Teenage Adventure

[Pulkit]

Subject Headings : Valleys, Caves, Hiding from evil. Am I doing it right?

APPEAL FACTORS

Pacing : Shouldn't be too slow or too fast. Even-paced narrative would be ideal.

Storyline : As mentioned in the title, a teenage adventure. Must be in the wild or some mountains, valleys or anything - away from the modern technological sources the homes in today's world provide. Can include treasures, fighting the criminals or anything. Famous Five series would have been the perfect example, IF it wasn't so childish and it's characters all stereotyped and sexist. It would be good if the teenagers are somehow isolated or something to provide extra thrill. I hope I'm not being too specific. I'd prefer third person narrative but if a book with first person narrative fits my preferences, it's fine by me.

Frame : Atmosphere should be thrilling, exciting. The setting, as previously mentioned, in the nature. I wouldn't mind any depressive undertones or deaths. It would be a plus if it's not entirely senseless and provides some food for thought. Additionally, the book shouldn't have much romance. A little romantic undertone would be okay but that's it, no more.

Characterization : At least three to four main characters. Equal emphasis on all of them would be appreciated but if a singe character is given more focus, the supporting ones should have at least a little distinction and likability.

That's it. Hope you can help.

[karen, future RA queen]

oh!! i am going to rock this one later (and hopefully get some new ideas for myself) for now, let me suggestTomorrow, When the War Began, which is the first book in a seven part series that then branches out into a second series.

it takes place in the remote wilderness of australia (not outback, though) where seven (?) teenagers go away for a camping weekend. when they return - australia has been taken over by terrorists!! everyone has been taken to a camp!! beloved pets are dead!! so their choices are to stay hidden in their secret camping spot, try to rescue their families, or surrender to the terrorists.

not all of them will make it.

it is a first person narrative: a girl writing the events in a journal, but the characters are given fairly equal weight.

kissing is pretty minimal.

it rocks.

i am at work, and this has taken me 25 minutes to write because of interruptions, but i think it makes sense.

[Mariel]

I second Karen's rec.

Obernewtyn if you don't mind a bit more fantasy.

[Deb]

I've just reread Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House series. And read her Farmer Boy for the first time. I was really pleased how well these "held up" since the last time I read them was over 35 years ago :) The adventures are pioneer type so maybe not thrilling, but good reading anyway.

And how about Rudyard Kipling --

Captains Courageous, Kim, The Jungle Books, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi?

[karen, future RA queen]

i read teen survival stuff allll the time. but a lot of the ones i was going to recommend to you don't actually fit your "perfect" book, so i am just going to stick with the marsden series as i am quite confident you will enjoy it.

[Pulkit]

Thanks a lot, Karen, Mariel and Deb ! That's really helpful.

[Steve]

karen wrote: "oh!! i am going to rock this one later (and hopefully get some new ideas for myself) for now, let me suggestTomorrow, When the War Began, which is the first book in a seven part series..."

Karen - would you say this is appropriate for a 12.5 year old girl? I bought this and The Hunger Games yesterday and I've got 2 boys (13 & 11.5 years) and one girl (12.5) for whom I'm trying to find different more diverse reading material, besides Star Wars and Twilight books.

[karen, future RA queen]

she might be a tad young, but it really depends on your level of parental discomfort. i think it is in the second book where two of the characters have the adult relations, but it is done quickly and quietly. the violence level should be fine for that age, but the dead animals, man - that is scarring. but it might be nice to have such resourceful, tough teens as a role model.in australia, i think these are targeted at 13-17, but i think things get more sanitized here.

[Steve]

Cool, thanks for the info. I'll probably just read it first myself to be sure.

[Deb]

Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief and the rest of the Percy and the Olympians series is grand. Well written, age appropriate (but still fun to read as an adult). Good ensemble characters with strong male and female teens.

[Meredith]

I know this is an older request, and maybe these books would be a tad too young for you, but I really loved The Island of Blue Dolphins, Kon Tiki, and The Swiss Family Robinson when I read them. They don't fit all of your descriptions, but they do fit most.

[Jasmine]

Steve wrote: "Cool, thanks for the info. I'll probably just read it first myself to be sure."

that's such a good dad thing to do. you rock.

[Lori]

Far North by Will Hobbs is terrific: nature, survival, two teens with a Native American elder who does die, no romance, a hit with the age group you described

Gary Paulson books are full of survival and outdoors stuff, including his autobiography, Guts.

Jean Craighead George is another good survival writer. I love My Side of the Mountain (first in a trilogy), but there is only one character. Julie of the Wolves is good, too. She has an enviromental mystery series I haven't read yet.

I'll try to think of some more.

[karen, future RA queen]

gary paulsen is excellent, but he doesn't do groups of teens (lgm). but if you are willing to sacrifice that part of your request, i emphatically suggest Hatchet and second meredith's Island of the Blue Dolphins, both of which are single-character survival stories.

i read another will hobbs book: Downriver which was about a group of teens. you may like it - it was not exciting enough for me, and i thought the characters did not acknowledge the magnitude of their plight which made the action less nerve-wracking than it should have been. but a lot of people like it - you may be one of them.

[Deb]

Island of the Blue Dolphins was one of my absolute favorite books of all time! Thanks for reminding me of it, I am going to read it again :)

[karen, future RA queen]

(there is a sequel, too! i only learned this last summer) Zia

[Meredith]

karen wrote: "(there is a sequel, too! i only learned this last summer) Zia"

But I heard it was really depressing and kind of awful. I didn't read it as a kid because I didn't want to ruin the story for myself. Maybe I was misguided, though.

[karen, future RA queen]

oh, i was saving it for a rainy day.. now i might save it forever..

[karen, future RA queen]

did any of these end up working out for you?