Clive Cussler for Kids - fantasy, fiction, beginner adventure/thriller

Clive Cussler (yes, the same one who writes adult books) - 


The Adventures of Vin Fiz - a magical plane and two kids fly across the country; good guys, bad guys, etc.


The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy - a magical boat and the two kids go on an adventure


(I am hoping he will write more of these as it is a market with a great deficiency for very early readers. I have included the label "children" as there are many 5-7 year olds who read quite well, but are not sufficiently emotionally mature to handle much of what is written for 8-12 year olds.  My 7-year old grandson LOVES them.)

Ralph Moody: Little Britches series and concise histories

Ralph Moody: (autobiography and history)

When the author was twenty-one, he wrote in a diary that he would work as hard as he could to save $50,000 by the time he was fifty, and then write a book. He began Little Britches on his 50th birthday. Touching saga--great account of growing up in the early 1900's.

Autobiographies:

· Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers [1906 - 1910 - Colorado]

· Man of the Family [1910-1912, Colorado]

· The Home Ranch [summer of 1911 - amplifies his story as ranch hand from "Man of the Family", Colorado]

· Mary Emma and Company [1912 - Massachusetts]

· The Fields of Home [1914 -1915 - grandfather's farm, Maine]

· Shaking the Nickel Bush [1918, Arizona]

· The Dry Divide [19_, Nebraska]

· Horse of a Different Color: Reminiscences of a Kansas Drover [19__ in his early twenties]

History - by Moody include:

(I have read all except the one I have not yet found. They are as gripping as his autobiographies, very well researched and presented. It is clear that research for the individuals books was preparatory to the "Old Trails" and "Stagecoach West" which are detailed history books)

• Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier (1955)
• Geronimo, Wolf of the Warpath (1958)
• Riders of the Pony Express (1958)
• Wells Fargo (1961)
• Silver and Lead: The Birth and Death of a Mining Town (1961) - juvenile book format; story of "Silver City" with explanations of how minerals came to be there in the first place, etc.
• America Horses (1962)
• Come on Seabiscuit (1963) - this book is not credited as telling the "real story" in the way the much more recent book and movie, "Seabiscuit" are credited. However, it is a more succinct, very engrossing, accurate (as far as I can tell) representation of the facts in the recent version.
• The Old Trails West - Vol. 1 - The Gila Trail, El Camino Real, Old Spanish Trail" - The Great Legendary Routes that Bound a Wild Land into a Nation - 4538-1880 (1963)
• "Gateways to the Northwest - The Old Trails West - Vol. 2 - The Santa Fe Trail, Big Medicine Trail, The Oregon Trail, The California Trail" (1963)
• Stagecoach West (1967) - (this is truly "pure history" with a great deal of carefully researched history. You will pick up most of the interesting parts if you read all of the other histories.)
• Knife is Not Enough (can't find this one yet)
• The Wild Country (hard to find -- this is NOT a different book; it was originally published as Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers. I have included it in this list for informational purposes only, as you may find it listed in some places. It was made into a Disney movie, but the movie is not much recognizable from the book. It is, however, a good family movie and manages to maintain the "flavor" of the books in an acceptable manner.)

Historical Fiction - Giles

Janice Holt Giles:

[Some of her books loosely follow a couple of familes to Kentucky and beyond. I have grouped these together insofar as is possible.]

The following are suitable for as young as pre-teen IF the child is an advanced reader and emotionally mature:

• The Kentuckians - earliest settling of Kentucky
• Hannah Fowler - Kentucky
• Run Me a River - Civil War
• The Believers - story of a couple's conversion to the Shaker faith - I would not give this one to a pre-teen.  I need to re-do the post.
• The Land Beyond the Mountains - struggle for statehood
• Johnny Osage - Oklahoma Territory

(This list is very incomplete while I attempt to compile the stories in historical order.)

Some of her books are not at ALL suitable for pre-teens, and one or two are truly adult books.  I will eventually get them all sorted out and on here.  It's very hard to get some of them, so it's taking me a long time.

