60 Action-Packed Adventure Books for Kids

Sam Silver Undercover Pirate by Jan Burchett & Sara Vogler (ages 6 – 8)
Sam’s adventures on the pirate ship of his ancestors are action-packed and entertaining. It’s a series with lots of books!

The Gumazing Gum Girl! by Rode Montijo (ages 6 – 8)
When Gabby Gomez pops her enormous gum bubbles, the gum envelops her and gives her superpowers which she uses to help others. Fun and entertaining!

Killer Species by Michael P. Spradlin (ages 7 – 10)
I loved this fast-paced adventure series about a mad scientist who creates a hybrid crocodile-dinosaur-bird killer creature to stop visitors from entering the Everglades. Emmet and his father arrive to investigate but when his father is kidnapped, Emmet and his friend, Calvin, know it’s up to them to find where the kidnapper is holding Emmet’s father. 

The Zombie Chasers by John Kloepfer and Steve Wolfhard (ages 7 – 10)
Filled with cartoon illustrations, this chapter book series highlights the bravery of a group of friends (and siblings) who will save the world from zombies. A fun adventure book with lots of kid power.

Adventure Books for Kids: Middle-Grade Readers Ages 9 – 12

I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis
Excellent, fast-paced survival books set during significant historical events, these are about a young person trying to survive a historically important, life-changing event. These books are great for reluctant readers who like a lot of action to go with their history…

Dog Driven by Terry Lynn Johnson 
McKenna enters a dog sled race in order to bring awareness to her sister’s degenerative eye disease. Which McKenna has but doesn’t want to tell her parents. During the race, she relies on her lead dog to guide the sled. Another racer, a boy with a blind dog, shows her that his dog is a powerful leader. He quickly notices that McKenna can’t see either. The challenges of the race help McKenna realize that just like Zesty the blind dog, that her differences make her better.

Storm Runners by Roland Smith
Roland Smith writes non-stop action and adventure books. This series is about what happens when a hurricane hits, flips the school bus, and Chase and his classmates are stuck in a swamp. Be warned, the first book ends on a cliffhanger but there are three in the series, so you can keep reading with book two, The Surge.

Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart 
Sent to an isolated boy’s prison, Jonathan has little time to adjust before all the prison’s adults are killed in a freak lightning accident. Jonathan’s friend is banished from the group, and a mysterious old librarian gives Jonathan books to read that strangely seem perfect for his situation. When a dangerous storm threatens the entire island, Jonathan must decide if he will abandon his guilt and step up to help the other boys. Moral dilemmas, suspense, and action, plus good writing, make this an engrossing adventure.

Ali Cross by James Patterson
If you want an enthralling adventure & mystery that you can’t put down, read this one next. It’s Christmas Eve and Ali’s friend Gabe is missing, his FBI agent dad is falsely accused of murdering an old man, and someone broke into their house while they were at church and stole his dad’s service weapon. Ali knows he has to try to fix things, starting by finding his friend Gabe. Don’t miss book two, Like Father, Like Son.

The Outcasts: Brotherband Chronicles, Book 1 by John Flanagan 
A well-written story of a young, fatherless boy named Hal whose mom was a slave. To survive the town’s prejudice against him, he is helped by another outcast, his dead father’s former shipmate, a one-armed recovering drunk. When it’s time for his Brotherband training, he becomes the leader of a rag-tag group of boys. They’ll compete against better, stronger teams who don’t always play fair. The stakes are high and Hal must win even with his group of misfits.

Hero Rescue Mission by Jennifer Li Shotz
When Ben’s dad is captured by escaped convicts, Ben and Hero set off to find Ben’s dad. Ben’s already injured and Hero’s too emotional to track the scent so they’re going to need help if they’re going to find his dad. Action from the first page to the last. Kids who love adventure and animals will love this adventure book and series.

Wild Survival: Crocodile Rescue! by Melissa Cristina Marquez
Adrianna’s parents have an animal sanctuary and host an animal rescue show that is moving from YouTube to television. On this trip, the family goes to the mangrove forest of Cuba to help an injured crocodile. Andriana messes up and gets grounded but besides saving a dog, she realizes something the grown-ups missed– that the rescued crocodile had a nest of eggs. She convinces her brother to help her save the eggs but they have a very close call with poachers, adding suspense and a touch of danger. 

Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret by Trudi Trueit
This is National Geographic’s first fictional book series with full-color illustrations that hits the spot with an exciting mix of science, technology, adventure, and mystery. Newly accepted into the prestigious Explorer Academy for science and exploration, Cruz realizes that someone is trying to kill him; someone who doesn’t want him to find out about his mother’s mysterious research and untimely death. There’s tons of cool tech, amazing friendships, plot twists, plus an intriguing premise — if you’re like me, you’ll love this series.

