Action & Adventure Stories

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If pirates, jousting and horseback chases no longer appeal to you, you're too old or too boring. Adventure stories fell out of vogue among 20th century literary types who thought serious fiction had to be boring and depressing, but to those born with fire in their bones, adventure stories are deeply serious.

Not serious like existentialism or keeping a stiff upper lip, but serious like Robin Hood—devoted to protecting the downtrodden, committed to Maid Marian, sworn to fight injustice as long as a soul is in his body, always laughing and ready for a fight or a feast.

G. K. Chesterton wrote adventure stories because they best expressed the eternal joy that supported his generous frame. For those raised on Modern Adventure Stories, joy may seem an inappropriate word for an increasingly dark genre, but the fault lies with those who think adventures are forays into evil rather than romps with Gilbert Keith.

There's nothing evil about a good adventure. There may be bad guys (there ought to be), but if the Good Guy does his job there'll be more of his exploits to talk about than theirs. Because, should he be doing his job, the Hero will be sword-fighting, being clever, wooing, chasing and laughing to the detriment of his enemies on every page.

Average people don't have the adventures Heroes in Books have—they have the adventures of Modern Men in Books. But the way through the prosaic troubles of life isn't to immerse yourself in them, it's to let the Good Guys show The Way Out of Problems, and do your best to imitate them when you meet the less dramatic, but no less real, dangers of everyday existence.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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	Big Red Junior Deluxe Editions by Jim Kjelgaard, illustrated by Shannon Stirnweis from Junior Deluxe Editions for 4th-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard from Holiday House Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $17.99
	Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard from Holiday House for 4th-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Big Red G&D Famous Dog Stories by Jim Kjelgaard, illustrated by Shannon Stirnweis from Grosset & Dunlap for 4th-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Black Beauty Illustrated Junior Library Series 2 by Anna Sewell, illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg from Grosset & Dunlap for 4th-8th grade in Illustrated Junior Library (Location: VIN-IJL)
	Black Stallion by Walter Farley from Random House for 4th-7th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Black Stallion by Walter Farley from Junior Deluxe Editions for 4th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Black Stallion's Filly Black Stallion #8 by Walter Farley from Random House Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Call of the Wild Portland House Illustrated Classics by Jack London, illustrated by Paul Bransom from Portland House for 6th-10th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Call of the Wild by Jack London, illustrated by Wendell Minor 1^st edition from Aladdin Paperbacks for 6th-10th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	Call of the Wild G&D Famous Dog Stories by Jack London from Grosset & Dunlap for 6th-10th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Call of the Wild & White Fang Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Jack London Unknown from Reader's Digest Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
	Call of the Wild & White Fang Sterling Classics by Jack London, illustrated by Scott McKowen Unabridged from Sterling Publishing Co. Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
	ECL: Call of the Wild Educator Classic Library #11 by Jack London, illustrated by Ron King Complete and Unabridged Edition from Classic Press Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade in Educator Classic Library (Location: VIN-ECL) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	ECL: Jungle Book Educators Classic Library #5 by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by William Dempster from Classic Press in Educator Classic Library (Location: VIN-ECL)
	Good Comrades by Felix Salten from Grosset & Dunlap for 4th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Julie of the Wolves "Julie" Trilogy Book 1 by Jean Craighead George from HarperCollins Adventure for 4th-8th grade 1973 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Julie of the Wolves "Julie" Trilogy Book 1 by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by John Schoenherr from HarperCollins Adventure for 4th-8th grade 1973 Newbery Medal winner in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Julie's Wolf Pack by Jean Craighead George 1^st edition from HarperCollins for 4th-8th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $7.50 (2 in stock)
	Jungle Book Sterling Classics by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Scott McKowen from Sterling Publishing Co. Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
	Jungle Book Books of Wonder by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney from William Morrow & Company Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
	Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Earl Mayan from Grosset & Dunlap Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
	Jungle Book Calla Editions by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Maurice and Edward Detmold from Dover Publications Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
	Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Nicola Bayley from Candlewick Press Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
	Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Eric Kincaid from Brimax Books Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
	Jungle Books Macmillan Classics by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Robert Shore from Macmillan Animal Stories for 7th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $15.00 (1 in stock)
	Man O' War Black Stallion #16 by Walter Farley from Random House for 5th-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	On the Far Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George from Dutton Children's Books Adventure for 4th-8th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $8.00 (2 in stock)
	Outlaw Red G&D Famous Dog Stories by Jim Kjelgaard from Grosset & Dunlap Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Return of Silver Chief G&D Famous Dog Stories by Jack O'Brian, illustrated by Kurt Wiese from Grosset & Dunlap for 4th-7th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Sailor's Choice by Natalie Savage Carlson from Harper & Row for 3rd-6th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
	Secret Journey of the Silver Reindeer by Lee Kingman, illustrated by Lynd Ward from Doubleday & Company for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Silver Chief's Revenge G&D Famous Dog Stories by Jack O'Brian, illustrated by Kurt Wiese from Grosset & Dunlap for 4th-7th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Snow Dog by Jim Kjelgaard from Holiday House Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Snow Dog G&D Famous Dog Stories by Jim Kjelgaard from Grosset & Dunlap Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Son of the Black Stallion by Walter Farley from Random House for 4th-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Son of the Black Stallion by Walter Farley from Random House for 4th-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Toby Tyler Junior Deluxe Editions by James Otis, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard from Grosset & Dunlap Circus Adventures for 4th-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Toby Tyler Rainbow Classics by James Otis, illustrated by Louis S. Glanzman from World Publishing Company Circus Adventures for 4th-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Toby Tyler or, Ten Weeks with a Circus by James Otis from Grosset & Dunlap for 2nd-5th grade in Companion Library (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Treve Famous Dog Stories by Albert Payson Terhune from Grosset & Dunlap for 4th-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Valiant, Dog of the Timberline G&D Famous Dog Stories by Jack O'brien from Grosset & Dunlap for 4th-7th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	White Fang Thrushwood Book by Jack London from Grosset & Dunlap Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	White Fang by Jack London, illustrated by Helen Ward from Templar Books Action/Adventure for 5th-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
	White Fang Scribner Illustrated Classics by Jack London, illustrated by Ed Young Unabridged from Atheneum Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade in Scribner Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SCRIB) $29.99
	White Fang G&D Famous Dog Stories by Jack London from Grosset & Dunlap Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)

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