Books like 'Night of the Spadefoot Toads'
Readers who enjoyed Night of the Spadefoot Toads by Bill Harley also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
action / adventure realistic outdoors coming-of-age
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Sugar Birds by Cheryl Grey Bostrom
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNorthwest Washington State, 1985For years, Harris Hayes has taught his daughter, Aggie, the ways of the northern woods. So when her mother's depression worsens, Harris shows the girl how to find and sketch the nests of wild birds as an antidote to sadness. Aggie is in a tree far overhead when her unpredictable mother spots her and forbids her to climb...Categorized as:
coming-of-age outdoors realistic action-adventure audiobook book christian contemporary -
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsMolly Lou Melon is different, but this doesn't slow her down...Categorized as:
coming-of-age realistic action-adventure book bullying children children-books family -
Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA tale about self-confidence and taking a leap of faith, starring a kingfisher...Categorized as:
outdoors coming-of-age animals children-books humor fiction action-adventure children -
Lesson Learned by Earl Sewell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhoever said "family comes first" never met Keysha's mom, Justine. Fresh out of jail, Justine wants to reconnect with her daughter—despite abandoning her to a father she hardly knew. Keysha is sure Justine's troubled past is going to play havoc with her own present and future... -
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The Islanders by Mary Alice Monroe, Angela May
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAn instant New York Times bestseller! “Storytelling for young readers at its finest—equal parts summer adventure and environmental suspense…[a] love letter to family, friendship, and the natural world...Categorized as:
realistic outdoors coming-of-age north-america usa south-carolina middle-grade young-adult -
All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA picture book celebration of love by the Newbery Medal–winning author, Patricia MacLachlan, with luminous paintings by Mike Wimmer. Within the sanctuary of a loving family, baby Eli is born and, as he grows, learns to cherish the people and places around him, eventually passing on what he has discovered to his new baby sister, Sylvie: “All the places to love are here . .Categorized as:
coming-of-age outdoors realistic action-adventure book children children-books exploration -
How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsMy Side of the Mountain meets How to Steal a Dog in this high-stakes and heartfelt middle-grade story of a young boy and his dog surviving on their own in the woods.Being alone is something Raymond is used to.Twelve-year-old Raymond Hurley has never had a place to call home...Categorized as:
realistic outdoors coming-of-age middle-grade survival action-adventure animals dogs -
The Raft by Jim LaMarche
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsInspired by various experiences from his childhood, Jim LaMarche, beloved illustrator of A Story for Bear and The Elves and the Shoemaker, brings this touching story about one boy's unexpected summer as a river rat to life with his bold, picturesque paintings.Nicky isn't one bit happy about spending the summer with his grandma in the Wisconsin woods; he'd much rather be back in the city...Categorized as:
outdoors realistic action-adventure animals book children children-books exploration -
Martin Marten by Brian Doyle
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDave is fourteen years old, eager, and headlong. He is about to start high school, which is scary and alluring. Martin is a pine marten, a small, muscled hunter of the deep woods. He is about to leave home for the first time, which is scary and thrilling...Categorized as:
coming-of-age outdoors realistic action-adventure animals anthropomorphism audiobook book -
They Shoot Canoes, Don't They? by Patrick F. McManus
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMcManus celebrates the hidden pleasures, unappreciated lore, and opportunities for disaster to be found in such outdoor recreations as camping, hunting, and fishing... -
Life by Cynthia Rylant
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCynthia Rylant and Brendan Wenzel explore the beauty and tenacity of life.Life begins small, then grows… There are so many wonderful things about life, both in good times and in times of struggle. Through the eyes of the world’s animals—including elephants, monkeys, whales, and more—Cynthia Rylant offers a moving meditation on finding beauty around us every day and finding strength in adversity...Categorized as:
coming-of-age outdoors realistic action-adventure animals book children children-books -
A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee: by Chris Van Dusen
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMr. Magee and his trusty dog, Dee, are enjoying a peaceful camping trip when all of a sudden they find themselves plunging down a mountain and teetering on the edge of a huge waterfall! How will they find their way out of this slippery situation? Chris Van Dusen, the creator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, has filled this new adventure with charming illustrations and a playful, rhyming text... -
Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA tale of raw adventure as Uncle Hec and Ricky use all their skills to survive in the hard world of precipitous hills and impassable forest. It uncovers the slow maturing of love and trust between two loners in a hard world...Categorized as:
