Action and Adventure (Tamariki)

On the lookout for some excitement, adventure and some action? While a Jedi from Star Wars may not crave excitement or adventure, you will certainly get your fix with this list of Action and Adventure themed books. Read and get inspired by heroes such as Percy Jackson, Magnus Chase and the most unlikely people, animals and creatures.

Updated August 21, 2024
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Wellington City Libraries Children's team at Wellington City Libraries
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The wolves of Willoughby Chase
Aiken, Joan
Paper Book
Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this special edition of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. It's 19th Century England, Good King James III is on the throne, and the whole country is ravaged by wolves which have...
The last
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller from the beloved author of the action-packed Animorphs series and the award-winning The One and Only Ivan. In this first book of an epic middle grade series, Katherine Applegate takes us on an unforgettable journey.  Byx...
The girl who drank the moon
Barnhill, Kelly Regan
Paper Book
An enchanting and unforgettable modern fable that is impossible to put down.
Alice's adventures in wonderland and through the looking-glass
Carroll, Lewis
Paper Book
On an ordinary summer's afternoon, Alice tumbles down a hole and an extraordinary adventure begins. In a strange world with even stranger characters, she meets a grinning cat and a rabbit with a pocket-watch, joins a mad tea-party and plays croquet with the Queen! Lost in this fantasy land, Alice...
Troublemaker
Cho, John
Paper Book
An instant New York Times bestseller! An Indiebound bestseller! An Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book! Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of 12-year-old Jordan...
We the children
Clements, Andrew
Paper Book
Benjamin Pratt's school is about to become the site of a new amusement park. It sounds like a dream come true! But lately, Ben has been wondering if he's going to like an amusement park in the middle of his town--with all the buses and traffic and eight dollar slices of pizza. It's going to change...
The wizards of once
Cowell, Cressida
Paper Book
From the bestselling author of How to Train Your Dragon comes an exciting high-adventure series - set in an ancient, magical time, full of Wizards, Warriors, Giants and Sprites. Winner of the Blue Peter Book Award This is the...
How to train your dragon
Cowell, Cressida.
Paper Book
Read the HILARIOUS books that inspired the HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON films! Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a smallish Viking with a longish name. Hiccup's father is chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe which means Hiccup is the Hope and the Heir to the Hairy Hooligan...
A noob's diary of an 8-bit warrior
Cube Kid (Author of fan fiction)
Paper Book
An all-new Minecraft warrior adventure series for young readers from bestselling author Cube Kid! "A Minecraft Movie leveled up at the box office, collecting a blockbuster $157 million in its opening weekend. It's not only the biggest debut of the year but the best in history...
The magician's elephant
DiCamillo, Kate.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! Kate DiCamillo conjures a haunting fable about trusting the unexpected and making the extraordinary come true. What if? Why not? Could it be? When a fortuneteller's tent appears in the market square of the city of...
Into the wild
Do, Anh
Paper Book
A wildly exciting new adventure series from bestselling author Anh Do.
Ninja kid!
Do, Anh
Paper Book
Nelson's a nerd! Unfit, uncool...totally awkward! But when he wakes up on his tenth birthday, he discovers he's a NINJA! THE LAST NINJA ON EARTH! How's he going to save the world when he can't even get his undies on the right way?! With the help of Grandma's inventions and his wild cousin Kenny, can...
Snow action
Do, Anh
Paper Book
Pow Pow and the Z team are back in another hilarious adventure - this time it's up to them to save Christmas!
The Travelling Restaurant : Jasper's voyage in three parts
Else, Barbara.
Paper Book
An adventure story about greed, rebellion, and finding allies in the most unlikely places. In the reign of Lady Gall (Provisional Monarch of Fontania), the word magic is forbidden... When 12 year old Jasper Ludlow's parents flee the city, he gets left behind. He finds refuge on The Travelling...
The ruins of Gorlan
Flanagan, John
Paper Book
Will is small for his age, but agile and energetic. All his life, he has longed to be a warrior and to follow in the footsteps of the father he never knew, so he is devastated when he is rejected as an apprentice to Castle Redmont's Battleschool. He's no happier when he's assigned instead to the...
Spy school
Gibbs, Stuart
Paper Book
"Combines Alex Rider's espionage skills with a huge dose of the sarcasm of Artemis Fowl." --School Library Journal Can an undercover nerd become a superstar agent? In the first book in the New York Times bestselling Spy School series, Ben Ripley sure hopes so-...
The inquisitor's tale, or, The three magical children and their holy dog
Gidwitz, Adam
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor Book Winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award An exciting and hilarious medieval adventure from the bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Hatem Aly! "A profound and ambitious tour de force....
Princess Leia : royal rebel
Glass, Calliope
Paper Book
Who is Princess Leia? How did a princess become a rebel leader? And what happened to her after the Empire was defeated? In this biography--complete with black-and-white illustrations, timelines, and character profiles--young readers will delight in learning the complete history of Star Wars'...
The Magic Misfits
Harris, Neil Patrick
Paper Book
The first in a funny and magical new children's books series from Emmy award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris.  'I  read this book with excitement, delight, and the increasing suspicion that it was going to make me disappear.' Lemony...
Things in the basement
Hatke, Ben
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling author Ben Hatke comes Things in the Basement, a young readers graphic novel about Milo, a young boy who discovers a portal to a secret world in his basement. It was supposed to just be a normal basement--some storage boxes, dust, you...
