Kids Adventure
WHALES ON STILTS by M.T. Anderson
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Lily has always considered herself to be boring. Compared to her friends Katie (the star of the Horror Hollow adventure book series) and Jasper (the famous boy inventor), Lily is boring. She never has any adventures of her own. But when she stumbles upon the plot of an evil half-human half-whale criminal mastermind who is determined to conquer the world with an army of whales on stilts . . . well, her life is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
This silly sci-fi novel reads like a superhero cartoon, complete with a snarky omniscient narrator, larger-than-life characters, and absurd action sequences. It is very, very silly, so don’t expect much substance. But it is a fun read for elementary age kids (grades 3-4) who like books like Captain Underpants, Magic Pickle, or the Lunch Lady series.
If you liked Whales on Stilts, you may also like Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell or “Who Could That Be At This Hour?” by Lemony Snicket.
CHITTY-CHITTY BANG BANG by Ian Fleming
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At first, Jeremy and Jemima are disappointed to see the beat-up old car that their brilliant inventor father, Caractacus Potts, wants to refurbish. But they have no idea of the adventures that are in store for them. Not only does the car begin to run smoothly again, it seems to come to life with a brilliant mind of its own. When danger is near, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (as they come to name the car) can soar up into the sky and fly away or turn into a boat and float out to sea. But it isn’t long before Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s amazing abilities lead the Potts family into trouble. After stumbling upon a band of gangsters’ cache of explosives, it will take all of the Potts family’s–and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s–cleverness and skill to escape from the crooks and bring them to justice.
The book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is vastly different from the film adaptation of the same name. The book is shorter, simpler, and (in my opinion) significantly less scary, due to the absence of the child-catcher. Personally, I like the movie better, probably because I like complicated scary musicals. But the book is certainly enjoyable in its own right, particularly if you do not compare it to the film. If you like fun, light fantasy adventure stories, give this classic a try!
THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY by Sheila Burnford
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When a Canadian family travels to Europe for six months, they must leave their three pets–an old bull terrier, a young Labrador retriever, and a Siamese cat–in the care of a friend who lives several hundred miles East of the family’s home. While the bull terrier and the Siamese cat settle into life with their new caretaker, the Labrador is restless. He knows that he is far from home and longs to be with his family again. So, when the opportunity presents itself, he leads his two companions to escape from their caretaker and journey across the Canadian wilderness toward home. But with bears, porcupines, and other hazards to face along the way, all three animals may not make it home alive.
The Incredible Journey is the book on which the film Homeward Bound was based. The book is less humorous than the movie, but it is filled with the same adventure and heartwarming moments. The imagery is dense and the reading level may be above the interest level. But the book would make a great family read aloud for families who have pets or love animals and have children in grades 2-5.
If you liked The Incredible Journey, you might like Babe, the Gallant Pig by Dick King Smith.
THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE by Kate DiCamillo
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Edward Tulane is a finely crafted china rabbit who belongs to a girl called Abilene. He is very proud of his craftsmanship and his fancy clothes and spends most of his time thinking about how wonderful he is. Although Abilene loves him, Edward doesn’t love anyone but himself. When Abilene’s grandmother tells a story about a witch who cast a horrible spell on a selfish man because he didn’t know how to love, Edward doesn’t think the story has anything to do with him. But when Abilene takes him along on an ocean voyage and he falls overboard, Edward realizes that the witch’s curse may have affected him as well. So begins Edward’s incredible journey through the ocean and on land as his adventures teach him how to love.
Winner of a Christopher Award for “affirming high values of the human spirit,” this simple novel reads like a fairy tale. Although on the reading level for 3rd-4th graders, it would make a great read-aloud for younger children in grades K-2 as well.
If you liked The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, you might also like The Velveteen Rabbit, which has a similar tone and message. If you are up for a longer read, you may enjoy The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
LUNCH LADY AND THE CYBORG SUBSTITUTE by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
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The Breakfast Bunch have always wondered what their Lunch Lady’s life was like outside of school. But they never suspected that she was secretly a crime-fighting vigilante who uses her incredible strength and a slew of interesting gadgets to keep the school safe from all evil. So when a suspicious substitute teacher shows up, the Lunch Lady is immediately on his tail, with the unsuspecting Breakfast Bunch trailing along behind them.
This popular graphic novel series is both action-packed and hilariously funny. Captain Underpants lovers will be delighted to discover this new comical school-themed superhero series. It will appeal most to upper-elementary age readers.
If you like the Lunch Lady series, you might like N.E.R.D.S. by Michael Buckley.
FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull
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Kendra and Seth are dreading spending two weeks with their Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson. First, their trip was prompted by the death of both of their maternal grandparents who requested in their will that all of their children (including Kendra and Seth’s parents) use their inheritance to take a long vacation. Second, although Kendra and Seth were very close to their grandparents who passed away, they hardly know the Sorensons at all. They’ve never been to visit, and every time their grandparents visit them, there is something distant and mysterious about them. When they arrive at the farm, their grandmother is missing, and their grandfather immediately lectures them with bizarre rules and forbidden areas of the property. But when Seth begins exploring out of bounds and Kendra finds some keys and a mysterious diary hidden in the attic, they discover that there are more secrets on Grandpa Sorenson’s farm than they ever could have imagined. Suddenly plunged into a world of fairies, witches, naiads, and other fantastical creatures, Seth and Kendra quickly learn that even a small act of carelessness could plunge their entire family into mortal danger.