outdoors realistic coming-of-age fiction action-adventure humor survival young-adult -
Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe sky’s no limit as the author-illustrator of The Dot and Ish winds up his Creatrilogy with a whimsical tale about seeing the world a new way.Marisol loves to paint... -
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Rebecca's World: Journey to the Forbidden Planet by Terry Nation
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRebecca's world is a marvellously gripping (and frequently comic) adventure story, with a memorable cast of characters. A story that will be enjoyed by children and adults alike...Categorized as:
coming-of-age outdoors action-adventure audiobook bildungsroman book children children-books -
A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn this moving companion to the Caldecott Honor–winning They All Saw a Cat, Brendan Wenzel tells the story of a seemingly ordinary stone. But it isn't just a stone—to the animals that use it, it's a resting place, a kitchen, a safe haven...even an entire world... -
Outside In: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner by Deborah Underwood
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOutside is waiting, the most patient playmate of all. The most generous friend. The most miraculous inventor. Our connection with nature is not so easily obscured by lives spent indoors... -
Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMicha Archer's detailed collages give readers an outlook on the splendors of nature.When two curious kids embark on a wonder walk, they let their imaginations soar as they look at the world in a whole new light... -
Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWinner of the 2018 Caldecott MedalA girl is lost in a snowstorm. A wolf cub is lost, too. How will they find their way home?Paintings rich with feeling tell this satisfying story of friendship and trust. Wolf in the Snow is a book set on a wintry night that will spark imaginations and warm hearts, from Matthew Cordell, author of Trouble Gum and Another Brother...Categorized as:
outdoors realistic animals children-books fiction family action-adventure season-winter -
The Yellow Bus by Loren Long
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPerfect for fans of Love and Hello, Lighthouse , The Yellow Bus from #1 New York Times bestselling Loren Long is a tender and soulful story about a forgotten school bus that finds happiness and purpose in the most unexpected places--and in the journey along the way.There is a bright yellow bus who spends her days driving. She loves carrying children from one important place to another...Categorized as:
outdoors realistic children-books fiction children action-adventure contemporary book -
Creatures of Light by Emily B. Martin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsQueens, countries, and cultures collided in Woodwalker and Ashes to Fire, the first two books in Emily B. Martin’s Creatures of Light series. From Mae’s guidance to retake Lumen Lake to Mona’s eye-opening adventure in Cyprien, we now see things from Gemma’s perspective—a queen in disgrace…and symbol of the oppressive power of Alcoro... -
Brendon Chase by B.B., Philip Pullman
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThree runaway brothers live like Robin Hood and his merry men, deep in the forest. A classic story of survival and adventure from the author of The Little Grey Men...Categorized as:
coming-of-age outdoors action-adventure animals book children children-books classics -
Canyon Echoes by Jerry B. Jenkins, Chris Fabry
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBryce and Ashley Timberline are normal 13-year-old twins, except for one thing—they discover action-packed mystery wherever they go. Whether it's searching for a missing writer or fearing for their lives at the bottom of a canyon, Bryce and Ashley never lose their taste for adventure. Wanting to get to the bottom of any mystery, these twins find themselves on a nonstop search for the truth...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age mystery christian contemporary young-adult children-books middle-grade -
Gorilla Dawn by Gill Lewis
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTwo children captured by a band of rebel soldiers in the Congo vow to protect an orphaned gorilla baby in this powerful, thought-provoking, and vividly compelling novel from award-winning storyteller Gill Lewis.Deep in the heart of the Congo, a baby gorilla is captured by a group of rebel soldiers. Imara and Bobo are also prisoners in the rebels’ camp...Categorized as:
outdoors realistic action-adventure animals book children children-books exploration -
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Two Like Me and You by Chad Alan Gibbs
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEdwin Green's ex-girlfriend is famous. We're talking cover-of-every-tabloid-in-the-grocery-store-line famous. She dumped Edwin one year ago on what he refers to as Black Saturday, and in hopes of winning her back, he's spent the last twelve months trying to become famous himself. It hasn't gone well...Categorized as:
coming-of-age realistic action-adventure book contemporary fiction historical-fiction humor -
My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA story of first friendship.she is my best friend i think i never had a best friend so i’m not sure but i think she is a really good best friend because when we were drawing she drew me and i drew her...Categorized as:
