Jackson Harp

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English 112B

Young Adult Adventure Literature

Adventure stories are great for young adult readers because the sense of adventure is something that is �as old as the human race itself� (LFTYA 63). A connection can be made to the characters of adventure novels usually if there is a likeable protagonist and a devilish antagonist; the way in which the characters respond to and interact with the interesting enough settings must be realistic, otherwise, if the story is utterly unbelievable, young readers tend to discard it all together. Adventure stories thrive on conflict, whether it�s person vs. person, person vs. nature, or person vs. self. Great adventure stories manage to include aspects of all three types of conflict and since young adults are on the adventures of their life times, they can learn a great deal about life from adventure literature.

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Macmillan, 1962.

Huck Finn is the classic young adult novel. It features a likeable protagonist who responds to difficulties they same way most young adults would make this an easily accessible novel to young adults. There are elements of action, suspense, drama, comedy, and best of all, Huck is free of parental supervision to do as he sees.

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. New York and London: Harper & Brothers, 1917.

Like in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn this book contains a likeable young protagonist. Tom Sawyer happens to be friends with Huck Finn, so there is an easy transition from one story to another. Tom witnesses the murder of a doctor and his adventure includes plenty of action, plot twists, and even a romantic element as Tom learns about the art of dating. Young adults could learn a lot from Tom, some good things and some bad.

Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Boston and New York: Bedford Books, 1996.

The protagonist in this book is a little bit older than Huck and Tom, but he is just as curious in nature and that makes him appealing to young readers. Marlow is a profound individual who seeks higher knowledge of nearly everything and is highly analytical. His traveling, like the adventures that Twain construes, takes place along a river. Marlow becomes obsessed with a rebel ivory tradesman named Kurtz, who has apparently gone mad. This book is useful for young adults for on many levels, but most importantly because it is covered in so many college courses, more than any other book I�ve ever seen.

MacGregor, Rob. Indiana Jones and the Peril of Delphi. New York: Bantam, 1991.

Indiana Jones, like Marlow, is an older protagonist, but he possesses some of the same youthful qualities as young readers like being brash and reckless. In this story, Indiana Jones travels the globe from Chicago to Greece while trying not to fall completely under the spell of a beautiful woman who may just be using Indiana Jones for her own selfish purpose so she can kill the king of her people.

Geras, Adele. Troy. San Diego: Harcourt, 2001.

Told from the point of view of the women of Troy, portrays the last weeks of the Trojan War, when women are sick of tending the wounded, men are tired of fighting, and bored gods and goddesses find ways to stir things up. This novel offers a fresh perspective on ancient myths and legends while bringing to life characters through personality, heartbreak, and humor.

Higson, Charlie. Silverfin: A James Bond Adventure. N.p.: Puffin, 2005.

James Bond is perhaps the most famous spy character ever. This book introduces readers to the young James Bond. His parents both died in a climbing accident, he went to live with his Aunt, and then went to public school for the first time in Scotland, where he quickly made more enemies than friends. Bond must stop a mad scientist performing cruel experiments before it�s too late.

Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. New York: Aladdin, 1996.

This is the story of a boy named Brian who goes to visit his dad in Canada. But when the pilot of the plane his is flying in has a heart attack and dies, Brian must crash land the plane in the forest and learn to exist in the wilderness at one with nature. He comes to face with the possibility of starvation and even animal attacks. This book can teach young people how to persevere and survive in the wilderness and hard times.

Maclean, Alistair. Where Eagles Dare. 1967. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002.

Seven men and one woman are sent behind enemy lines to rescue a captured American general. This book has been called the �Pioneer of Action/Suspense Thrillers� as it features fast paced action that keeps the reader engaged. The exotic locales appeal to the creative imaginations that young adults possess. The female character allows for this to be an enjoyable read for female audiences as well.

Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. Ed. Jay B. Hubbell. New York: Macmillan, 1927.

This classic adventure story follows a boy named Jim through a �fantastic tale of deceit and double-crossing, bravery and cowardice� (http://www.readingmatters.co.uk/book.php?id=60). With the growing popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, it should be important for young readers to understand the where influences for such sensations began. Not every young adult reader will find this a pleasing read, but the richness of the text can really have an effect on most readers.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

This book is a story about person vs. fish (nature), person vs. sharks, and person vs. self as it follows the five-day journey of an old fisherman on the catch of his life. Ideally, young adults identify with young protagonist better than old protagonists, but the willingness to succeed by the old fisherman is something that young people can learn from because no matter the age, people face the same problems.