The empty city
Hunter, Erin.
Paper Book
The time has come for dogs to rule the wild! Discover another action-packed animal fantasy series from the #1 nationally bestselling author of Warriors The first book in the Survivors series is full of "wild and wonderful adventure" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) that will thrill fans of...
Into the wild
Hunter, Erin
Paper Book
Epic adventures. Fierce warrior cats. A thrilling fantasy world. It all begins here.  Read the book that began a phenomenon--and join the legion of fans who have made Erin Hunter's Warriors series a #1 national bestseller. For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared...
The quest begins
Hunter, Erin.
Paper Book
The first book in a thrilling animal fantasy series following the epic journey of three bears, from the #1 nationally bestselling author of Warriors. When three young bears from different species--black, polar, and grizzly--are separated from their families, fate brings them together...
Redwall
Jacques, Brian.
Paper Book
Redwall Abbey, tranquil home to a community of peace-loving mice, is threatened by the evil, one-eyed rat warlord Cluny the Scourge and his battle-hardened horde of predators. Cluny is certain that Redwall will fall easily to his fearsome army but he hasn't bargained for the courage and...
Keeper of the lost cities
Messenger, Shannon.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestselling series A USA TODAY bestselling series A California Young Reader Medal-winning series In this riveting series opener, a telepathic girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world before the...
Bridge to Terabithia
Paterson, Katherine
Paper Book
The classic Newbery Medal-winning title by beloved author Katherine Paterson, with brand-new bonus materials including an author's note by Katherine herself and a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo.  Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can...
Lightfall. Book one, The girl & the Galdurian
Probert, Tim
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Kazu Kibuishi says of Lightfall: "Beautifully drawn. Tim Probert has created a world readers will want to visit." For fans of Amulet and middle grade readers who love sweeping worlds like Star Wars, the first book of the Lightfall series introduces Bea and...
Swallows and Amazons
Ransome, Arthur
Paper Book
For the Walker children, sailing the boat Swallow to an island for a camping trip is a fantastic adventure. But soon they find themselves under attack from the fierce pirates of the Amazon, Nancy and Peggy. And so begins the battles, alliances and discoveries in a summer like no other.
The hidden oracle
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
Favorite Greek and Roman demigods return in a new five-book adventure quest with a fresh twist: they're helping Apollo regain his immortal status. "A clash of mythic intrigues and centuries of pop culture to thrill die-hard and new fans alike."--...
The lightning thief
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times Bestseller | Now a series on Disney+ 12-year-old Percy Jackson discovers he is the son of Poseidon in the opener to the hilarious, fast-paced adventure fantasy series for young readers ages 10 and up The paperback edition of the...
The sword of summer
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
The first book in Rick Riordan's #1 New York Times best-selling Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, based on Norse mythology, is now available in paperback. "The Sword of Summer is a propulsive, kinetic, witty rebooting of Norse...
The maze of bones
Riordan, Rick.
Paper Book
The first book in the #1 bestselling phenomenon sends readers around the world on the hunt for the 39 Clues!Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her decendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars or a clue."Grace is the last matriarch of the...
The invention of Hugo Cabret : a novel in words and pictures
Selznick, Brian
Paper Book
Don't miss Selznick's other novels in words and pictures, Wonderstruck and The Marvels, which together with The Invention of Hugo Cabret, form an extraordinary thematic trilogy!2008 Caldecott Medal winnerThe groundbreaking debut novel from bookmaking pioneer, Brian Selznick!<...
The bad beginning
Snicket, Lemony.
Paper Book
NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likeable and unfortunate children been quite so...
Treasure Island
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Paper Book
The epic tale of a young man's quest to capture a hidden treasure on the open seas -- one of the best-loved adventure stories of all time. EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES: - A concise introduction that gives readers important background information - A chronology of the author...
The mysterious Benedict Society
Stewart, Trenton Lee
Paper Book
For fans of Lemony Snicket and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, this first book in the bestselling, award-winning Mysterious Benedict Society series is not to be missed! "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Dozens of children...
The dragonet prophecy
Sutherland, Tui
Paper Book
The beginning of a thrilling new dragon saga-- now in paperback!Clay and his friends have grown up under a mountain, secretly raised by the Talons of Peace to fulfill a mysterious prophecy. The five young dragons are destined to end the war that's been raging between the tribes of Pyrrhia...
I survived the Hindenburg disaster, 1937
Tarshis, Lauren
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Lauren Tarshis provides a birds-eye view of one of America's most ghastly accidents ever be captured on film, the Hindenburg Disaster of 1937.The greatest flying machine ever built is about to crash...For eleven-year-old Hugo Ballard, flying on the...
The trials of Morrigan Crow
Townsend, Jessica
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE YOUNGER FICTION CATEGORY WINNER OF RED MAGAZINE'S BIG BOOK 'BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK (7-12)' AWARD International bestselling series. Enter the fantastically Wundrous world of Morrigan Crow and Nevermoor...
The mysterious howling
Wood, Maryrose.
Paper Book
Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander, age ten or thereabouts, keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia, perhaps four or five, has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf, age somewhere-in-the...

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