Adventure is a spirit, a mood, a lifestyle. It could be an adventurous experience to the beach, as well as the idea of exploring everything around with a great sense of curiosity. Kids need to be curious and they need adventure – nothing could trigger it better than the right books. Fortunately, there are plenty of options out there. Some of them are suitable for kindergarten kids, while others are more appropriate for teenagers. All in all, here are the best adventure books for kids to explore with your little one.
Age range: 3-12 years.
The Adventures of Potato Kid, by Edward Hanson
This book follows Potato Kid’s stories and adventures. It is mostly suitable to toddlers and kids under 6. Potato Kid is basically a potato who has the spirit of a kid and wants to explore the world. He is joined by some of his best friends and they hang out together to discover some secrets they never even imagined about.
The book is relatively short and comes with 37 pages. It is a great bedtime story, yet you can also spread it over a few different days. While you can simply read it to your little one, you can also stay close to them, so they can admire the illustrations. Moreover, given its simple writing style, it is also appropriate for kids who are just learning to read.
The adventures are extremely diversified and will take your little one through a series of unusual happenings. Potato Kid and his friends will explore the skies, fly up and cross lands in the attempt to discover exciting experiences. Your kid will practically feel like being part of the story – available in the Kindle format as well.
Alastair Humphreys’ Great Adventurers, by Alastair Humphreys
This is one of the best adventure books for kindergarten. It makes no difference if you have a toddler or you teach in a kindergarten – this book will make everyone’s day better, including yours. The book comes with 96 pages, so there are plenty of stories to spread it over a week. It is available in both physical and digital formats as well.
The stories and adventures are handpicked by Alastair Humphreys, who is known for his incredible adventures. It is a compilation bringing in some friendly adventures and journeys taken by his favorite heroes. Released in 2019, the book is relatively simple to read and features a series of illustrations by Kevin Ward.
These adventures follow both male and female heroes. Take your little one through an exquisite experience through space, but also explore deserts together, as well as oceans and jungles. There is a bit of everything for everyone. Get them inspired from Alastair’s adventures and perhaps let your imagination run wild as well.
The Explorer, by Katherine Rundell
This is one of the greatest adventure books for kids and will take the reader through a bunch of experiences that no one can imagine. The author has won a few awards and prizes with this book, so there must be something good about it. It has over 400 pages and will keep your little one busy and excited for weeks.
The story begins with Fred. He is sitting in a plane and watches the deep Amazon jungle from above. He has always wanted to be an explorer and find things that people are not aware of. He has always dreamed about writing history. But then, he has never managed to follow his dreams. He is settled with his boring life.
However, things take an unusual turn when the plane crashes. It lands in the middle of nowhere and Fred finds himself in the adventure of a lifetime. He and three other children must explore the jungle and find a way out. No one knows where they really are and no one knows whether or not they will make it back. They are so small and the jungle is massive – will they make it back?
The Girl of Ink & Stars, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
This book is ideal for children, as well as teenagers. Should you have to read it to your toddler, chances are the story will hook you in as well. It will stay with you for a while and it will trigger your adventurous spirit too. The book has about 240 pages and while it was released in the summer of 2016, it has already received a bunch of awards – definitely the kind of story that could inspire a movie.
All in all, the story follows Isabella. If you have a girl, she will find this story even more exciting. Anyway, Isabella is not allowed to leave the island she is on. However, just like anything else that is forbidden, leaving the island is one of Isabella’s priorities – especially since her father is a cartographer. She sees some documents with a bunch of new lands that he once mapped, so her interest is instantly triggered.
One day, Isabella’s best friend disappears out of nowhere. She decides to guide the search then. This is when the adventure begins. The world outside her walls is different from what she thought. There is a wasteland with plenty of unknown monsters, smoking mountains and demons. The heroine discovers an ancient myth and tries to find the secret beneath it – she knows that it may save her friend.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, by Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss does not need too many presentations when it comes to his work. There are more than three decades since he became a major figure in the children’s book industry. You can get anything, from mysterious adventures to scary stories and lessons of life. This book follows the same rule – plenty of adventure, lots of excitement and an original story that will hook children in.
