Books for When You Want to Escape
Flee the ordinary, travel to captivating worlds, and live new adventures with one of these fantastic titles for independent readers.
Adventure stories let your tween escape ordinary life for a while.
Escape Into Another World
Escape Through Time
Escape to Adventure
Escape Into Another World
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Travel down a rabbit hole into a nonsensical world of odd characters and unexpected adventures. Learn more.
The Blue Roan Child by Jamieson Findlay
Enjoy the beautifully written tale of one girl’s quest to help a wild mare retrieve her stolen colts. Learn more.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Get lost in the rich, magnificent world of Narnia in seven classic titles that have stood the test of time. Learn more.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Learn the truth behind a society that looks too perfect to be true in this Newbery Medal winner. Learn more.
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
A tiny traveler and 13 treasure-seeking dwarves go on a perilous journey to reclaim stolen riches.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
A lone unicorn steps outside of her mystical wooded realm to prove that she is not the last of the immortal creatures.
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
In this timeless fantasy, a courageous young boy sets off on a fantastical quest to save a defenseless baby dragon.
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Join awkward Bastian as he is literally pulled into an enchanted book to save the endangered land of Fantastica.
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry
Learn of Peter's mysterious past in this fast-paced prequel to J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan.
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Far-from-refined Miri must undergo some serious princess training when it is announced that her kingdom's prince is in search of a bride.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A bored young boy crosses a mysterious tollbooth that appears in his bedroom and is taken into an imaginative world of peculiar characters. Learn more.
The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer
In this epic, a young boy must travel across dangerous waters and face frightening beasts to save his sister.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
In this thoughtful and enchanting classic about transformation and love, a little girl cultivates a hidden garden with the help of some new friends. Learn more.
Summerland by Michael Chabon
When a magical land of mythical, baseball-playing creatures and ceaseless blue skies is threatened, a young hero must step up to plate and save the world.
The 13th Floor by Sid Fleischman
When 12-year-old Buddy contacts his ancestors, he and his sister Liz find themselves on a 17th-century pirate ship.
Comic Book Kid by Adam Osterweil
Brian is in luck when he has the chance to go back in time to replace a comic he ruined — his father's first edition Superman #1!
The Golden Hour by Maiya Williams
After the unexpected death of their mother, two siblings visit their eccentric aunts in Maine and discover a world of time travel.
Max and Me and the Time Machine by Gery Greer
Using a low-priced time machine bought at a local garage sale, Steve and his friend Max joust for their lives when they travel to the Middle Ages.
String in the Harp by Nancy Bond
Travel back in time and learn the mysteries on an enchanted harp key in this Newbery Honor book.
The Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle
Embark on time-traveling adventures to save the universe with the Murray siblings in this beloved collection.
Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander
A young boy uses the nine lives of his talking feline friend to go on nine adventurous leaps through time. Learn more.
Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka
Experience an entertaining journey through history as you follow three young boys on their time-traveling exploits. Learn more.
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Follow this chubby, red-caped, white-undie-wearing superhero as he saves the world from the evil exploits of the Purple Potty People and other villains. Learn more.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy by William Boniface
Ordinary Boy seems to be the only person without powers in all of Superopolis, but that won't stop him from fighting evil.
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Exciting adventures come about when a young boy enters an enchanted fruit.
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
A young boy raised by the laws of the jungle encounters exotic adventures and an array of wild animal friends and foes.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Witness the beautiful transformation of a vain china rabbit who embarks on a life-altering journey and learns how to love.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Once Ralph has down all the essentials, he is ready to ride his motorcycle on some awesome adventures. Learn more.
The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Full of enchantment and magic, this engaging tale follows the preteen years of Arthur before he becomes a legendary king.
Stuart Little by E. B. White
A brave mouse encounters big adventures as he travels across the American countryside in this classic children's tale. Learn more.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
In this riveting story, a courageous girl struggles to prove her worth as she travels alone on a ship manned by a cruel captain and a mutinous crew. Learn more.
Varjak Paw by SF Said
A Mesopotamian Blue cat walks away from his life of comfort to learn the Way of Jalal, a secret feline martial art, to save his family and hundreds of other cats from disaster.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Charm your reader with whimsical tales that follow imaginative creatures and their adventures on the riverbank. Learn more.
