Children's Book Suggestions | Survival Stories 2025

Some of our favorite survival stories for readers in grades 3-7 published in 2024 and early 2025, most of which are great readalikes for I Survived. For more survival stories, both fiction and nonfiction, browse the online catalog. Survival guides and true stories can be found in Children's Nonfiction under number 613.69.

Updated April 17, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Just keep walking
Downing, Erin Soderberg
Paper Book
*A MIBA Bestseller! Wild meets Gilmore Girls on the trail in this indie bestselling story of resilience and the healing and restorative power of the nature from bestselling author Erin Soderberg Downing "A fun, heartfelt tale of adventure, family, and...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The song of orphan's garden
Hewitt, Nicole M.
Paper Book
Combining the gentleness of Miyazaki, the wintry wonderland of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the whimsicality of Newbery winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Nicole M. Hewitt's debut middle-grade novel, The Song of Orphan's Garden, is an enchanting fantasy tale...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

A wolf called Fire
Parry, Rosanne
Paper Book
A NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Sure to help readers reflect on where and how they fit into the world. Highly ­recommended."--School Library Journal "Another winner from a proven author."--Booklist The stand-alone companion to Rosanne Parry's New York Times ...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Shark night
Stine, R. L.
Paper Book
Lots of kids dream of being on TV--but for Liam it's a NIGHTMARE Alone in a giant water tank, Liam, holding a camera, watches as a twenty-foot-long hammerhead shark is about to be lowered in with him. This is not where he thought his day was going. Liam is helping his mom film a...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Tsunami
Eaton, Maxwell, III
Paper Book
Return to Scout's world of natural-disaster mishaps in the second installment of the Survival Scout graphic novel series - this time to learn about tsunamis. Perfect for fans of Scholastic's I SURVIVED series! Learn the skills you need to survive a TSUNAMI. 1)...

Children's Graphic Novel (Grades 3-5)

Lost at Windy River : a true story of survival
Rathgeber, Trina
Paper Book
★"Colorful illustrations in classic comic-book style help readers explore the challenging landscape. An excellent choice for a book report and good addition to a children's nonfiction collection." -- School Library Journal (SLJ), starred review It takes courage and bravery to survive...

Children's Graphic Novel (Grades 3-5)

The Flicker
Edgmon, H. E.
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of The Marrow Thieves, Hatchet and The City of Ember, H.E. Edgmon's middle grade debut offers a bittersweet tale of hope and survival, a modern classic for the climate change generation. One year ago, a solar flare scorched the Earth and...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Away
Freeman, Megan E.
Paper Book
A group of children investigate the threat that prompted large-scale evacuations in this powerful and dramatic companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Alone told in multiple POVs. After an imminent yet unnamed danger forces people across Colorado to leave...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Zombie train
Gill, David Macinnis
Paper Book
The Zombie Chasers meets The Goonies in David Macinnis Gill's middle grade debut about a group of tweens who ride out the zombie apocalypse on a cobbled-together train. Fans of Ty Drago's The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses and Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth will lose themselves in this...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

One wrong step
Nielsen, Jennifer A.
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a brand-new, spine-tingling adventure about two kids and their fight for survival on the unforgiving trails of Mount Everest. Jennifer Nielsen's storytelling climbs to new heights in this epic about loss, letting go, and...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Wild wave : a novel
Philbrick, W. R.
Paper Book
A WILD adventure from Rodman Philbrick, author of Wildfireand 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,...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

The last dragon on Mars
Reintgen, Scott
Paper Book
"Nail-biting action scenes, relatable characters, and a fantastic new take on dragons...a thrilling ride!" --A.F. Steadman, New York Times bestselling author of the Skandar series A boy living on Mars unexpectedly becomes a dragon rider in this "rip-roaring" (...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

The other side of tomorrow
Cho, Tina
Paper Book
Booklist Editor's Choice of 2024: Books for Youth School Library Journal Best Book of 2024 Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2024 A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Perfect for fans of Illegal and When Stars Are Scattered, this poignant and moving graphic novel...

Young Teen Graphic Novel (Grades 5-7)

Fatal forecast : an incredible true story of courage in a savage storm
Tougias, Michael J.
Paper Book
★ "Plunges into the action with pulse-pounding panache.... Readers will be rooting for all these courageous men in this thrilling, edge-of-your-seat survival tale." --Booklist, starred review As harrowing as The Perfect Storm--but...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 9-14)


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