Action & Adventure

Publication year 1991

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family

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


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture, Relationships, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction

Book Scavenger (2015) is the debut novel by children’s author Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. Upon publication, it immediately became a New York Times bestseller and soon after the book was named an Amazon Book of the Year, Indie Top Ten Pick, and received more than 20 state awards and nominations. Book Scavenger has since been translated into 12 languages. Book Scavenger is the first volume in a Middle Grade Detective series of the same name. Other... Read Book Scavenger Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Sports, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Anthropology, Finance / Money / Wealth, Biography


Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Animals, Arts / Culture, Disability, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure

Boy of the Painted Cave is a 1996 middle-grade historical fiction novel by Justin Denzel set 18,000 years ago in prehistoric France. The novel is told in the limited third-person point of view and follows Tao, a 14-year-old boy with a disability, who longs to be a cave painter for his clan. Tao has difficulty walking with his right foot, and he compensates for this by using a spear as a crutch. The crutch allows... Read Boy of the Painted Cave Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Contemporary Literature


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Brian’s Hunt (2003) by Gary Paulsen is the fifth and final book in the middle grade coming-of-age survival series, Brian’s Saga. It is preceded by Hatchet, The River, Brian’s Winter, and Brian’s Return. In Brian’s Hunt, Brian returns to the woods two years after his first wilderness survival experience. Paulsen, an experienced outdoorsman, highlights Brian’s preference for a simple life in nature over the hustle of the civilized world. The novel is praised for its... Read Brian's Hunt Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Science / Nature, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction

Brian's Return (1999) is a young adult fiction novel and the fourth book in author Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet series. Paulsen draws on his personal experiences from the wilderness to create Brian’s outdoor adventure and survival narrative throughout the series, stating in the author note, “Virtually all that happens to Brian in these books has happened to me at some point in my life” (112). Paulsen was awarded the Newberry Honor in 1988 for Hatchet, the first... Read Brian's Return Summary


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction

Brian’s Winter (1996), a young adult novel by Gary Paulsen, is the third book in the Hatchet series of survival stories. Brian’s Winter chronologically follows Hatchet, acting as an alternate ending to Hatchet in which Brian is not rescued, and must continue to survive in the woods through the winter. Paulsen uses his own firsthand knowledge of winter survival skills to create a vivid and realistic portrayal of winter in the Canadian woods.Other works by... Read Brian's Winter Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy

Christopher Paolini’s Brisingr, published in 2008, is a work of YA Fantasy. It is the third volume in a series of four books, including Eragon, Eldest, and Inheritance, which together form the Inheritance Cycle. While Eragon is the protagonist of this series, the chapters are presented from several different points of view, all in third person. In this text, narrators include Eragon, Saphira, Roran, and Nasuada. Plot Summary Brisingr opens with Eragon, Saphira, and Roran hiding outside... Read Brisingr Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1963

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor


Publication year 1935

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink is a work of historical fiction written for young adult audiences. It was originally published in 1935 and is set in the 1860s, during the time of westward expansion and pioneers. Much of the book is based on Brink’s grandmother’s stories about her family and their adventures as settlers in Wisconsin. In fact, many of the locations mentioned in the text can still be visited today. Caddie Woodlawn won... Read Caddie Woodlawn Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Military / War


Publication year 1957

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War

Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1940

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community

Tags Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Education, Animals, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature


Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Survival Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 1922

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure, History: World


Publication year 1997

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship

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

Dav Pilkey’s graphic novel for children, The Adventures of Captain Underpants (1997), spawned a long list of sequels and adaptations in other media. The Captain Underpants series has won numerous awards, including the Garden State Children's Book Awards (Children's Fiction) 2000, the Buckeye Children's Book Award (Grades 3-5) 2001, and the Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (Grades K-3) 2000.Plot SummaryThe story begins by introducing two best friends, George and Harold. They love to pull pranks... Read Captain Underpants Summary