Action & Adventure

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags African American Literature, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Bullying, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality

Mary Downing Hahn published her 29th book for young readers, Closed for the Season, in 2010. Closed for the Season is a young adult mystery novel that received the coveted Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award. Hahn, an American author, has received a great number of accolades for her work in young adult fiction, among which includes the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction and a series of state awards.Logan Forbes is the 13 year... Read Closed for the Season Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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

Code Name Verity (2012), by Elizabeth Wein, operates on several levels: as a historical novel detailing the World War II exploits of two British women—a spy and a pilot—behind enemy lines in occupied France; as a thriller, with a twisting plot; and as a coming-of-age story for two women, who are still teenagers when they meet and become friends during the course of their war work.Plot SummaryThe first part of the novel takes place in... Read Code Name Verity Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

Code of Honor is a 2015 young adult thriller by Alan Gratz, the author of the acclaimed Prisoner B-3087 (2013) and Ground Zero (2021), among other novels. The book follows main character Kamran Smith after his brother, Army Ranger Darius Smith, is discovered cooperating with al-Qaeda. The novel deals with issues of Persian-American identity in the wake of 9/11, and the struggle of remaining loyal to the people one loves and trusts, even when the... Read Code of Honor Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Realistic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure

Code Orange is a young adult novel published in 2005 by the best-selling author Caroline B. Cooney. The main character is Mitty Blake, a lackluster high school student living in Manhattan. When he is assigned to write a research project on an infectious disease for biology class, he does as little as possible for his assignment, as always. But in the process of learning about smallpox, the disease he finally chooses, he discovers two smallpox... Read Code Orange Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Sociology, Action / Adventure, History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, History: World, Travel Literature, Humor, Politics / Government

Confederates in the Attic is a non-fiction book written by Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Tony Horwitz. The book is a mixture of ethnography—the study of a specific group of people in a specific place—and travel writing, where Horwitz attempts to dive deeply into his childhood fascination for the American Civil War by traveling through the deep South, visiting Confederate battlefields, museums, and monuments, and interviewing the locals that he comes into contact with about their relationship to... Read Confederates In The Attic Summary


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Arts / Culture, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

Copper Sun is a historical fiction novel about fifteen-year-old Amari, a young woman from Ziavi, Ghana. Amari loves her community (the Ewe people), her family, and her soon-to-be husband, Besa. One day, unannounced, a group of pale-faced strangers arrive, led there by a neighbouring tribe, the Ashanti. Amari’s people prepare a celebration to welcome the guests, not knowing the grave danger they will soon face. After a meal, gift exchange, storytelling, and dancing, the white... Read Copper Sun Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

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


Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Realistic Fiction, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction

Crabbe is the story of Franklin Crabbe, an eighteen-year old native of Toronto who struggles with the conventional expectations of his affluent parents and teachers. Highly intelligent but riddled with resentment and anxiety, Crabbe (as he prefers to be called) decides to run away to the Canadian wilderness. Once in the wilderness, the inexperienced Crabbe encounters a series of life-threatening challenges that he overcomes only with the help of another fugitive, Mary Pallas, and the lessons... Read Crabbe Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Teams, Natural World: Animals, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Military / War, Historical Fiction, Animals, Action / Adventure

Cynthia Kadohata’s Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam is a work of historical fiction that centers around a dog, Cracker, and her handler, Rick Hanski, during their deployment in Vietnam. It is aimed at an audience of middle-grade readers but is also an enjoyable and educational read for adults. Told from the perspective of both the canine and human main characters, Kadohata reveals the vitally important work conducted by military dogs and their handlers during... Read Cracker Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Depression / Suicide, History: European, Politics / Government, Poverty

Crispin: The Cross of Lead is a 2002 children’s historical fiction novel by Avi. Set in medieval England, the novel follows the adventures of a boy who goes on the run after he is falsely accused of theft and murder and explores themes related to poverty, education, choice, and freedom. Crispin won the Newbery Medal in 2003. A sequel, Crispin at the Edge of the World, was released in 2006, while a third novel, Crispin:... Read Crispin: The Cross of Lead Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Military / War, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Science / Nature, Social Justice


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Globalization

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture

Crossing the Wire tells the story of Victor Flores, a Mexican teenager who leaves his village of Los Árboles to illegally cross the border into the United States. Victor’s father died while working in the U.S. four years earlier, leaving Victor “the man of the family” (14). His family has been living off of the money Victor makes farming corn, but free trade agreements with the U.S. have made Mexican corn worthless. The only option... Read Crossing the Wire Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Romance


Publication year 1940

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

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

Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease is a children’s historical novel published in 1940. Set in Elizabethan England at the end of the 16th century, it follows the adventures of Peter, forced to run away from his Cumberland home. Peter becomes a boy-actor, traveling to London with another runaway, Kit. They uncover a conspiracy against the Queen that takes them on a series of escapades up and down the country.Trease wrote over 100 books and... Read Cue for Treason Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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