realistic outdoors children-books fiction friendship children contemporary female-mc -
Happy Dreamer by Peter H. Reynolds
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA celebration of the colorful spectrum of what it means to dream and the many ways to find happy!While the world tells us to sit still, to follow the rules, and to color inside the lines, Happy Dreamer celebrates all those moments in between when the mind and spirit soar and we are free to become our own true dreamer...Categorized as:
coming-of-age realistic action-adventure book children children-books fiction mental-illness -
Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn the tradition of Jack London, Seth Kantner presents an Alaska far removed from majestic clichés of exotic travelogues and picture postcards. Kantner’s vivid and poetic prose lets readers experience Cutuk Hawcly’s life on the Alaskan plains through the character’s own words — feeling the pliers pinch of cold and hunkering in an igloo in blinding blizzards... -
Float by Daniel Miyares
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA boy’s small paper boat—and his large imagination—fill the pages of this wordless picture book, a modern-day classic from the creator of Pardon Me! that includes endpaper instructions for building a boat of your own.A little boy takes a boat made of newspaper out for a rainy-day adventure... -
This Is Sadie by Sara O'Leary
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSadie is a little girl with a big imagination. She has been a girl who lived under the sea and a boy raised by wolves. She has had adventures in wonderland and visited the world of fairytales. She whispers to the dresses in her closet and talks to birds in the treetops. She has wings that take her anywhere she wants to go, but that always bring her home again... -
Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry, Tom Lichtenheld
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsNew York Times best-selling duo Stick and Stone are STICKing together in this hilarious and heartwarming picture book that proves once and for all why best friends ROCK! From beloved picture book creators Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld, perfect for fans of Kelly DiPucchio and Jory John. When Stick rescues Stone from a prickly situation with a Pinecone, a friendship is born... -
Come What May by Lauren Brooke
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHealing Horses...Healing Hearts... An Exciting Series of Stories for Girls Who Love Horses Heartland Lauren Brooke Collection 11 Books Set RRP : £ 54.89 Titles in This Set Are: Coming Home, After the Storm, Breaking Free, Taking Chances, Come What May, One Day You'll Know, Out of the Darkness, Thicker than water, Every New Day, Tomorrow's Promise, True Enough. 9...Categorized as:
coming-of-age realistic action-adventure animals book children children-books contemporary -
One Day You'll Know by Lauren Brooke
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHeartland is a horse farm nestled in the hills of Virginia, but it's much more than that. Heartland is like no other place - it's a place where the scars of the past can be healed, a place where frightened and abused horses learn to trust again.Ever since Amy's mother died, Ty has seemed more like part of the family than just a stable hand...Categorized as:
coming-of-age realistic action-adventure animals book children children-books contemporary -
Out of the Darkness by Lauren Brooke
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHeartland is a horse farm nestled in the hills of Virginia, but it's much more than that. Heartland is like no other place - it's a place where the scars of the past can be healed, a place where frightened and abused horses learn to trust again.Amy has never had such a difficult time reaching a horse...Categorized as:
coming-of-age realistic action-adventure animals book children children-books contemporary -
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The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGirl Online meets Wild in this emotionally charged story of girl who takes to the wilderness to rediscover herself and escape the superficial persona she created on social media.Mari Turner’s life is perfect. That is, at least to her thousands of followers who have helped her become an internet starlet... -
Gentle Ben by Walt Morey
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe Alaskan wilderness is a lonely place for Mark Andersen, especially after the death of his brother. But Mark finds a friend named Ben, who happens to be an Alaskan brown bear. Ben and Mark form a special bond, but the townspeople are determined to destroy it. It is only through the strength of an enduring friendship that Ben—and Mark—have a chance of being saved...Categorized as:
coming-of-age outdoors realistic action-adventure animals anthropomorphism book children -
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the illustrator of the #1 smash hit The Day the Crayons Quit comes the age-old tale of a boy and his moose . . . Wilfred is a boy with rules. He lives a very orderly life. It's fortunate, then, that he has a pet who abides by rules, such as not making noise while Wilfred educates him on his record collection... -
Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA celebration of a child's growing self awareness, and a prime example of how books can contribute to this. Whether brave or shy, strong or weak, in the end the young boy celebrates all different, apparently contradictory parts of himself... -