Wild & Chance by Alan Zadoff
Creative and well-written, you are going to love this action-packed sci-fi adventure. This female dog knows that she’s intelligent but can’t remember her past. When she meets boy named Chance in a group home, strange events start to happen — she is chased by military-like Animal Control soldiers. Then, she and Chance discover a collar that allows her to talk to Chance. Then, Chance and Wild meet a mysterious hacker girl who helps them escape from Animal Control. They learn that Wild was originally owned by an evil group that weaponized dogs. 

The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke
This started out a little slow but once it got going, the story hooked me! 5 older orphans escape an adoption from an unscrupulous ship captain and use clues to find Milou’s long-lost parents. When they arrive at the location, there are no adults there so the kids make a puppet dad to trick the neighbors. To earn money for their illegal adoption, they plan a big puppet show. Meanwhile, the ship captain is searching for them — and won’t give up easily. An enthralling adventure with heroic, problem-solving kids!

The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell
It took me a few chapters to embrace this story but once I did, I found it to be a lovely, kid-powered adventure with a feel-good ending. Vita’s grandfather has been swindled out of their family mansion. She’s determined to right the wrong and enlists three other children to help her — a pickpocket and two circus boys. She makes a lot of mistakes — like confronting the evildoer — but learns and plots to succeed. And in the end, their little troupe of good thieves prevails!

Nightmares! by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller, illustrated by Karl Kwasny
Charlie’s dad remarries and moves Charlie and his younger brother into the stepmother’s frightening purple mansion. There, Charlie begins to have the most horrible nightmares — nightmares that blur between reality and dream. And when the witches steal Charlie’s brother into the nightmare world, Charlie and his friends must learn to face their fears in order to rescue his little brother and for the nightmare world not to have access to the real world.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier, illustrated by Douglas Colgate
ADDICTING!! In this story, the zombie apocalypse is kind of fun. At least, that’s how Jack approaches life and zombie fights. He and his best friend, Quint, live in an upgraded, well-defended treehouse (which is SO COOL I totally want to live there) where they plan for rescuing his crush June (even though she doesn’t need rescuing, being quite capable) and fighting zombies. Illustrations throughout make this even more appealing to read and imagine. I absolutely love this series.

96 Miles by J.L. Esplin
An apocalyptic event has happened, there’s no electricity, the brothers are alone, and all their dad and their survival supplies were stolen at gunpoint. Now John and Stewart are on the road trying to get to a friend’s ranch for their supplies. It’s not going well–they’ve picked up a girl and her little brother, not to mention Stewart is nonstop fighting with John. If you like survival stories, sibling stories, and adventure, this is a great choice.

Case File Little Claws Animal Rescue Agency #1 by Eliot Schrefer
Esquire Fox, a fox, runs the Animal Rescue Agency with the help of her business manager, a rooster named Mr. Pepper. Despite the prey-predator scenario, the duo travels to the Arctic to save a polar bear cub adrift at sea, separated from his mother, and hunted by a dangerous human who wants to sell him. Entertaining writing, lovable main characters with distinctive personalities, and an exciting adventure book make this an excellent start to a new series.

Tunnels series by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams 
In pursuit of his missing father, Will finds a crazy, cult-like subterranean group controlled by frightening leaders who will stop at nothing to maintain control and order in their colony below the surface. I couldn’t put this book down and can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

The Van Gogh Deception by Deron Hicks
Written like an adult suspense novel, this is one of the best edge-of-your-seat mystery and adventure books for middle grade. A boy with no memory is found at the National Gallery staring at a Degas sculpture. Strangely, this boy does know a great deal about art and artists. Soon we learn he’s being hunted by a team of professional bad guys. The boy, Art, and his foster sister escape from several kidnapping attempts and begin to unravel who he is and what’s going on.

Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard 
Darkus Cuttle’s museum director dad mysteriously disappears from a locked room in the museum. Darkus learns that there’s something very strange going on . . . and it has to do with intelligent beetles and a cruel benefactress of the museum. This middle-grade chapter book took me by surprise; I really loved it.

H.I.V.E. (Higher Institute of Villainous Education) by Mark Walden
Otto is a prime candidate to become a supervillain says the school H.I.V.E. that kidnaps him, enrolling him unwillingly in their island school for villains. Otto and his classmates plan a daring break-out. Plus, they need to stop the mutant flesh-eating plant that’s attacking everyone in the school. A great adventure series!

The Explorer by Katherine Rundell 
Four kids crash land in the Amazon Rainforest. They’re lost, scared, and have no survival skills. Together, they must learn to survive and connect. And they do. When they follow a hidden map, they meet a crotchety old ex-explorer who lives in some ancient ruins. Despite his prickly exterior, he teaches them not just about jungle survival but valuing the jungle as it is without developers or explorers. This adventure transports the reader into a great adventure.

Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman
Aidan and Meg Falconer are their parents’ only hope. The Falconers are facing life in prison — unless Aidan and Meg can follow a trail of clues to prove their innocence. The problem? Right now they’re trapped in a juvenile detention center. Until they escape one night — and find themselves on the run, both from the authorities and from a sinister attacker who has his own reason to stop them. The Falconers must use their wits to make it across the country … with plenty of tests along the way.

Spy Camp series by Stuart Gibbs 
12-year-old Ben is accidentally recruited for a secret spy school. Which he kind of loves. Even though people are trying to kill him. And even though he’s not an encryption wizard. This is a fantastic, fast-paced, and hilarious adventure series.

Tyrannosaurus Ralph by Nate Evans and Vince Evans
After an accident squishes his body, a scientist implants Ralph’s brain into a T Rex — not just to save Ralph’s life but to save the Earth from destruction. Because Ralph, as a dinosaur, will be the Earth’s champion in the intergalactic fight arena. If Ralph loses, the Earth will be destroyed.  Guess what? Ralph is scared, doesn’t know how to fight, and only has the scientist and his assistant, Lugnut, to back him up. Or does he? Action, humor, an excellent plot, and memorable characters make this a must-read graphic novel for anyone who loves adventure.

Pararescue Corps by Michael P. Spradlin, illustrated by Spiros Karkavelas
If your kids like military and action stories, I recommend this action-packed adventure book with stories about the pararescuemen and the U.S. Air Force. I enjoyed it and that’s saying something since I’m not typically interested in military stories. Each short story gives behind-the-scenes insight into how the pararescue troops operate in different situations — from a rescue on the top of Denali to one in the Amazon rainforest.

The Jolly Regina: The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Jen Hill
Even before their parents disappeared, Jaundice and Kale Bland loathed excitement and adventure. But their boring existence is rudely disrupted when they are kidnapped by all-female pirates. Who would have thought they could adapt to pirate life, search for their long-lost pirate parents, and return home with the exact same desire for boring as when they left? Funny and very entertaining!

Theodore Boone The Scandal by John Grisham
Theodore, a helpful kid known for his burgeoning lawyering skills, learns that his friend wrote an anonymous letter to turn in the cheating teachers. Both he and his friend are conflicted, especially when the teachers lose their jobs and are prosecuted.

Voyage of the Frostheart by Jamie Littler
A fantastic, illustrated adventure story about an orphan boy with forbidden musical powers. After Ash’s Pathfinder parents disappear, Ash moves in with a strict guardian Yeti named Tobu. Unfortunately, they’re banished from their home when Ash uses his forbidden Song Weaver magic. They leave the village with a Pathfinder crew, a ship that sails over the snow. On their journey, Ash realizes that he can find his parents using the words in his childhood lullaby. But he’ll be tried, tested, and tricked. Who will he trust? 

Welcome to Wonderland Home Sweet Motel by Chris Grabenstein 
P.T. (named after the other P.T.) tells the most creative stories — and it’s his creativity that hopefully will save his family’s motel from the bank. With only a month to raise $100,000, he and his new friend, the math whiz, Gloria Ortega, think they can do it with some unique promotions that include a talking frog and a pirate’s buried treasure. Unfortunately, they come up short, only to discover that there might be REAL buried treasure somewhere at the motel.

 

Shark Bait: Extreme Adventures by Justin D’Ath 
I read Shark Bait in the Extreme Adventure series and thought it was a fantastic book, especially for kids who love action, danger, adventure, with some cool environmental focus is thrown in for extra pizazz.

Surrounded by Sharks by Michael Northrop 
Davey gets swept out to sea. He finds an empty water container to help him stay afloat but he’s getting tired. And sharks are circling. Meanwhile, his family is frantically looking for him and doesn’t even realize he went to the secluded beach. Great action and suspense throughout this adventure.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
This is a must-read, excellent Newbery-winning book about amazing lab rats with intelligence who escape from the lab and form their own community. This was always one of my fifth graders’ favorite read-aloud.

To Catch a Cheat by Varian Johnson 
Someone is trying to frame Jackson for a prank he didn’t even commit — and they’re doing a great job of it! It will take months to prove the video is falsified, and by then, Jackson will have missed the robot contest due to his punishment. Jackson and his friends are determined to prove their innocence but it won’t be easy. This is a great adventure filled with twists and turns. I very much enjoyed it.