1930's teacher in Alaska, (Hobbs) - Specht

Robert Specht:

Tisha (autobiographical)

True story of young teacher (Anne Hobbs) in the Alaskan wilderness as told to Specht

All Creatures Great and Small series - Herriot

James Herriot: (autobiographical)

Great stories of a country Vet in Yorkshire, England; training before WWII, wartime, postwar – published during the 1970’s. There are more books, but most of the stories are included in this 4-volume set

• All Creatures Great and Small

• All Things Bright and Beautiful

• All Things Wise and Wonderful

• The Lord God Made Them All

Autobiographical - Iowa Farm life during 1930's - Kalish

Mildred Armstrong Kalish: (autobiographical account)

· Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression

[Not a "story" per se; tells details of how they farmed, went to school, had family gatherings, recipes they used, etc.]

Little House Series - Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder: (autobiographical)

· Little House in the Big Woods

· Little House on the Prairie

· Farmer Boy [Alonzo’s story]

· On the Banks of Plum Creek

· By the Shores of Silver Lake

· The Long Winter

· Little Town on the Prairie

· These Happy Golden Years

· The First Four Years

(Our 7-year old grandson went right through the series including The Long Winter, before the story got too grownup for his interests.)

Louis L'Amour - Historical Novels, etc.

from Wikipedia and other sources

Louis L'Amour [1908-1988]

(I have not read all of these; should I determine any are not family friendly I will note the circumstance by the title as I read them.)

Novels - (including series novels)

