Adventure: Survival Stories for Teens
Frontera by Julio Anta
Mateo attempts a dangerous trek across the Sonoran Desert to return to the United States, but after being caught and escaping the Border Patrol, he finds himself lost, dehydrated, and alone. Then he meets Guillermo, a ghost who has spent his afterlife guiding migrants to safety. Unsure whether Guillermo is real, Mateo forms a cautious partnership with him as they navigate scorching heat, deadly wildlife, and threats from both rogue militias and law enforcement.
The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold
Liz Flannery has survived since the first catastrophic Storm by hiding out in an abandoned New Jersey bookstore, trading books for supplies and clinging to the one place that still feels safe. But when she learns a second devastating Storm is on the way, and a wary stranger breaks in seeking shelter, Liz reluctantly lets her stay. As the two grow closer and their feelings deepen, secrets and fears surface, forcing them to fight for their lives as their world collapses once more.
Global by Eoin Colfer
Sami and his grandfather live in a village along the Indian Ocean. They earn their living by fishing. But the ocean is rising and each day they bring back fewer and fewer fish. Yuki lives in the far north of Canada where warming temperature are melting the ice. Polar bears have less food to hunt and are wandering into town looking for something to eat. Yuki is determined to do something to help the bears. Time is running out for Sami and Yuki in this graphic novel.
Day Zero by Kelly deVos
Jinx Marshall, trained for disasters by her paranoid dad, is ready for a quiet weekend leveling up in her favorite MMORPG. But when an explosion traps her in a burning building, she is stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, and her precocious little brother to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos.
Alone by Megan E. Freeman
Twelve year old Maddie plans a secret sleepover with her best friends, only to wake up alone in a mysteriously abandoned town. With no power, no phones, and no internet, she must rely on her own ingenuity, a Rottweiler named George, and an endless supply of books to survive. Over months of facing natural disasters, looters, and wild animals, Maddie’s greatest challenge becomes overcoming the crushing loneliness that threatens to break her spirit.
The Wild Bunch by Jan Gangsei
Paul Adams dreads a weekend camping trip with his dad’s college friends and their sons, Hector and Jack. However, the legend of the Beast of Bear Falls, a rumored Bigfoot, does spark his curiosity. From the start, everything goes wrong, and the group stumbles from one mishap to another, bickering as they battle both natural and man made obstacles. Now the boys must push through the chaos to reach Bear Falls and discover whether the Sasquatch legend is real.
Island War by Patricia Reilly Giff
Matt reluctantly arrives on the remote Aleutian Islands while his little sister Izzy thrives in the wild new environment, leaving the two with little in common. When Japanese soldiers invade, Matt and Izzy are the only ones to escape capture, forcing them to set aside their differences and rely on each other to survive a harsh winter, evade soldiers, and avoid Allied bombing raids.
Two Degrees by Alan Gratz
Akira, Owen, George, and Natalie each face terrifying climate disasters, from a rapidly spreading California wildfire, to a polar bear encounter on the Canadian tundra, to a catastrophic Miami hurricane and flood. As they fight to survive fire, ice, and storm, each is pushed to their limit by the accelerating effects of climate change. What they don’t yet know is that their lives are connected in unexpected ways that could change their futures forever.
Playing With Fire by April Henry
Natalia has always avoided risks, especially after surviving the house fire that killed her baby brother six years ago. She finally agrees to go hiking with her coworker Wyatt, but a sudden wildfire traps them on the trail with no cell service, little gear, and no clear escape. Forced to trust a group of strangers, they must navigate the dark, burning forest and reach a canyon footbridge before the fire overtakes them.
Star Splitter by Matthew Kirby
For Jessica, teleportation and deep space colonization are real, and the reason her scientist parents left her behind six years ago. Now set to join them on a desolate planet 14 lightyears from Earth, Jessica awakens in the landing unit to find it destroyed, its corridors empty and stained with blood. Outside, the alien terrain holds freshly marked graves, and Jessica realizes she may be alone on a planet far more dangerous and mysterious than she ever imagined.
Cold the Night Fast the Wolves by Meg Long
Sena wants nothing to do with the deadly sled race that killed both her mothers, but after she cheats a local gangster, she’s forced to flee with his prized fighting wolf, Iska. To escape, she agrees to guide a team of scientists through the very race she despises, relying on the survival skills her mothers taught her as they face treacherous tundra, vicious creatures, and relentless pursuit.
Wandering Wild by Lynette Noni
Zander is desperate to repair his ruined reputation before he loses the role of his dreams. Meanwhile, Charlie, a teen who can’t stand him, gets roped into posing as his biggest fan on a four day reality TV trek with a survivalist. When she and Zander are stranded alone in the wilderness. With no crew, no rescue, and no choice but to rely on each other, they must confront their pasts to survive.
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
Matt Cruse works as a cabin boy on the Aurora, a massive airship that carries wealthy passengers high above the ocean. He loves the life aboard the ship and feels as light and free as the hydrium gas that keeps it aloft. After meeting a dying balloonist who spoke of strange sky creatures, Matts skepticism wains when he meets the man’s granddaughter.
Northwind by Gary Paulsen
When a deadly plague reaches the small fish camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. But the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self.
Endangered by Eliot Schrefer
The Congo is a dangerous place, even for people trying to help. When a girl reluctantly follows her mother to a bonobo sanctuary, she wants nothing to do with her mother’s work. But when revolution breaks out and the sanctuary is attacked, she must save the bonobos and hide in the jungle as they struggle together to stay safe and survive.
Wrath by Marcus Sedgwick
Cassie Cotton has always been different, a fact that draws the attention of her classmate Fitz. She believes she can hear a mysterious noise that signals the Earth’s distress from human caused climate change, but her warnings lead to ridicule and bullying. When Cassie disappears, Fitz must race against time to find her, unsure if he’ll reach her in time to help.
Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen
At 3:47 a.m., Wren Clemens is taken from her home, forced into a plane bound for the Utah desert and sent to a wilderness therapy camp for kids whose parents don’t know what to do with them. Angry and bitter, Wren initially struggles, realizing that her emotions alone won’t help her set up a tent or start a fire—she must accept help to survive.
Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang
Ash feels isolated in a world where adults ignore the climate crisis, other kids care only about trends, and even their family seems disconnected. Grandpa, once spoke of a secret cabin hidden in the California wilderness, and Ash begins to believe that finding it might offer the fresh start they desperately need. But living alone in the wild is far from simple, and Ash must confront whether solitude can truly bring happiness or even survival.
COMPILED BY ELIZABETH FANNING JANUARY 2026
