Books about Resourcefulness

  1. Artemis

    by Andy Weir
    A young woman's daring heist to save her city on the moon.

    Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional ... (Goodreads)

  2. The Boxcar Children

    by Gertrude Chandler Warner
    Four orphaned siblings find adventure and solace in a deserted boxcar, learning the value of family and friendship.

    The Aldens begin their adventure by making a home in a boxcar. Their goal is to stay together, and in the process they find a grandfather. ... (Goodreads)

  3. Fantastic Mr. Fox

    by Roald Dahl
    Wild and wily fox outwits three mean farmers in an epic battle of wit and courage.

    Mr. Fox is an anthropomorphic, tricky, and clever fox who lives underground beside a tree with his wife and four children. In order to feed his family, he makes nightly visits to farms owned by three ... (Wikipedia)

  4. A Little Princess

    by Frances Hodgson Burnett
    A young girl's courageous spirit as she overcomes adversity and discovers a life of joy.

    Captain Richard Crewe, a wealthy English widower, has been raising his only child, Sara, in India where he is stationed with the British Army. Because the Indian climate is considered too harsh for ... (Wikipedia)

  5. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

    by Alfred Lansing
    True story of a remarkable Antarctic expedition, a testament to the power of courage and tenacity.

    The harrowing tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton's 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole, one of the greatest adventure stories of the modern age. In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Five Chinese Brothers

    by Claire Huchet Bishop
    Five brothers use their special powers to outsmart an emperor and save their family from execution.

    In the Imperial China of the Qing dynasty , there are five brothers who "all looked exactly alike." They each possess a special talent: one can swallow the sea, one has an unbreakable iron neck, one ... (Wikipedia)

  7. Flat Stanley

    by Jeff Brown
    An imaginative adventure of a boy who is flattened by a bulletin board and must rely on his wits to navigate the world.

    When Stanley Lambchop wakes up one morning, his brother, Arthur, is yelling. A bulletin board fell on Stanley during the night, and now he is only half an inch thick! Amazing things begin happening ... (Goodreads)

  8. Debt of Honor

    by Tom Clancy
    Military thriller involving a terrorist plot to bring about a war between the U.S and Japan.

    Japanese industrialist Raizo Yamata has been plotting to bring back his country to a position of greatness for years, partly as revenge for the death of his family at the hands of American forces ... (Wikipedia)

  9. The 4-Hour Workweek

    by Timothy Ferriss
    A guide to creating a lifestyle of financial and personal freedom by optimizing work and lifestyle.

    What do you do? Tim Ferriss has trouble answering the question. Depending on when you ask this controversial Princeton University guest lecturer, he might answer: "I race motorcycles in Europe." "I ... (Goodreads)

  10. Hatchet

    by Gary Paulsen
    A boy must learn to survive in the wilderness after a plane crash leaves him stranded.

    Brian Robeson is a thirteen-year-old son of divorced parents. As he travels from Hampton, New York on a single engine Cessna bush plane to visit his father in the oil fields in Northern Canada for ... (Wikipedia)

  11. Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival

    by Velma Wallis
    Tale of two elderly women struggling to survive in the harsh Alaskan wilderness.

    Long before the Europeans came, nomads roamed the polar region of Alaska in constant search for game. The people of the Gwich'in , who belong to the Athabaska tribes, wander the areas around the ... (Wikipedia)

  12. A Pocket for Corduroy

    by Don Freeman
    A teddy bear's quest to find a pocket for himself, learning the power of friendship and resilience along the way.

    Come along with Corduroy as he goes on an all-new adventure. Corduroy, with his unaffected simplicity and childlike emotion, is one of the best-loved bears in children's books. His story has become ... (Goodreads)

  13. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear

    by Don Wood
    A resourceful mouse outwits a hungry bear to save a strawberry.

    First published in 1984, a picture book in which the Little Mouse will do all he can to save his strawberry from the Big, Hungry Bear, even if it means sharing it with the reader. The Little Mouse ... (Barnes & Noble)

  14. La vida del Lazarillo de Tormes

    by Unknown
    A picaresque novel of a young man's adventures and misfortunes in 16th-century Spain.

    Lázaro es un muchacho desarrapado a quien la miseria obliga a emplearse como sirviente. Las inocentes y a veces justificadas burlas con las que Lázaro se defiende de sus amos son castigadas con una ... (Goodreads)

  15. Last of the Breed

    by Louis L'Amour
    A journey of survival and self-discovery in the wilds of Alaska and Siberia.

    The start of the book chronicles Joe "Mack" Makatozi's daring escape from captivity and introduces another captive, an English chemist whom the Soviets believe is working on chemical warfare agents. ... (Wikipedia)

  16. On the Banks of Plum Creek

    by Laura Ingalls Wilder
    A young family's adventures in the American Midwest, settling on a homestead.