Westward the Tide (London, 1950; first US publication 1976)ISBN 0-553-24766-2 The Riders of High Rock (1951) ISBN 0-553-56782-9 The Rustlers of West Fork (1951) ISBN 0-553-29539-X The Trail to Seven Pines (1951) ISBN 0-553-56178-2 Trouble Shooter (1952) ISBN 0-553-57187-7 Hondo (1953) ISBN 0-553-80299-2 Showdown at Yellow Butte (1953) ISBN 0-553-27993-9 Crossfire Trail (1954) ISBN 0-553-28099-6 Heller with a Gun (1954) ISBN 0-553-25206-2 Kilkenny (1954) ISBN 0-553-24758-1 Utah Blaine (1954) ISBN 0-553-24761-1 Guns of the Timberlands (1955) ISBN 0-553-24765-4 To Tame a Land (1955) ISBN 0-739-34406-4 The Burning Hills (1956) ISBN 0-553-28210-7 Silver Canyon (1956) ISBN 0-553-24743-3 Last Stand at Papago Wells (1957) ISBN 0-553-25807-9 Sitka (1957) ISBN 0-451-20308-9 The Tall Stranger (1957) ISBN 0-553-28102-X Radigan (1958) ISBN 0-553-28082-1 The First Fast Draw (1959) ISBN 0-553-25224-0 Taggart (1959) ISBN 0-553-25477-4 The Daybreakers (1960) ISBN 0-553-27674-3 Flint (1960) ISBN 0-553-25231-3 Sackett (1961) ISBN 0-553-06205-0 High Lonesome (1962) ISBN 0-553-25972-5 Killoe (1962) ISBN 0-553-25742-0 Lando (1962) ISBN 0-739-32114-5 Shalako (1962) ISBN 0-553-24858-8 Catlow (1963) ISBN 0-553-24767-0 Dark Canyon (1963) ISBN 0-553-25324-7 Fallon (1963) ISBN 0-553-28083-X How the West Was Won (1963) ISBN 0-553-26913-5 Hanging Woman Creek (1964) ISBN 0-553-24762-X Mojave Crossing (1964) ISBN 0-739-32115-3 The High Graders (1965) ISBN 0-553-27864-9 The Key-Lock Man (1965) ISBN 0-553-28098-8 Kiowa Trail (1965) ISBN 0-553-24905-3 The Sackett Brand (1965) ISBN 0-739-34221-5 The Broken Gun (1966) ISBN 0-553-24847-2 Kid Rodelo (1966) ISBN 0-553-24748-4 Kilrone (1966) ISBN 0-553-24867-7 Mustang Man (1966) ISBN 0-739-32116-1 Matagorda (1967) ISBN 0-553-59180-0 The Sky-Liners (1967) ISBN 0-553-27687-5 Chancy (1968) ISBN 0-553-2808-56 Conagher (1968) ISBN 0-553-28101-1 Sackett series In fictional story order (not the order written). (There is a difference of opinion on the order to read this series; overlapping times make it difficult to determine. Sackett’s Land - Barnabas Sackett (circa 1600) To the Far Blue Mountains - Barnabas Sackett (circa 1600-1620) The Warrior’s Path - Kin Ring Sackett (circa 1620s) Jubal Sackett - Jubal Sackett, Itchakomi Ishai (circa 1620s) Ride the River - Echo Sackett (Aunt to Orrin, Tyrel, and William Tell Sackett) (circa 1840s-1850s, before the Civil War) The Daybreakers - Orrin and Tyrel Sackett, Cap Rountree, Tom Sunday (circa 1870-1872) Lando - Orlando Sackett, the Tinker (circa 1873-1875) Sackett - William Tell Sackett, Cap Rountree (circa 1874-1875) Mojave Crossing - William Tell Sackett and Nolan Sackett (circa 1875-1879) The Sackett Brand - William Tell Sackett, and the whole passel of Sacketts! ((circa 1875-1879) The Sky-liners - Flagan and Galloway Sackett (circa 1875-1879) The Lonely Men - William Tell Sackett (circa 1875-1879) Mustang Man - Nolan Sackett (circa 1875-1879) Galloway - Galloway and Flagan Sackett (circa 1875-1879) Treasure Mountain - William Tell Sackett (circa 1875-1879) Ride the Dark Trail - Logan Sackett, Em Talon(born a Sackett) (circa 1875-1879) Lonely on the Mountain - William Tell, Orrin and Tyrel Sackett (They go on a mission to help Logan Sackett) (circa 1875-1879) There are