpo (or Leatherstocking), an elderly but extremely... Read The Pioneers Summary

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Colonialism, Perseverance, Immigration, Nation

Tags US History, Action & Adventure, Colonial America, American Literature, World History, Western, Biography

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Fathers, Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval, Narrative Poem, Action & Adventure, European History, Military & War

The Song of the Cid, also known as El Cantar de mio Cid, is a Spanish epic written in verse by an unknown author. The only surviving medieval Spanish epic, it is widely considered Spain’s national folktale, telling of fictionalized events at the formation of medieval Spain in the 11th century. It is based on the true story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, a Castilian knight who in reality fought for both Christian and Muslim... Read The Poem of the Cid Summary

Publication year 1881

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Appearance & Reality, Social Class, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, American Literature, World History

The Prince and the Pauper: A Tale for Young People of All Ages is Mark Twain’s first historical fiction novel, published in 1881 in Canda and in America the following year. Set in 16th-century England during the reigns of King Henry VIII and Edward VI, the novel revolves around two identical boys: Henry’s heir, Prince Edward, and Tom Canty, a London beggar. After a chance meeting, the two decide to exchange roles, leading to a... Read The Prince and the Pauper Summary

Publication year 1872

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Good & Evil, Social Class

Tags Fairy Tale & Folklore, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Religion & Spirituality

The Princess and the Goblin, first published in 1872, is a Victorian children’s fantasy novel written by George MacDonald. Arthur Hughes and W. B. MacDougall created the accompanying drawings for the original publication, and Jessie Wilcox Smith added new visual art to the story in 1920. In 1992, the novel was adapted into a full-length animated feature film of the same name. This guide utilizes the 2018 Leaves of Gold Press version of the novel... Read The Princess and the Goblin Summary