    Having left their little house on the Kansas prairie, the Ingalls family travels by covered wagon to Minnesota and settles on the banks of Plum Creek. Pa trades 2 ponies for a dugout and a stable. ... (Wikipedia)

  17. Thank You, Jeeves

    by P.G. Wodehouse
    A bumbling English gentleman finds help from his brilliant valet, thwarting all manner of social disasters.

    After a falling-out concerning Bertie's relentless playing of the banjolele , Jeeves leaves his master's service and finds work with Bertie's old friend, Lord "Chuffy" Chuffnell . Bertie travels to ... (Wikipedia)

  18. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

    by Simms Taback
    A resourceful man turns an old coat into a variety of new items, showing the power of imagination and creativity.

    Joseph had a little overcoat, but it was full of holes—just like this book! When Joseph's coat got too old and shabby, he made it into a jacket. But what did he make it into after that? And after ... (Barnes & Noble)

  19. Naked Prey

    by John Sandford
    A thrilling story of survival as a man is hunted by a ruthless enemy.

    Lucas Davenport finds some changes — and some nasty surprises — in store, in the chilling new novel by the number-one-bestselling author. After thirteen years and thirteen Prey novels, John ... (Goodreads)

  20. The Crossing

    by Cormac McCarthy
    A father and son's perilous journey across a post-apocalyptic landscape.

    Following All the Pretty Horses in Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy is a novel whose force of language is matched only by its breadth of experience and depth of thought. In the bootheel of New Mexico ... (Goodreads)

  21. Kon-Tiki

    by Thor Heyerdahl
    An intrepid explorer's 4,300 nautical mile journey across the Pacific Ocean on a balsa wood raft.

    Kon-Tiki is the record of an astonishing adventure - a journey of 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean by raft. Intrigued by Polynesian folklore, biologist Thor Heyerdahl suspected that the ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Walking Dead, Book One

    by Robert Kirkman
    Post-apocalyptic survival story of a rag-tag group of survivors fighting against hordes of zombies.

    This hardcover features the first 12 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers and anyone needing a ... (Goodreads)

  23. The Mysterious Island

    by Jules Verne
    A group of castaways survive and escape their strange island through ingenuity and exploration.

    During the American Civil War , five Northern prisoners of war escape during the Siege of Richmond, Virginia , by hijacking a hydrogen-filled observation balloon. The escapees are Cyrus Smith , a ... (Wikipedia)

  24. Creepy Carrots!

    by Aaron Reynolds
    Rabbit outwits a group of carrots that are trying to scare him off from eating them.

    Jasper Rabbit loved carrots. Especially the carrots that grew in Crackenhooper Field. They were "Fat, Crisp. And Free for the taking" Jasper enjoyed these carrots "on the way to school, on his way to ... (Wikipedia)

  25. To Build a Fire

    by Jack London
    A man's struggle for survival in the harsh Alaskan wilderness.

    "To Build a Fire" is one of Jack London's most beloved short stories. A heartbreaking tale set in the vast wintry landscape of the North, it endures as one of the greatest adventures ever written. ... (Goodreads)

  26. Stuck

    by Oliver Jeffers
    A young boy struggles to free a kite stuck in a tree, learning along the way that sometimes help is needed.

    From the illustrator of the #1 smash, The Day the Crayons Quit, comes another bestseller–a giggle-inducing tale of everything tossed, thrown, and hurled in order to free a kite! When Floyd's kite ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Swiss Family Robinson

    by Johann David Wyss
    A family is shipwrecked on a desert island, using their ingenuity and resourcefulness to survive.

    The novel opens with the family in the hold of a sailing ship, weathering a great storm. The ship's crew evacuate without them, and William and Elizabeth and their four children (Fritz, Ernest, Jack ... (Wikipedia)

  28. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

    by Betty MacDonald
    A magical nanny uses unorthodox methods to help children learn lessons about life.

    Everyone loves Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside-down house and smells like cookies. She was even married to a pirate once. Most of all, she knows everything about children. ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Mitten

    by Jan Brett
    A mischievous rabbit's adventures inside a lost mitten, bringing together a woodland community.

    Millions of readers have fallen in love with Jan Brett’s, The Mitten, and over 2.5 million copies have been sold since publication in 1989. This striking oversized anniversary edition with a silver ... (Barnes & Noble)

  30. Bloody Jack

    by L.A. Meyer
    A young orphan girl disguises herself as a boy to escape a life of poverty and join the British Navy.

    Mary Faber is a member of Rooster Charlie's orphan gang in Cheapside, London, during the late 1790s. After Charlie is murdered by a grave robber, she disguises herself as a boy and seeks passage on ... (Wikipedia)

  31. Heist Society

    by Ally Carter
    A group of teenage thieves join forces to pull off a daring heist.