The Fablehaven series is sure to be popular with fantasy lovers. While much of the first book is devoted to establishing the characters, the fantasy world, and the future conflict, the action picks up toward the end of the novel and leaves you hanging with the promise of sequels. The adventure continues in Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star. There are five books in the series.
If you liked Fablehaven, you might like The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley or Dreamwood by Heather Mackey. Teen readers who liked Fablehaven and enjoy dark fantasy might enjoy Reckless by Cornelia Funke.
POWERLESS by Matthew Cody
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When Daniel and his family move to a new town to take care of his aging grandmother, Daniel immediately notices something odd about the kids of Noble’s Green. At first he excuses the strange things he sees as tricks of his mind. Mollie couldn’t possibly move as fast as he thought she did. Certainly the bully Clay couldn’t be strong enough to hurl him that far through the air. But when Eric rescues him from a would-be-fatal fall and flies him up to their secret hide-out, Daniel has to face the truth. The kids of Noble’s Green have superpowers. Most of them choose to use their powers only for good and to hide their abilities from the adults. But one thing is universally true: the powers disappear on your thirteenth birthday. Your old talents vanish, and with them your memories of your childhood adventures and even of your friendships. Some of the kids have accepted this change as destiny, and watched their older friends drift away from them, knowing it would one day be their turn. But Mollie suspects that something else might be going on. Unfortunately, any kid who tried to figure out the truth in the past lost their powers prematurely. But Daniel has no superpowers, and his talent at detective work makes him the perfect man for the job. It is all up to Daniel to discover who or what is stealing the superpowers of Noble’s Green, before the supers lose another friend.
I just picked this book up when I was browsing, and boy am I glad I did! This is a great adventure mystery, built on themes of growing up and changing relationships that we can all relate to. It will probably appeal most to upper elementary and middle schoolers. A truly fun, imaginative read–I highly recommend it!
If you liked Powerless, you might like Sidekicks by Jack D. Ferraiolo.
INKHEART by Cornelia Funke
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Meggie’s father, Mo, is a book doctor. He repairs old books with loving care and encourages Meggie in her own love of books and stories. But Mo never reads aloud. Meggie has never given this too much thought until a mysterious man called Dustfinger shows up at their house in the middle of the night, and Meggie’s world is turned upside down. She and her father are forced to flee from some sort of evil man by the name of Capricorn, and no one will explain to Meggie what is going on, who Capricorn and Dustfinger are, or what all of this has to do with a book called Inkheart. Meggie, Mo, and Dustfinger seek refuge at the home of their book-obsessed relative, Elinor. But it isn’t long before Mo’s past catches up with them. When a bunch of thugs steal Mo and Inkheart, Meggie learns of her father’s ability to read characters out of books, discovers the truth about her mother’s disappearance nine years earlier, and prepares to embark on a dangerous adventure to rescue her father from the clutches of Capricorn.
This fantasy adventure will greatly appeal to all readers who have ever imagined joining characters in the world of their story–or having those characters come to life in their own lives. It is a long book, but fast-paced with beautiful imagery and complex characters. I also recommend the audio book–although it is quite long (15 hrs!)–as Lynn Redgrave’s performance really brings the book to life.
RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE by Dean, Shannon, & Nathan Hale
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Rapunzel’s mother, Gothel, raised her in a beautiful home surrounded by luscious gardens–the product of Gothel’s growth magic–and a high stone wall which separated them from the outside world. When Rapunzel grows old enough to wonder what lies beyond the wall, she disobeys her mother’s orders and climbs to the top. There she sees the barren wasteland outside her mother’s protected garden, land stripped of all fertility by the witch’s powers and peopled by laboring peasants, Gothel’s slaves. Rapunzel also learns that one of the peasants is her true mother, from whom Gothel stole her in infancy. When Rapunzel confronts the witch with her new knowledge, Gothel takes her to a far off forest and imprisons her in the hollow of a tall, tall tree. Gothel expects that her “daughter” will eventually come to her senses and choose to support the system of slavery that keeps them living in luxury. Instead, Rapunzel grows increasingly bitter in her isolation. Gothel’s growth magic that made the tree tall also makes Rapunzel’s hair grow quickly and soon she has enough to create a lasso to help her in her escape. Teaming up with a young thief named Jack, Rapunzel adventures across the desert countryside, trying to devise a plan to destroy Gothel’s empire and using her hair to bring vigilante justice to the lawless towns she passes through.
This adventurous Wild West retelling of Rapunzel is tons of fun. The graphic novel format is perfect for the story’s fantastic action sequences. Plus, it is very, very funny! I highly recommend this book to middle grade and teen readers.
The sequel Calamity Jack came out recently and I am very excited to read it!
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Susan the Librarian 