The book has 48 pages and is recommended to kids under six years old. It makes a great choice for kids who are just learning to read, as well as toddlers who need some good bedtime stories. Join the adventure of a lifetime with your kid and discover new places that will instantly trigger your little one’s interest – spread it over a few days to keep your little one curious.
The book is a classic and features a bunch of illustrations from Dr. Seuss, as well as simple text that anyone can understand. The book is available in a digital format too and makes an excellent gift for any random situation – from birthdays and graduations to the celebration of a good score in school or kindergarten.
The Secret Lake, by Karen Inglis
Counting 122 pages, this could be one of the best adventure books for kids up to 12 years old. While mostly recommended to kids who can actually read, you could also turn it into an exciting bedtime series for your toddler. Read a few pages every evening and your kid will barely wait for the next episode. Just like you might have guessed already, the book is available in the Kindle format as well – totally up to you.
Stella and Tom are siblings. They move into a new home in London, but things feel a bit weird. At some point, they meet their elderly neighbor, who has a dog named Harry. One day, Harry disappears. The dog came back, but it keeps disappearing over and over again. Every single time, the owner finds it wet. What is going on and where is it going? The two kids begin a quest to solve the riddle and find out what is going on. Being on their summer holidays, they have all the time in the world.
They reach a mound and a tunnel that seems to lead to a lake. No one knows about that lake. They see a boy who looks scared and keeps paddling towards them. Nothing makes sense, but soon enough, Stella and Tom find out that they have traveled back in time. They are in the exact same place, but they are about 100 years before their time. They find a series of connections they must put together in a big puzzle, but they also make both friends and enemies.
The Day I Fell into a Fairytale, by Ben Miller
This is a magical adventure that could make one of the best adventure books for kindergarten. You could read a few pages a day and keep a whole class excited about the adventure. The book has over 300 pages and it makes an excellent choice for kids older than seven too. All in all, it follows Lana’s story, who loved stories and enjoys a bit of adventure every now and then – until things take a very strange and unusual turn.
Lana has a brother – Harrison. They share all kinds of stories and makeup games based on them. Until one day… Harrison decides he is too old to keep playing these games, so he quits the adventure. Lana ends up feeling lonely, but something magical occurs. The new supermarket in town hides a secret. The whole place is a little strange at first anyway, but Lana has no idea that its secret could take her to a completely different world – a door that leads to a fairytale world.
Lana has the wrong idea about fairytales. It seems that things could also go wrong sometimes. Unusual creatures can also be dark or dangerous. As she makes a few friends, Lana finds out that they need her help to defeat a witch. However, she is unable to do it by herself. Who is she going to rely on? Exactly – Harrison. Will she manage to convince him about this fairytale world? Apart from an extraordinary adventure, the book also features some magical illustrations from Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini.
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic is one of the most appreciated adventure books for kids. Featuring close to 400 pages, it is mostly aimed at kids between nine and 11, but it also makes a good story for younger kids who cannot read – a chapter a day will be more than enough to keep your little one interested in this adventure. The book is available in paperback, hardcover and Kindle formats – as well as an audiobook.
Mary Lennox is a very unusual kid. She ends up being sent to the Misselthwaite Manor, where she lives with her uncle. She does not get a very warm welcome though, as most people around consider her a very disagreeable child. She is quite pale and spoiled, but she is also lonely. She does not have too many friends and she has to find different ways to entertain herself. Until one day, when a secret helps her discover a world she has never even imagined.
Mary learns about a secret garden hidden around the manor. The garden has not been opened in years and she wants to find out why. She needs a key and luckily enough for her, a friendly robin helps her locate it. Once inside, she discovers a magical place full of adventures. Apart from keeping your little one excited with Mary’s adventures, you will also find some extra activities in this book. You will find a quiz, learn a bit about the author and discover the real secret garden.
Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, these are some of the best adventure books for kids out there. Sure, the list can easily go on, but these books will most likely hook your little one in with no issues at all. Some of them are suitable for kids who can read, but you can also join the fun and help your little one discover a new world by reading a few pages every evening. Any of these books will make a parent’s life easier, but they are also great for teachers in schools and kindergartens. Let your imagination go free and you will most likely love these stories as well.