    When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat ... (Goodreads)

  32. Darkness, Be My Friend

    by John Marsden
    A group of five teenage friends discover the harsh realities of survival during a military conflict.

    The author of, A Killing Frost, continues his bestselling series. ,“,Marsden,’,s style is as surefooted as his independent band of teens.,”—,School Library Journal, Ellie and her friends had been ... (Barnes & Noble)

  33. The Great Brain

    by John D. Fitzgerald
    A series of humorous adventures of a young boy's mischievous schemes and life lessons.

    The best con man in the Midwest is only ten years old. Tom, a.k.a., the Great Brain, is a silver-tongued genius with a knack for turning a profit. When the Jenkins boys get lost in Skeleton Cave, the ... (Goodreads)

  34. Last of the Wilds

    by Trudi Canavan
    A young girl's quest to find her destiny, while protecting her magical world from destruction.

    After pitched battle, The White—the avatars of the Five Gods—have briefly turned back the vicious invaders. And now, the priestess Auraya is sent on an urgent mission to reconcile with the powerful, ... (Goodreads)

  35. The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution

    by Alice Waters
    A comprehensive guide to creating flavorful, healthy dishes from simple ingredients.

    An indispensable resource for home cooks from the woman who changed the way Americans think about food. Perhaps more responsible than anyone for the revolution in the way we eat, cook, and think ... (Barnes & Noble)

  36. Off the Grid

    by C.J. Box
    A thrilling adventure story of a family trying to survive in the wilderness.

    New York Times,–bestselling author C. J. Box returns with a suspenseful new Joe Pickett novel. Nate Romanowski is off the grid, recuperating from wounds and trying to deal with past crimes, when he ... (Goodreads)

  37. Ashfall

    by Mike Mullin
    After a supervolcano erupts, a teenage boy must survive in a world of ash and chaos.

    Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or ... (Goodreads)

  38. The Twelve Chairs

    by Ilya Ilf
    A comedic tale of two men's quest for hidden jewels in a chair with a secret compartment.

    In the Soviet Union in 1927, a former Marshal of Nobility , Ippolit Matveyevich "Kisa" Vorobyaninov, works as the registrar of marriages and deaths in a sleepy provincial town. His mother-in-law ... (Wikipedia)

  39. More Adventures of the Great Brain

    by John D. Fitzgerald
    The Great Brain continues to scheme and swindle his way through life in small-town Utah in the early 1900s.

    Has Tom, a.k.a. the Great Brain, given up his con-artist ways for a bicycle? Not for long. Soon the Great Brain is back to his old tricks, swindling and trading, even convincing the whole town ... (Goodreads)

  40. Stone Soup

    by Marcia Brown
    A group of strangers come together to contribute to a magical soup that satisfies their hunger.

    First published in 1947, this classic picture book has remained one of Marcia Brown's most popular and enduring books. The story, about three hungry soldiers who outwit the greedy inhabitants of a ... (Goodreads)

  41. The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less

    by Terry Ryan
    A mother's determination to keep her family afloat through creative writing competitions.

    The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is based on the true story of housewife Evelyn Ryan, who helped support her husband, Kelly, and their 10 children by winning jingle-writing contests. Kelly failed ... (Wikipedia)

  42. Sheep in a Jeep

    by Nancy E. Shaw
    An amusing and adventurous journey of a group of sheep in a jeep, on their way to a picnic.

    A flock of hapless sheep drive through the country in this rhyming picture book. ... (Barnes & Noble)

  43. Little Red Riding Hood

    by Trina Schart Hyman
    A fairy tale classic of a young girl outwitting a sly wolf.

    On her way to deliver a basket of food to her sick grandmother, Elisabeth encounters a sly wolf. Book Details: Format: Library Binding Publication Date: 6/1/1982 Pages: 32 Reading Level: Age 5 and Up ... (Goodreads)

  44. Dead Man's Walk

    by Larry McMurtry
    Two Texas Rangers set off on a perilous mission across the open frontier, facing danger and adventure.

    In 1842, young Texas Rangers Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call are introduced quickly and brutally to the rangering life on their first expedition, in which they are stalked by the Comanche war chief ... (Wikipedia)

  45. Endangered

    by C.J. Box
    A thrilling story of a family's fight for survival in the face of a ruthless enemy.

    New York Times,–bestselling writer C. J. Box returns with a thrilling new novel, featuring Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett. She was gone. Joe Pickett had good reason to dislike Dallas Cates, even if ... (Goodreads)

  46. Hattie Big Sky

    by Kirby Larson
    A young girl's adventure of resilience, determination and courage in the wilds of Montana.

    The novel is set during World War I . Hattie Brooks, a sixteen-year-old orphan who has tired of being shuttled between relatives she hardly knows, receives a letter from an uncle who has recently ... (Wikipedia)

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