also two Sackett-related short stories: "The Courting of Griselda" (available in End of the Drive) "Booty for a Badman" (available in War Party) Sacketts are also involved in the plot of 7 other novels: Bendigo Shafter (Ethan Sackett) Dark Canyon (William Tell Sackett) Borden Chantry (Joe Sackett, killed in ambush that B Chantry solves murder, and Tyrel Sackett) Passin' Through (Parmalee Sackett is mentioned as defending a main character in the book) Son of a Wanted Man (Tyrel Sackett) Catlow (Ben Cowhan marries a cousin of Tyrel Sackett’s wife) Man from the Broken Hills (Em Talon a main character in this book was in fact born a Sackett. Mentions William Tell Sackett) Talon and Chantry series Borden Chantry Fair Blows the Wind The Ferguson Rifle The Man from the Broken Hills (Em Talon was born a Sackett she is the main character's mother.) Milo Talon (Is a cousin to the Sacketts through his mother Em Talon) North to the Rails Over on the Dry Side Rivers West Kilkenny series The Rider of Lost Creek (1976) The Mountain Valley War (1978), which previously been released as a magazine novella, entitled A Man Called Trent and was re-written for the Kilkenny trilogy. A Man Called Trent is included in the short story collection entitled The Rider of the Ruby Hills(1986) Kilkenny (1954) A Gun for Kilkenny is a short story featuring Kilkenny as a minor character, from the collection Dutchman's Flat (1986). Monument Rock is a novella in the story collection of the same name. Hopalong Cassidy series Originally published under the pseudonym "Tex Burns". The Riders of High Rock The Rustlers of West Fork The Trail to Seven Pines Trouble Shooter Collections of short stories War Party (1975) The Strong Shall Live (1980) Yondering (1980; revised edition 1989) Buckskin Run (1981) Bowdrie (1983) The Hills of Homicide (1983) Law of the Desert Born (1983) Bowdrie's Law (1984) Night Over the Solomons (1986) The Rider of the Ruby Hills (1986) Riding for the Brand (1986) The Trail to Crazy Man (1986) Dutchman's Flat (1986) Lonigan (1988) Long Ride Home (1989) The Outlaws of Mesquite (1990) West from Singapore (1991) Valley of the Sun (1995) West of Dodge (1996) End of the Drive (1997) Monument Rock (1998) Beyond the Great Snow Mountains (1999) Off the Mangrove Coast (2000) May There Be a Road (2001) With These Hands (2002) From the Listening Hills (2003) The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: The Frontier Stories - Volume 1 The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: The Frontier Stories - Volume 2 The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: The Frontier Stories - Volume 3 The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: The Adventure Stories - Volume 4 The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: The Frontier Stories - Volume 5 The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: The Crime Stories - Volume 6 The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: The Frontier Stories - Volume 7 "Trap of Gold" "The Gift of Cochise" Non-fiction Education Of A Wandering Man Frontier The Sackett Companion A Trail Of Memories: The Quotations Of Louis L'Amour (compiled by Angelique L'Amour) Poetry Smoke From This Altar Compilations with other authors The Golden West Stagecoach

