These books about shipwrecked families, treasure hunters, spies, hunting dogs, secret missions and noble quests will take you on adventures without ever having to leave your house!
Monstrous Devices by Damien Love
On a winter’s day in a British town, twelve-year old Alex receives a package in the mail: an old tin robot from his grandfather. “This one is special,” says the enclosed note, and when strange events start occurring around him, Alex suspects this small toy is more than special; it might be deadly. Right as things get out of hand, Alex’s grandfather arrives, pulling him away from an attack and into the macabre magic of an ancient family feud. Together, they unravel the riddle of the little robot while trying to outwit relentless assassins of the human and mechanical kind.
Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Twelve-year-old Max, who loves the legend Buelo tells him about a mythical gatekeeper who can guide brave travelers on a journey into tomorrow, sets out on a dangerous quest to discover if he is true of heart and what the future holds, armed with a treasured compass, a mysterious stone rubbing, and Buelo’s legend as his only guides.
Treasure Hunters by James Patterson
Following clues left by their missing father, twelve-year-old twins Bickford and Rebecca Kidd sail from the Caribbean to New York City with their siblings to finish the dangerous quest of their world-famous treasure-hunting parents.
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry
A young wolf cub, separated from his pack, journeys 1000 miles across the Pacific Northwest, dealing with forest fires, hunters, highways, and hunger before finding a new home. Based on the true story of a wolf called OR-7.
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
Eleven-year-old Princess Celie lives with her parents, the king and queen, and her brothers and sister at Castle Glower, which adds rooms or stairways or secret passageways most every Tuesday, and when the king and queen are ambushed while travelling, it is up to Celie–the castle’s favorite–with her secret knowledge of its never-ending twists and turns, to protect their home and save their kingdom.
The Elephant Thief by Jane Kerr
When young pickpocket Danny accidentally buys an elephant at an auction, he finds himself swept up on an unforgettable adventure. Offered a job by a zookeeper, all he has to do is ride Maharajah from Edinburgh to Manchester in one week. Everyone in the country is watching, even the Queen, but the journey soon proves to be filled with drama and danger. A rival zookeeper will stop at nothing to make sure they fail, and soon Danny’s shady connections from his past threaten to overturn the mission…Can Danny win the trust and friendship of the elephant and guide him home? Can the two of them stick together through the odds and win the day?
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
Twelve-year-old Kyle gets to stay overnight in the new town library, designed by his hero (the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello), with other students but finds that come morning he must work with friends to solve puzzles in order to escape.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
As the lone “young lady” on a transatlantic voyage in 1832, Charlotte learns that the captain is murderous and the crew rebellious.
When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin
Pinmei, a storyteller’s granddaughter, must find the Luminous Stone that Lights the Night to rescue her grandmother, who has been kidnapped by the Tiger Emperor.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Billy trains his two dogs in the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country to be the finest hunting team in the valley proving loyalty and bravery in the face of danger.
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Davis Wyss
When a Swiss couple and their four sons are shipwrecked on an isolated island, they adapt to their “New Switzerland” using many imaginative methods of farming and animal taming
