Adventure and Survival Fiction for Kids

Updated June 15, 2026
Carver County Library Carver County Library
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Adventure and Survival Fiction for Kids

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Across the desert
Bowling, Dusti
Paper Book
One girl sets out on a journey across the treacherous Arizona desert to rescue a young pilot stranded after a plane crash in this gripping story of survival, friendship, and rescue from a bestselling and award-winning author. ​ Twelve-year-old Jolene spends...
The wild robot
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
Now a DreamWorks movie available on Prime Video! This #1 New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from a Caldecott Honor winner tells an extraordinary story full of action and thought-provoking questions as a robot learns to survive--and...
The incredible journey
Burnford, Sheila Every.
Paper Book
Fans of Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows, and Shiloh will love this timeless classic about two dogs and a cat that embark on a journey to return to their owner and inspired the movie Homeward Bound.    An inquisitive Labrador retriever,...
Storm blown
Courage, Nick
Paper Book
"Beautiful, vivid writing and a power-packed plot . . . I truly loved it."--Lauren Tarshis, bestselling author of the I SURVIVED series "Awesome. Super-intense, suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat stuff."--Max Brallier, New York Times bestselling author of the LAST KIDS ON...
96 miles
Esplin, J. L.
Paper Book
21 days without power. 2 brothers on a desperate trek. 72 hours before time runs out... The Lockwood brothers are supposed to be able to survive anything. Their dad, a hardcore believer in self-reliance, has stockpiled enough food and water at their isolated...
Forgotten city
Ford, Michael
Paper Book
Survival is just the beginning in this action-packed middle grade adventure that's Mad Max for kids. Thirteen years ago, the world ended. A deadly chemical called Waste began to spread across the globe, leaving devastation in its wake. Millions died. Cities fell into chaos. Anything the...
Alone
Freeman, Megan E.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! Perfect for fans ofHatchet and the I Survived series, this "riveting, immersive" (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade debut novel in verse from a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet tells the story of a young girl who wakes up one day to...
Two degrees
Gratz, Alan
Paper Book
The instant #1 New York Times bestseller! #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz (Refugee; Ground Zero) is back, tackling the urgent topic of climate change in this breathtaking, action-packed novel that will keep readers turning pages while making...
Red Fox Road
Greenslade, Frances
Paper Book
A thirteen-year-old girl on a family vacation becomes stranded alone in the wilderness when the family's GPS leads them astray. A compelling survival story for ages 10 to 14, for fans of Hatchet and The Skeleton Tree. Francie and her parents are on a spring road...
Adrift
Guerrero, Tanya
Paper Book
From Tanya Guerrero, the author of All You Knead Is Love and How to Make Friends with the Sea, comes Adrift, an upper middle grade contemporary story of survival and grief about two biracial Filipino cousins whose resilience is tested when one of them is lost at sea. ...
Off the map
Hashimoto, Meika
Paper Book
From Meika Hashimoto, author of The Trail, comes an action-packed adventure about doing what it takes to survive--and realizing you can't do it alone. Amos and Marlo have always been best friends. From hiking trips to backyard camp-outs, from playing soccer at the park to sitting...
Lalani of the distant sea
Kelly, Erin Entrada
Paper Book
"A lush and mysterious fable, full of beauty, full of wonder."--Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly's debut fantasy novel is a gorgeous, literary adventure about bravery, friendship, self-reliance, and the...
A world below
King, Wesley
Paper Book
"A swift-paced survival tale that's a cool blend of Lord of the Flies and Journey to the Center of the Earth." --School Library Journal "A sharp meditation on the seemingly universal difficulties of being young, smart, and uncertain." --BCCB "A...
Masterminds
Korman, Gordon
Paper Book
The first book in the action-packed trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman is perfect for fans of Stranger Things and James Patterson.  Eli Frieden has never left Serenity, New Mexico...why would he ever want to? Then one day, he bikes to the edge of the city...
Fire on Headless Mountain
Lawrence, Iain
Paper Book
Separated from his siblings, 11-year-old Virgil must survive a dangerous forest fire using only his wits and the lessons his late mother taught him about the wilderness. Virgil is making his older siblings trek to a mountain lake on a trip unlike any they've taken before. They...
Iceberg
Nielsen, Jennifer A.
Paper Book
As disaster looms on the horizon, a young stowaway onboard the Titanic will need all her courage and wits to stay alive. A thrilling tale from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen! Hazel Rothbury is traveling all alone from her home in England aboard...
A whale of the wild
Parry, Rosanne
Paper Book
"A spellbinding, heart-stopping adventure." --Booklist (starred review) "A dreamily written, slyly educational, rousing maritime adventure." --New York Times Book Review In the stand-alone companion to the New York Times-bestselling A Wolf Called...
Northwind
Paulsen, Gary
Paper Book
The stunning New York Times bestseller from three-time Newbery Honor winner and survival story master Gary Paulsen, whose books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide. Set centuries ago along a rugged coastline, Northwind does for the ocean what Hatchet does for the...
Pax
Pennypacker, Sara
Paper Book
New York Times Bestseller * National Book Award Longlist  From bestselling and award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes a beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the powerful relationship between a boy and his fox. Pax is destined to become a classic,...
Wild wave : a novel
Philbrick, W. R.
Paper Book
A WILD adventure from Rodman Philbrick, author of Wildfire and Wild River. When two kids become trapped in the aftermath of a tsunami, they must figure out a way to find help. It's kids vs. nature in another edge-of-your seat read! When a tsunami heads for the coast,...
Adventure is now
Redman, Jess, 1986-
Paper Book
A fun-filled, action-packed middle grade novel about a boy who learns about protecting the environment, finding real friends, and living in the now while spending the summer on a remote island. Sometimes it's hard to be Milton P. Greene. He says all the wrong things,...
It's the end of the world and I'm in my bathing suit
Reynolds, Justin A.
Paper Book
A hilarious new middle-grade from Justin A. Reynolds that asks: What happens when five unsupervised kids face the apocalypse under outrageously silly circumstances? Twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway has concocted his most genius plan ever to avoid chores . . . especially the dreaded L...
The explorer
Rundell, Katherine
Paper Book
Parents' Choice Recommended From Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner Katherine Rundell comes an exciting new novel about a group of kids who must survive in the Amazon after their plane crashes. Fred, Con, Lila, and Max are on their way back to England from Manaus...
The Amazon
Smith, Roland
Paper Book
Ring and Asia Wilde's life is anything but ordinary. Some of their closest friends are endangered monkeys and rare birds. Instead of attending middle school, they accompany their parents (scientists who work to save endangered species) on adventures around the world. They spend more time climbing...
Survivor girl
Teagan, Erin
Paper Book
In this funny, action-packed middle grade novel from the author of the American Girl Luciana books, Alison gets invited to be on her dad's reality show, Survivor Guy, and faces important realities about her family, self-reliance, and learning to work together with friends.<...
Swiss family Robinson
Wyss, Johann David, 1743-1818.
Paper Book
Shipwrecked passengers on a deserted island: how will they survive? After their ship founders at sea, the Robinsons--father, mother, and four sons--find themselves stranded in an uninhabited, idyllic land. Young readers will enjoy watching them handle every crisis with...
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