Mystery - Drew

I have personally only read the first 34 or so books, so I do not know if the tradition is well-maintained or not, but I have read some very enthusiastic reviews of the most recent volumes.

This list is from another website and I have not confirmed the data.

NANCY DREW by Carolyn Keene

Titles in The Nancy Drew Mystery Series: Several of the first 56 Nancy Drew books have been updated and reissued over the years. If you want to savor the original version of these mysteries, you'll probably have to do some searching to find them, but here's a helpful hint: Try your grandmother's attic! 1. THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK 2. THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE 3. THE BUNGALOW MYSTERY 4. THE MYSTERY AT LILAC INN 5. THE SECRET OF SHADOW RANCH 6. THE SECRET OF RED GATE FARM 7. THE CLUE IN THE DIARY 8. NANCY'S MYSTERIOUS LETTER 9. THE SIGN OF THE TWISTED CANDLES 10. THE PASSWORD TO LARKSPUR LANE 11. THE CLUE OF THE BROKEN LOCKET 12. THE MESSAGE IN THE HOLLOW OAK 13. THE MYSTERY OF THE IVORY CHARM 14. THE WHISPERING STATUE 15. THE HAUNTED BRIDGE 16. THE CLUE OF THE TAPPING HEELS 17. THE MYSTERY OF THE BRASS-BOUND TRUNK 18. THE MYSTERY OF THE MOSS-COVERED MANSION 19. THE QUEST OF THE MISSING MAP 20. THE CLUE IN THE JEWEL BOX 21. THE SECRET IN THE OLD ATTIC 22. THE CLUE IN THE CRUMBLING WALL 23. THE MYSTERY OF THE TOLLING BELL 24. THE CLUE IN THE OLD ALBUM 25. GHOST OF BLACKWOOD HALL 26. THE CLUE OF THE LEANING CHIMNEY 27. THE SECRET OF THE WOODEN LADY 28. THE CLUE OF THE BLACK KEYS 29. THE MYSTERY AT THE SKI JUMP 30. THE CLUE OF THE VELVET MASK 31. THE RINGMASTER'S SECRET 32. THE SCARLET SLIPPER MYSTERY 33. THE WITCH TREE SYMBOL 34. THE HIDDEN WINDOW MYSTERY 35. THE HAUNTED SHOWBOAT 36. THE SECRET OF THE GOLDEN PAVILION 37. THE CLUE IN THE OLD STAGECOACH 38. THE MYSTERY OF THE FIRE DRAGON 39. THE CLUE OF THE DANCING PUPPET 40. THE MOONSTONE CASTLE MYSTERY 41. THE CLUE OF THE WHISTLING BAGPIPES 42. THE PHANTOM OF PINE HILL 43. THE MYSTERY OF THE 99 STEPS 44. THE CLUE IN THE CROSSWORD CIPHER 45. THE SPIDER SAPPHIRE MYSTERY 46. THE INVISIBLE INTRUDER 47. THE MYSTERIOUS MANNEQUIN 48. THE CROOKED BANISTER 49. THE SECRET OF MIRROR BAY 50. THE DOUBLE JINX MYSTERY 51. MYSTERY OF THE GLOWING EYE 52. THE SECRET OF THE FORGOTTEN CITY 53. THE SKY PHANTOM 54. STRANGE MESSAGE IN THE PARCHMENT 55. MYSTERY OF CROCODILE ISLAND 56. THE THIRTEENTH PEARL 57. THE TRIPLE HOAX 58. THE FLYING SAUCER MYSTERY 59. THE SECRET IN THE OLD LACE 60. THE GREEK SYMBOL MYSTERY 61. THE SWAMI'S RING 62. THE KACHINA DOLL MYSTERY 63. THE TWIN DILEMMA 64. CAPTIVE WITNESS 65. MYSTERY OF THE WINGED LION 66. RACE AGAINST TIME 67. THE SINISTER OMEN 68. THE ELUSIVE HEIRESS 69. CLUE IN THE ANCIENT DISGUISE 70. THE BROKEN ANCHOR 71. THE SILVER COBWEB 72. THE HAUNTED CAROUSEL 73. ENEMY MATCH 74. THE MYSTERIOUS IMAGE 75. THE EMERALD-EYED CAT 76. THE ESKIMO'S SECRET 77. THE BLUEBEARD ROOM 78. THE PHANTOM OF VENICE 79. THE DOUBLE HORROR OF FENLEY PLACE 80. THE CASE OF THE DISAPPEARING DIAMONDS 81. MARDI GRAS MYSTERY 82. THE CLUE IN THE CAMERA 83. THE CASE OF THE VANISHING VEIL 84. THE JOKER'S REVENGE 85. THE SECRET OF SHADY GLEN 86. THE MYSTERY OF MISTY CANYON 87. THE CASE OF THE RISING STARS 88. THE SEARCH FOR CINDY AUSTIN 89. THE CASE OF THE DISAPPEARING DEEJAY 90. THE PUZZLE AT PINEVIEW SCHOOL 91. THE GIRL WHO COULDN'T REMEMBER 92. THE GHOST OF CRAVEN COVE 93. THE CASE OF THE SAFECRACKER'S SECRET 94. THE PICTURE-PERFECT MYSTERY 95. THE SILENT SUSPECT 96. THE CASE OF THE PHOTO FINISH 97. THE MYSTERY AT MAGNOLIA MANSION 98. THE HAUNTING OF HORSE ISLAND 99. THE SECRET AT SEVEN ROCKS 100. A SECRET IN TIME: NANCY DREW'S 100TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION 101. THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MILLIONAIRES 102. THE SECRET IN THE DARK 103. THE STRANGER IN THE SHADOWS 104. THE MYSTERY OF THE JADE TIGER 105. THE CLUE IN THE ANTIQUE TRUNK 106. THE CASE