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Louis’s reasons for joining include wages and the Union’s fight to end slavery. The story follows his experience in the Irish Brigade and brings together the perspectives of an Abenaki teenager and the Civil War.

A teen’s attempt to turn grief into a list of brave experiences drives this novel. Drawing, friendship, family strain and a developing crush all shape Georgia’s search for what living fully means to her.

Gerald’s loyalty to Angel and efforts to withstand abuse sit alongside bereavement and family instability. The story also includes trusted support from Aunt Queen and Mr Washington, rather than focusing only on danger.

A fantasy adventure combines monster battles and a perilous rescue with Cameron’s struggle against anxiety. Friendship, danger and the consequences of loss drive the journey.

This is a naval adventure following Will from ship’s boy to midshipman, with sea battles, pirates, capture and escape, and a final adventure involving Nelson.

This is an imaginative rescue adventure centred on a reluctant young leader. Akiko’s team encounters opponents and obstacles, while the quest’s unfinished state makes this an opening rather than a self-contained adventure.

Expect a war story centred on Joseph’s bond with Adonis, rather than a battle narrative alone: the struggling zoo and its animals are also central to the plot.

This historical adventure centres on Chico’s friendship with a donkey amid wartime animal transport. The story also brings together people of different ages and nationalities.

Fox’s friendship with Star shapes his familiar forest life. After Star’s light goes out, Fox feels the change and journeys beyond the world he knows to search for Star, encountering new friends.

Odysseus’s journey follows the Trojan War, a storm that sends his ships off course, and encounters with dangerous places and frightening creatures. The book also considers myths as memories and Odysseus’s place in popular culture.

A friendship-and-rescue story set amid occupation, food shortages and Nazi soldiers in Copenhagen. Annemarie’s family shelters Ellen, then Annemarie faces a dangerous task connected with keeping her friend safe.

A child’s ambition develops into a life in art: Hopper studies, works as an illustrator and pursues paintings shaped by light, shadow and scenes he observes. The book also shows how he combined real details with imagination.

This fantasy-adventure follows Wolf’s efforts to protect animals and investigate their deaths. The story also brings friendship, courage, greed and revenge into the conflict.

This is an adventure about a grandson’s attempt to honour his grandfather while climbing Kilimanjaro. The journey challenges DJ’s belief that talent and determination will make everything easy.

This is a coming-of-age story about a troubled teenager sent to live and work with an older rancher. A turquoise bear carving, Cloyd’s Ute heritage and a dangerous mountain journey shape the story.

A modern fairy-tale fantasy brings together bereavement, nightmares and a magical threat. Angel and Bavar must learn to rely on one another as they face monsters and a rift between worlds.

Family bereavement and a father's repeated departure lead to Sugar and her mother losing their home. In Chicago, Sugar faces the difficulties of homelessness alongside her mother; a rescue dog, foster family and teacher offer support.

A nature-rich animal adventure follows a young vole family travelling in search of safety.

A playful, romantic fantasy about finding courage to approach someone you like, told through both Zuzana’s and Mik’s perspectives and shaped by an elaborate treasure hunt.

The story follows Harry’s effort to build a life through work, with his resolve and moral judgement tested along the way.

A first-person account of a life-changing injury and a return to competitive surfing, alongside reflections on faith, family and surfing itself.

Expect a mystery-driven adventure grounded in Ranofer’s aspiration to practise goldsmithing and his effort to expose his half-brother’s theft. The ancient Egyptian setting is described in substantial detail.

This is a bleak but ultimately hopeful family story: the children’s resourcefulness and the quiet help they receive are set against hardship and cruelty in their community.

This is a historical account of rescue during the Holocaust, focused on Sendlerowa and the people who helped her. The book’s central emphasis appears to be courage and assistance.

This fairy-tale adventure follows a mysterious moonlit route to a magical garden, with a flying horse adding another fantastical element. The premise may suit readers drawn to imaginative journeys and traditional story patterns.

This is a story about caring for birds and trying to address a problem beyond one school. It also follows Jimmy as he navigates attention from others and the challenge of speaking to the town council.

This historical adventure centres on a child facing a frightening wartime decision: whether to carry out her mother's order to destroy the shipyard they have been left to protect.

A historical account of Fred V. Cherry’s capture and prolonged imprisonment in Hanoi, focused on the ordeal of captivity and the qualities tested by it.

A curious girl challenges the mystery surrounding a feared king. Magic, a spell, and an unexpected new place in village life give this fanciful tale a playful premise.

A linked fantasy collection with different heroines and challenges: a rescue journey, a princess finding her own magical abilities, and a girl learning to manage dragon transformations.

The central appeal is Charlie’s comic knack for getting into scrapes, with sibling and friendship dynamics alongside a spooky-house adventure.

A determined girl searches for her missing father in a forest associated with a deadly beast, in a magical Beauty and the Beast retelling.

This is a story of hardship and changed fortunes, centred on Sara’s efforts to keep her hopeful outlook despite difficult treatment.

A picture-book story about a frightened creature trying to be brave, with friendship at its centre and a reunion at the end.

This is a coming-of-age story centred on adversity and an unexpected friendship. Aviation enters as a new interest for Jeremy, while the larger question is whether he can find a different path from the one assigned to him.

A gentle-feeling story about a dinosaur facing familiar fears, with the focus on gradually becoming braver. Notes and further resources offer an additional way for adults to support discussion.

A folk-tale adventure combines a family’s financial hardship with a haunted-house challenge. Thomas’s kindness to a stranger and his encounter with a frightening ghost are central to his attempt to find treasure.

This is a supernatural school story in which Rose balances friendship and romantic complications with escalating danger. A winter trip becomes a rescue mission after three friends leave to face the Strigoi threat.

A school lesson in getting lost on purpose sets off fantastical adventures. The overview says the girls learn about courage, strength, bravery and teamwork, but does not explain what happens in each adventure.

This verse novel follows a teenage artist through wrongful imprisonment and his effort to preserve his humanity and pursue the truth.

Consider it for a child curious about inventions or the history behind familiar attractions; its biographical focus offers a person-centred entry into engineering.

This is a Cambodian Cinderella retelling centred on Angkat’s endurance of family-caused wrongs and her effort to regain her rightful place.

A historical adventure centred on Bree’s uncertain position among captors, with mystery, the hope of ransom and explicitly Christian language about courage and freedom.

The story follows CC as she considers her future, guided by an ancient book, alongside children from different backgrounds. Its historical notes may add context to the adventure.

This is a story about a reluctant ranch summer, a horse partnership and a discovery that gives Paley a reason to act bravely.

A fantasy adventure about Midge’s encounter with fairies facing a threat to their existence, as their world meets the human one.

A playful, illustrated story that uses rhyme and a small central character to explore dreams, fears and courage. Its chapter structure may support reading aloud in short sittings and revisiting key ideas together.