Seaborne: The Lost Prince by Matt Myklusch 
In this well-written, fantastic action and adventure novel, Dean Seaborne grows up on a pirate ship as their best spy and con artist. But when he messes up the latest mission, he must pass himself off as the long-lost prince of the mysterious island of Zenhala. Once there, he must find and steal the treasure for the pirates. But strangely, Dean really might be the long-lost prince and he’s not sure he wants to rob the island anymore.

Crossing the Line (The Raven Files) by Meghan Rogers 
This is a captivating, action-packed adventure book about a former teenage North Korean spy and assassin, Jocelyn. Now she’s in the U.S. and is working with her parents’ previous spy agency. She’s supposed to feed North Korea intel but she’s giving them garbage because she’s loyal to the U.S. Life is complicated. No one trusts her. And there’s still the problem of her missing father. Cliffhanger alert and some language.

Pilfer Academy: a School So Bad It’s Criminal by Lauren Magaziner
Mischievous George is kidnapped from home and forced to attend a school for crooks — where the teachers are criminals and also not very familiar with words and pronunciation (this will make you laugh!) George goes along with his new program and classes but he feels awful when he’s bored to steal a child’s teddy bear. He realizes that maybe he is not cut out for a life of crime. The problem is how to escape? Because kids who don’t make it at the school disappear, for good.

Beneath by Roland Smith 
You’ll be hard-pressed to set this adventure chapter book down once you start reading, it’s such a compelling adventure. It’s about a boy named Pat whose parents are checked out and his brother is missing. Pat spends his Christmas vacation tracking his brother, Coop’s, last movements. His search leads him to an underground community, but Coop isn’t there anymore, he’s gone deeper under the ground. And he is in terrible danger. Book 2 is Above.

Adventure Books for Teen Readers Ages 13+

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 
I enjoyed this fast-paced adventure and mystery book but if your child reads it, it requires some background knowledge of the U.S. political structure because the story takes place in D.C. with all the movers and shakers. So, learn what the Whip is. That kind of thing. But, I really liked the overarching themes of friendship, forgiveness, and redemption and found them to be a thrilling adventure story.

The Rig by Joe Ducie
Oh, this was a deliciously good dystopian action story. I loved how the author wove in the science-fiction elements with a realistic adventure story of incarcerated kids who are mistrusting, and find that there are a few people in the world that they can trust. This detention center is on an oil rig in the ocean. But Drake is determined to escape — especially after he discovers what the Rig is really doing.

A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin
Sent to the Stranje House for burning down her family’s barn after a failed invisible ink science experiment, Georgina soon learns it’s not really a reform school but a sanctuary for smart, female spies who can help the British government. It’s 1814 and the government is desperate for Georgina to succeed with her ink so they can successfully send messages across enemy lines. Entertaining and adventurous!

Lockdown (Escape from Furnace) by Alexander Smith
Action and intrigue from the get-go, this is one of the most popular dystopian adventure books because our main character has no idea what’s going on. Alex is framed and sent to the underground Furnace jail where the other prisoners are also under 18 and randomly killed or tortured by beast-like creatures. But Alex won’t listen to his cellmate and survive, he wants to escape no matter what.

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
Wolf by Wolf is a high-stakes journey of wits and bravery, an author’s skillful writing and imagination, and a compelling story that won’t soon be forgotten. It imagines a world in which WWII ended very differently — with the Axis powers winning. Yael, our heroine, is a death-camp medical experiment escapee who can shapeshift into other humans. She braves a motorcycle race across half the world in order to first win and second get close enough to Hitler to kill him. This is a must-read novel!

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey 
Basically, this is a survival story that happens after an alien invasion. It’s good but I wasn’t hooked enough to read the rest of the series. However, the rest of the world thinks this book series is awesome . . . so you decide for yourself. 

The Maze Runner by James Dasher
What a wild ride! Kids can’t put these books down. In this dystopian world, kids are either killed or must kill to survive. There are tons of plot twists that kept me surprised and entertained. Boxed Set HERE.

The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1) by Richard Paul Evans
A fantastic sci-fi adventure series about a boy with electrical powers and an evil group who wants to control him and others like him.

Delilah Dirk and the King’s Shilling by Tony Cliff (ages 13+)
This exciting adventure YA graphic novel is about a kick-butt heroine whose world travels are cut short when she returns home to England to get revenge, clear her name, and save the British army, even if she has to be her alter-ego, proper lady while she’s there.

The Living  by Matt de la Pena
Shy is a teenager from the ‘hood working on a cruise line when a huge earthquake causes a tsunami that sinks the ship. As you can imagine, it’s a harrowing fight for survival on the open ocean with only a spoiled rich girl, and when they eventually make it to an island, there’s a strange illness, men with guns, and more danger than trying to survive on the ocean.

You Might Also Like:

Compelling Sci-Fi Chapter Books for Kids

The Best Mystery Chapter Books for Kids

Spy Books for Kids