OF THE ARTFUL CRIME 107. THE LEGEND OF MINER'S CREEK 108. THE SECRET OF THE TIBETAN TREASURE 109. THE MYSTERY OF THE MASKED RIDER 110. THE NUTCRACKER BALLET MYSTERY 111. THE SECRET AT SOLAIRE 112. CRIME IN THE QUEEN'S COURT 113. THE SECRET LOST AT SEA 114. THE SEARCH FOR THE SILVER PERSIAN 115. THE SUSPECT IN THE SMOKE 116. THE CASE OF THE TWIN TEDDY BEARS 117. MYSTERY ON THE MENU 118. TROUBLE AT LAKE TAHOE 119. THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MASCOT 120. THE CASE OF THE FLOATING CRIME 121. THE FORTUNE-TELLER'S SECRET 122. THE MESSAGE IN THE HAUNTED MANSION 123. THE CLUE ON THE SILVER SCREEN 124. THE SECRET OF THE SCARLET HAND 125. THE TEEN MODEL MYSTERY 126. THE RIDDLE IN THE RARE BOOK 127. THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS SOLUTION 128. THE TREASURE IN THE ROYAL TOWER 129. THE BABY-SITTER BURGLARIES 130. THE SIGN OF THE FALCON 131. THE HIDDEN INHERITANCE 132. THE FOX HUNT MYSTERY 133. THE MYSTERY AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE 134. THE SECRET OF THE FORGOTTEN CAVE 135. THE RIDDLE OF THE RUBY GAZELLE 136. THE WEDDING DAY MYSTERY 137. IN SEARCH OF THE BLACK ROSE 138. LEGEND OF THE LOST GOLD 139. THE SECRET OF CANDLELIGHT INN 140. THE DOOR-TO-DOOR DECEPTION 141. THE WILD CAT CRIME 142. THE CASE OF CAPITAL INTRIGUE 143. MYSTERY ON MAUI 144. THE E-MAIL MYSTERY 145. THE MISSING HORSE MYSTERY 146. THE GHOST OF LANTERN LADY 147. THE CASE OF THE CAPTURED QUEEN 148. ON THE TRAIL OF TROUBLE 149. THE CLUE OF THE GOLD DOUBLOONS 150. MYSTERY AT MOORSEA MANOR 151. THE CHOCOLATE-COVERED CONTEST 152. THE KEY IN THE SATIN POCKET 153. WHISPERS IN THE FOG 154. THE LEGEND OF THE EMERALD LADY 155. THE MYSTERY IN TORNADO ALLEY 156. THE SECRET IN THE STARS 157. THE MUSIC FESTIVAL MYSTERY 158. THE CURSE OF THE BLACK CAT 159. THE SECRET OF THE FIERY CHAMBER 160. THE CLUE ON THE CRYSTAL DOVE 161. LOST IN THE EVERGLADES 162. THE CASE OF THE LOST SONG 163. THE CLUES CHALLENGE 164. THE MYSTERY OF THE MOTHER WOLF 165. THE CRIME LAB CASE 166. THE CASE OF THE CREATIVE CRIME 167. MYSTERY BY MOONLIGHT 168. THE BIKE TOUR MYSTERY 169. THE MISTLETOE MYSTERY 170. NO STRINGS ATTACHED 171. INTRIGUE AT THE GRAND OPERA 172. THE RIDING CLUB CRIME 173. DANGER ON THE GREAT LAKES 174. A TASTE OF DANGER 175. WEREWOLF IN A WINTER WONDERLAND Wikiepedia entry: 12-15-09 Carolyn Keene Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of the Syndicate, hired writers, beginning with Mildred Wirt, later Mildred Wirt Benson, to write the manuscripts for the Nancy Drew books. The writers initially were paid $125 for each book and were required by their contract to give up all rights to the work and to maintain confidentiality. Benson and Edward Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Adams, are often credited as the primary writers of Nancy Drew books under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene;[1] other ghostwriters who used this name to write Nancy Drew mysteries included James Duncan Lawrence, Walter Karig, Nancy Axelrad, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr.,Margaret Scherf, and Susan Wittig Albert. Also involved in the Nancy Drew writing process were Harriet Stratemeyer Adams's daughters, who gave input on the series and sometimes helped to choose book titles;[2] the Syndicate's secretary, Harriet Otis Smith, who invented the characters of Nancy's friends Bess and George;[3] and the editors at publishers Grosset and Dunlap.[4]The editors at Grosset and Dunlap were so heavily involved in writing the Drew books that they won the rights to the first 56 titles as the result of a 1980 lawsuit.[5] In 1986, the Syndicate was bought by publishers Simon and Schuster; the Drew books are now handled by Mega-Books, a New York book packager.[6] ======== I have personally only read the first 34 or so books, so I do not know if the tradition is well-maintained or not, but I have read some very enthusiastic reviews of the most recent volumes.