Ashes to Fire by Emily B. Martin
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn adult fantasy tale that will surely resonate with young adult readers, Ashes to Fire is the story of a queen's desperate journey to secure peace, and the even greater journey to discover herself. Ashes to Fire is the captivating and adventurous follow-up to Emily B. Martin’s Woodwalker—once more with cover art by the author!“You are a country... -
The Sage Wind Blows Cold by Clint Hollingsworth
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis is an ACE for ISBN13:9780990995227 The Sage Wind Blows ColdWILDERNESS THRILLER. "The Sage Wind blows Cold" is a finalist in Chanticleer Dante Rossetti Awards 2014, New Adult Thriller. Author Clint Hollingsworth studied tracking under Tom Brown, Jr., consultant on Benicio Del Toro's "The Hunted" and is a black belt in Goju Ryu karate... -
Turning the Page by Katrina Abbott
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCelia Thomas should be living a charmed life; as the niece of Hollywood's current it guy, whose whole family is on the payroll, she doesn't have to worry about money or future job prospects. Except maybe she doesn't want to go into the family business... -
The Art of Holding On and Letting Go by Kristin Bartley Lenz
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA Junior Library Guild Fall 2016 Selection“When every piece falls into place, it’s like a dance, a delicate but powerful balancing act. The art of holding on and letting go at the same time.” Competitive climber Cara Jenkins feels most at home high off the ground, clinging to a rock wall by her fingertips... -
Acorn Was a Little Wild by Jen Arena
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJory John’s Bad Seed series meets After the Fall by Dan Santat in this charming picture book about a young acorn’s grand adventure and the incredible transformation that follows.Acorn is a little wild, and from his oak tree perch, he longs for adventure...Categorized as:
outdoors coming-of-age children-books action-adventure animals fiction humor children -
Pond by Jim LaMarche
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen Matt is out for a late winter hike he sees a trickle of water in the old deserted and junk-filled dirt pit at the edge of his neighborhood. Matt imagines the pond that must once have been there, shining in the early spring light, freezing in the winter for skating and the perfect place for swimming in the summer...Categorized as:
outdoors realistic children-books animals middle-grade children season-summer fiction -
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Child of the Wolves by Elizabeth Hall
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGranite, a Siberian husky puppy, is all alone in the Alaskan forest after escaping from his kennel. Each moment of his life is threatened until Snowdrift, a great white wolf, welcomes him into a wolf pack. But Granite must earn his place among the wolf tribe by facing vicious attacks from the other wolves, the human wolf hunters, and the constant challenges of the frozen forest...Categorized as:
outdoors realistic action-adventure animals anthropomorphism book children children-books -
Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe only daughter of supermodel Katia Summers, witty and thoughtful Lizzie Summers likes to stick to the sidelines. The sole heir to Metronome Media and daughter of billionaire Karl Jurgensen, outspoken Carina Jurgensen would rather climb mountains than social ladders. Daughter of chart-topping pop icon Holla Jones, stylish and sensitive Hudson Jones is on the brink of her own music breakthrough... -
Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCobb, a devoted teacher and nature-lover, takes a sabbatical from his New England boys prep school seeking to experience what Henry David Thoreau and the transcendentalists did in the early nineteenth century. Kayaking to the last known spot where the American writer and philosopher camped four years before he died, he encounters the beautiful free-spirited Mary... -
The Seed Woman by Petra Durst-Benning
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom bestselling author Petra Durst-Benning comes a sweeping emotional story of courage, triumph, and love against all odds in nineteenth-century Germany. After a long and trying journey from her home, Hannah arrives at a charming village nestled in the foothills of the Swabian Mountains, eager to find Helmut Kerner, a traveling seed merchant she loved and lost... -
The Haymeadow by Gary Paulsen
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFourteen-year-old John Barron is asked, like his father and grandfather before him, to spend the summer taking care of their sheep in the haymeadow. Six thousand sheep. John will be alone, except for two horses, four dogs, and all those sheep.John doesn't feel up to the task, but he hopes that if he can accomplish it, he will finally please his father...Categorized as:
coming-of-age outdoors realistic action-adventure animals book children children-books -
Nobody's Girl by Sarra Manning
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBea thinks she's the most boring seventeen-year-old in the world. She's not pretty or popular or funny, unlike her mother who had Bea when she was 17. The only glamorous thing about Bea is the French father who left before she was born and lives in Paris. She yearns for la vie Parisienne every moment of her dull existence...Categorized as:
coming-of-age realistic action-adventure book contemporary fiction womens-fiction young-adult
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