Does anyone else remember the Choose Your Own Adventure Stories? I was SO DELIGHTED to see them in a local bookstore as I have fond memories of reading these books voraciously when I was younger. I remember that I would always try to pick the option that would lead to the longest story. I remember sharing the books with my best friend. We would pour over these books for hours, trying to see how many story conclusions could be drawn per book.
If you have somehow lived your life hidden under a rock and are not familiar with the Choose Your Own Adventure stories well, just sit down! Let’s catch you up. Choose Your Own Adventure stories are stories where you get to do exactly that. You are put “into” the story. You, the main character, get to decide which option you’ll take in causing the story to unfold. You and you alone get to hunt for the abominable snowman. You and you alone (say this with a deep and mysterious voice:) will search for the lost jewels of Nabooti. Oh yes, my friends. The adventures are dangerous, sometimes deadly, frequently mysterious and very. very. curious.
There is a new Choose Your Own Adventure series (that I had never seen before) specifically tailored for kids between the ages of 9-12. The books are about 50 pages long and very between having 9-12 possible endings. For example, in the book Your Very Own Robot you are given a (surprise!) robot. You must choose what you are going to do with him from whether or not you are going to paint him or not (with varying results) to whether or not you will choose to attack a band of pirates with him (with varying degrees of success depending on which option you choose). You can choose whether or not your robot will have friends and how those friends will be. The illustrations in this look very much like a cartoon you’d see on tv. The characters are therefore easy to identify with because they have a familiar look about them. It is simply a matter of what you will choose to have those characters do.
Then, of course, there are the traditional classic stories which are being reprinted. You can get the first four in the series in a boxed set for convenience sake and it contains the following titles: The Abominable Snowman, Journey Under the Sea, Space and Beyond, and The Lost Jewels of the Nabooti. They also have a relatively new series under the Choose Your Own Adventure umbrella. The first book in the series is called The Golden Path: Into the Hollow Earth which is a series that is a little more up-to-date with this modern world. However, all the stories are so fantastical that I don’t think the “classic” series is really out-of-date in any way. They are creative, imaginative and I’ve never seen anything else quite like them.
What about you? Do you have fond memories of this series? Well, then, you’ll be glad to note that you can share them with your kids also. Remember: YOU and YOU ALONE decide the adventure so BEWARE!
Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know.
Speaking of sharing them with your kids (or grandkids!), the Choose Your Own Adventure Company has graciously agreed to give away a copy of the first four titles in the classic series to one of our readers, signed by author R.A. Montgomery.
In order to win, leave a comment below. U.S. Residents only, please. Good luck and may your adventures be safe!
Click on the banner above to enter our other Summer Fun Giveaways. All winners will be announced on June 11.
Ali says
I used to *love* these? I would re-read them over and over until I thought I had read every possible combination!
Aimee Davis says
I hadn’t thought about these books in ages! How fun!
Elena says
I loved these, and my kids love them too! Thanks for the contest!
pag says
I would love to win these books, please. Thanks
Beth says
I loved these as a kid. I had a whole shelf full of them and even tried writing my own. It would be great to win these so my daughter can enjoy them.
Karen B says
I’ve never heard of these before but I have grand and greatgrandchildren who would go nuts for them!
Ellen C. says
My son would love these. Thanks for the chance.
beth shepherd says
Thank you for the chance
[email protected]
Vicky Boackle says
my grandkids would love these.
valerie Mitchell says
i’d love to win 🙂
jeanine says
i didn’t even know they still made these! i LOVED choose your own adventure books when i was little. i would love to win these for my son!
Laureen says
My children love to come up with different story endings. This would be great for them! Thanks!
tiki11 says
I loved these books when I was a kid
Tawnda says
I loved to find out what happens if I choose a different path… these books are good for repeat readers too!
Jen says
I think I read like 200 of these! I would love to have a set for older kids that frequently visit!
Karen Medlin says
kids enjoy re-reading these from the library.. it would be awesome for them to have their own books
bridget says
I loved choose your own adventure when I was a kid. I would always choose the wrong path and have to start over again and again.
Kathy Scott says
My son would love the Robot.
Alicia says
When I was a child, I remember reading choose your own adventure books. I loved them. I would love these for my son.
Janelle says
Wow, the books sure look different now. I fondly remember reading these as a kid. Would love to have a set for my kids.
Daniel M says
I remember these when i was a kid, been around a long time, used to like them a lot
Nadia says
These books are fun!
Carlene says
Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net
Kathy D says
My sisters kids would love these
Jennifer C says
I would love these for my nephew.
Bob says
would love for my grandkids who are homeschooled they love to read
Dave says
These bring back a lot of memories. Choose Your Own Adventure were some of my favorite books when I was younger. I’m sure my little nephews will enjoy these books just as much as I did when I was their age. Thank you for the chance to win.
Victoria says
I adored these books when I was young. Never knew how they’d turn out and you could read them several times. They were great! I’d love to win a set. Thanks!
Jennifer says
I really loved reading and re-reading choose your own adventure books. They give kids a sense of power and option that is usually lacking in real life.
christopher h says
i remember those! too cool
corrie says
ive never read them, but my boys would love them
Rachel Higgs says
I used to love reading these when I was a kid. would love to pass on the tradition to my kids
Heather H says
These would be grand to read with my kids!
Christine says
WHOA!!! I LOVED these when I was a kid and would love to share them with my son now! Thanks for the chance!
Paula H says
I remember reading these and my older kids have read many of them, too. I would like to introduce my younger kids to them.
Elli says
my boys are 9 and 11 – they would love these!
Mary Casper says
my twin nephews would love this
Susan Smith says
My daughter would love to read these books
Christine Walker says
My kid would love these!
samella says
these were my favorites as a child and i would love to share them with my children
Erma H says
I would love the chance to win, thanks.
Ali Hammons says
These books look like a lot of fun!
sarah says
enter me!
gloria mckellar says
Looks like a good book for a lazy summer day.
[email protected]
Pamela S says
To be honest, I don’t remember these books, but my kids have liked other books where you can pick endings. So I’d love to try them. Thanks.
Brenda Park says
I remember reading these books, and ‘cheating’ by going back and trying to make another choice to get a better ending! My 10 year old would love these so much, so thank you for hosting yet another great giveaway!
LaVonne says
I loved these when I was in fourth grade. Thanks for the chance to win.
Cynthia Mercado says
I would love to read these with my 5 year old son. He would love it.
mercsmercado at yahoo dot com