Action & Adventure

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Fantasy

Airborn is a 2004 Young Adult steampunk adventure novel by Canadian author Kenneth Oppel. Airborn is the first in Oppel’s Matt Cruse series, which would go on to include Skybreaker (2005) and Starclimber (2008). Airborn follows the adventures of Matt Cruse, a cabin boy on the airship Aurora. With passenger and love interest Kate de Vries, Matt discovers a previously unknown creature on an island in the Pacifica, the in-world version of the Pacific Ocean... Read Airborn Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Class, Love / Sexuality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Politics & Government

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

First published in 2006, Alabama Moon by Watt Key is a realistic middle grade novel set in 1980 in rural Alabama. After being raised by his survivalist father, 10-year-old Moon Blake knows he can acquire anything he needs from the forest. When his father dies, Moon sets out for Alaska as Pap instructed. On his journey, Moon finds conflict with authorities, peers, “the system,” and a constable intent on breaking his spirit. Alabama Moon was... Read Alabama Moon Summary


Publication year 1959

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, Relationships, History: U.S., Cold War, Fantasy

Alas, Babylon is a 1959 novel by Pat Frank. Written during the Cold War, it is one of the earliest post-apocalyptic novels to deal with the potential consequences of nuclear war. It examines themes of nationalism, natural selection, deterrent force, and resilience and contains elements of dystopian literature.Plot SummaryAs the novel begins, Mark Bragg sends a telegram to his brother, Randy. The telegram includes the words, “Alas, Babylon,” their code for the onset of a... Read Alas, Babylon Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Disability, Realistic Fiction, History: World

Al Capone Shines My Shoes (2009) is the second book in Gennifer Choldenko’s Tales from Alcatraz series. The novel is set on the prison island of Alcatraz during the height of the Great Depression. The protagonist and narrator is 12-year-old Matthew “Moose” Flanagan, whose father works as a guard and electrician at the notorious prison. When Moose receives a note from Al Capone, a famous gangster and prisoner of Alcatraz, he finds himself caught up... Read Al Capone Shines My Shoes Summary


Publication year 1865

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Fantasy, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by British author Lewis Carroll (1832-1838) is a classic work of nonsense literature first published in 1865. Originally intended for children, the novel has become a perennial favorite of adults thanks to Carroll’s sophisticated wordplay and humor. Carroll’s work has influenced or inspired authors as diverse as James Joyce and Neil Gaiman, surrealist painters like Salvador Dalí, and the philosopher Gilles Deleuze. The novel has never been out of print and... Read Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

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


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World


Publication year 1974

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Teams

Tags Action / Adventure, History: World, Travel Literature, Biography

Alive is a nonfiction book published in 1974 by the British author Piers Paul Read. It is based on the true story of a Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes mountains in 1972. The stranded men resorted to cannibalism to survive. The book was adapted into a film of the same name in 1993. Plot SummaryRugby first came to Uruguay via a group of Irish priests hired to educate the children of... Read Alive Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear

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

Allegiant, written by New York Times Bestselling author Veronica Roth, is the third and final novel in the Divergent trilogy. Allegiant was published in 2013 by Harper Collins and is a dystopian novel with a romance element written for a young adult audience. Roth tells the story from the perspective of Tris Prior and Tobias Eaton. Allegiant is the first novel where Roth uses a different narrator, as she wrote both Divergent and Insurgent from... Read Allegiant Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, History: World, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure

Allies is a novel by American author Alan Gratz that was originally published in 2019. It belongs to the genre of young adult historical fiction and is set during World War II. Gratz is the author of 17 novels for children/young adults as of 2021 and has won awards from Random House Books and the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators. His novel Refugee won the National Jewish Book Award and the Young Hoosier... Read Allies Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Action / Adventure, Sports, History: Asian, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1927

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Satire, Class


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Among the Hidden is a young adult dystopian novel that follows the story of Luke Garner, a child whose existence is illegal due to a population law that prohibits people from having more than two children. He meets a fellow third child for the first time and learns about the history and structure of his country’s dystopian society. Among the Hidden was first published in 1998 and is Haddix’s fourth full-length novel... Read Among the Hidden Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Children's Literature, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Bullying, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Among the Impostors is the second book in the Shadow Children series, following Among the Hidden. The titles published after Among the Impostors are Among the Betrayed, Among the Barons, Among the Brave, Among the Enemy, and Among the Free. Haddix is also the author of several other books for young adults and has won several awards for her work. They include the Reading Association Children’s Book Award, ALA Best Books for... Read Among the Impostors Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World

An Echo in the Bone (2009) is the seventh novel in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Combining elements of the historical fiction, adventure, fantasy, magical realism, and romance genres, the series follows the adventures of Claire Randall, a WWII battle nurse who accidentally time travels to 18th-century Scotland and falls in love with Jamie Fraser, a Highland warrior. Over the course of 10 planned novels, Gabaldon follows Claire, Jamie, and their family as they... Read An Echo in the Bone Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Action / Adventure