If You Loved “Choose Your Own Adventure” Books as a Kid, You’ll Flip for These Series Too

And so will your students!

Teachers' favorite choose your own adventure books.

If you grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, chances are you remember the thrill of reading Choose Your Own Adventure books. The original series sold more than an unbelievable 250 million copies! Luckily, these books are still around to share with your students, and not only that; there is a slew of new series that follows the same format. Here are a few that your students will be crazy about.

The original series: Choose Your Own Adventure

Collection of Choose Your Own Adventure books

The rights to the original series have been traded back and forth a bit, but if you have a couple hundred bucks and a whole lotta love for the series, you can still buy the Whole Enchilada Collection, which includes the first 40 books written by notable authors such as R.A. Montgomery, Edward Packard, Julius Goodman, Richard Brightfield, and more. Best for grades 2-8.

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And for younger kids: The  Dragonlark  Collection

Collection of Choose Your Own Adventure books for younger kids

Did you know that Choose Your Own Adventure has a series just for kids in the primary grades? The playful stories are less serious and have gentler endings but still give readers lots of adventurous options. Best for grades K-2.

For Scooby-Doo Fans: You Choose Stories: Scooby-Doo

Five Scooby Doo Mystery book covers 

These interactive stories allow you to choose which path Scooby and the gang take to solve the mystery. Track down Bigfoot, solve the secret of the flying saucer, explore an Aztec tomb, and more! Best for grades 3-6.

If you can’t get enough Star Wars: Star Wars Choose Your Own Destiny

Three Star Wars Choose Your Destiny book covers

Travel along on an adventure with Luke and Leia, Obi-Wan and Anakin, Han and Chewie, or Finn and Poe as you choose from over twenty possible outcomes. Best for grades 1-3.

For young kids who love to snuggle on your lap: You Choose series

Four book covers from the You Choose series of books for kids

This collection of stories is perfect for reading with young children. Each page poses a question and provides an array of whimsically illustrated choices to choose from and talk about. Best for ages 2-6.

If you love to play detective: Case Closed

book covers from the Case Closed series

 

This series for middle grade students lets students follow along with the main character Carlos and his friends Eliza and Frank as they put together clues to save his mother’s detective agency. Best for grades 3-5.

For world travelers: Little Kid, Big City

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book cover Little Kid, Big City children's book book cover Little Kid, Big City London

If you have students who dream of traveling to the big city, this is the series for them! Available on Kindle, kids will love designing their itinerary as they choose where to go next at the end of each page. A great way to get to travel from the comfort of your own desk. Best for grades 3-6.

For scary story lovers: Give Yourself Goosebumps

Collection of Goosebumps books for kids

This series of middle grade books features author R.L. Stine’s trademark thrills and chills…with a twist. Readers get to choose their own spooky plot twists. As the covers warn: Reader beware…You choose the scare! Favorite titles include Attack of the Beastly BabysitterShip of Ghouls Zapped in Space, and Beware of the Purple Peanut Butter. Best for grades 4-6.

For young adventurers: Pick Your Own Quest

book covers for 4 Pick Your Own Quest books for kids

This new adventure series by Connor Hoover features fast-paced adventures with surprising twists. The humorous tales tackle topics from mythology to Minecraft and will engage even your most reluctant readers. Best for grades 1-6.

For fantasy fans: You Say Which Way

three book covers in the You Say Which Way Adventures books

Interactive stories that allow the reader to play the part of the main character. Written for middle grade readers, these stories take readers on a wild adventure with dinosaurs, sorcerers, magicians, and mystic portals. Written by a team of talented writers and beautifully illustrated. Best for grades 3-6.

If you’re into Minecraft and/or zombies: Choose Your Minecraft Story: The Zombie Adventures

4 Zombie Adventure book covers by John Diary

With over 25 possible endings, kids will love these stories that drop them right into the middle of the world of Minecraft as a zombie. Best for grades 3-8.

For non-fiction aficionados: You Choose: Survival

three book covers from the Can You Survive series of books for kids

Whether your students are interested in nature, adventure, or real-life stories, they’ll love putting themselves in the shoes of a survivalist. Best for grades 3-6.

For young historians: You Choose: History

Book covers from the You Choose series of history books for kids

Students get a front-row view of life during some of the most notable historical events in human history. As they weigh options and make decisions that determine the course of the story, they build empathy and understanding around these events. Best for grades 3-6.

Were you crazy for Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid? Have you tried any of these new series? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, our favorite STEM books for the classroom.

If You Loved Choose Your Own Adventure Books as a Kid, You'll Flip For These Series, Too