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{{about|the trademarked book series|the genre|Gamebook|the TV series|Lawrence Leung's Choose Your Own Adventure}}
'''''Choose Your Own Adventure''''' was a series of children's books published by [[Bantam Books]] from 1979 to 1998. Each story was written from a [[Grammatical person|second person]] point-of-view, with the reader assuming the role of the main character.
{{distinguish|You Decide on the Adventure}}
{{short description|Book series}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox book series
| name = ''Choose Your Own Adventure''
| image = Cave of time.jpg
| image_caption = ''The Cave of Time'' by [[Edward Packard (writer)|Edward Packard]], the first book in the series
| books =
| author =
| editors =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = Paul Granger
| country =
| language = [[English language|English]]
| genre = Gamebook
| publisher = [[Bantam Books]]
| pub_date = 1979–1998 <small>(original series)</small>
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print
| number_of_books = 184 <small>(original series)</small>
| list_books = List of Choose Your Own Adventure books
| preceded by =
| followed by =
}}
'''''Choose Your Own Adventure''''' is a series of children's [[gamebook]]s where each story is written from a [[Second-person narrative|second-person]] point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions and the plot's outcome. The series was based upon a concept created by [[Edward Packard (writer)|Edward Packard]] and originally published by Constance Cappel's and [[R. A. Montgomery]]'s Vermont Crossroads Press as the "Adventures of You" series, starting with Packard's ''Sugarcane Island'' in 1976.<ref name="Day">{{cite news |title=He Chose His Own Adventure |author=Scott Kraft |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_nUfAAAAIBAJ&pg=1663,2191360&dq=choose-your-own-adventure&hl=en |newspaper=[[The Day (New London)|The Day]] |date=October 10, 1981 |access-date=March 15, 2011}}</ref>


''Choose Your Own Adventure'', as published by [[Bantam Books]], was one of the most popular children's series during the 1980s and 1990s, selling more than 250 million copies between 1979 and 1998.<ref name="pw">{{cite news
After an introduction to the story, the reader was given choices of how the story should progress. For instance:
| last = Lodge
:''If you decide to start back home, turn to page 4.''
| first = Sally
:''If you decide to wait, turn to page 5.''
| title = Chooseco Embarks on Its Own Adventure
Depending on the reader's choice, the plot will unfold in different ways.
| work = [[Publishers Weekly]]
| date = 18 Jan 2007
| url = http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6408126.html
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071009094529/http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6408126.html
| archive-date = 2007-10-09
| access-date = 2008-07-10
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> The series has been translated into 40 languages. When Bantam, now owned by [[Random House]], allowed the ''Choose Your Own Adventure'' trademark to lapse, the series was relaunched by [[Chooseco]]. Chooseco does not reissue titles by Packard, who has started his own imprint, U-Ventures.<ref>{{cite news|last=Conan|first=Neal|title='Choose Your Own Adventure' Gets An iMakeover|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=129233140|work=NPR News Transcripts|publisher=NPR|access-date=29 December 2012}}</ref>


== Format ==
Often, a '''''Choose Your Own Adventure''''' book has multiple endings -- usually 15 or more -- which include:
Originally created for 7- to 14-year-olds, the books are written in the [[Second person point of view|second person]]. The [[protagonist]]—that is, the reader—takes on a role relevant to the adventure, such as a private investigator, mountain climber, race car driver, doctor, or spy. Certain books in the series allow readers choice of whom to take the role of, for example, in an adventure book, readers may be prompted to choose between a climber, a hiker, or a traveler. Stories are generally gender- and race-neutral, though in some cases, particularly in illustrations, there is the presumption of a male reader (the target demographic group).<ref name="Hendrix">{{cite web|last=Hendrix|first=Grady|title=Choose Your Own Adventure How The Cave of Time taught us to love interactive entertainment|date=18 February 2011|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2011/02/choose_your_own_adventure.single.html#pagebreak_anchor_2|publisher=Slate|access-date=29 December 2012}}</ref> In some stories, the protagonist is implied to be a child,<ref name="Demian">{{cite web|last=Katz|first=Demian|title=Demian's Gamebook Web Page|url=http://www.gamebooks.org/show_item.php?id=561|access-date=29 December 2012}}</ref> whereas in other stories, the protagonist is an adult.<ref name="Demian" />
: At least one -- but often, two or three -- endings depicting the most desired resolution (e.g., the villian's plans are foiled and he/she subsequently either arrested or killed); and the main character (the role the reader assumes) is rewarded handsomely.
: Endings that result in death, either of the main character, one or more "friends," or both, because of an incorrect choice the reader made. Usually, this plot twist involves the villian learning of the good guys' investigation, subsequent confrontation and deadly resolution.
: Other endings that may either be satisfactory (but not the most desired ending) or unsatisfactory (but not always totally bad).


The stories are formatted so that, after a few pages of reading, the protagonist faces two or three options, each of which leads to further pages and further options, and so on until they arrive at one of the many story endings.<ref name="Day"/> The number of endings varies from as many as 44 in the early titles to as few as 7 in later adventures. Likewise, there is no clear pattern among the various titles regarding the number of pages per ending, the ratio of good to bad endings, or the reader's progression backwards and forwards through the pages of the book. This allows for a realistic sense of unpredictability, and leads to the possibility of repeat readings, which is one of the distinguishing features of the books.<ref>{{cite web|last=Swinehart|first=Christian|title=One Book, Many Readings|url=http://samizdat.cc/cyoa/|access-date=29 December 2012}}</ref>
==History==
The '''''Choose Your Own Adventure''''' series was not the first "[[interactive]]" book series, but it was the most successful, inspiring other children's books using the same format. Bantam also published spin-off series, including a line of simpler stories for younger children, and a similar series, [[Time Machine (book series)|Time Machine]], from 1984 to 1989.


As the series progressed, both Packard and Montgomery experimented with the gamebook format, sometimes introducing unexpected twists such as endless page loops or trick endings. Examples include the "paradise planet" ending in ''Inside UFO 54-40'', which can only be reached by cheating or turning to the wrong page by accident.<ref name="Hendrix"/>{{efn|Under a special warning on page 1 of ''Inside UFO 54-40'', the reader is informed that they may hear about Ultima, the planet of paradise, and that "no one can get there by making choices or following instructions". There is no choice whatsoever to get to the Ultima ending on page 101, which begins, "You did not make a choice, or follow any direction, but now, somehow, you are descending from space - approaching [Ultima]".<ref>{{cite web|last=Jamieson|first=Gavin|title=The 7 Most F***ed Up Real 'Choose Your Own Adventure' Books|date=21 March 2015|url=https://www.cracked.com/article_22188_7-choose-your-own-adventure-books-clearly-conceived-lsd.html|access-date=1 March 2021}}</ref>}} The only way out of this is to "reset", or close the book and start over from the first page.
A great number of the books were written by [[Edward Packard]] throughout the entire 19-year history of the series.


== History ==
In the 2000s, several tongue-in-cheek novels for adults were published using a similar format, including [[Fireside Books]]' "[[Miss Adventure]]" series and [[Quirk Books]]' "[[Date with Destiny Adventure]]" series, whose covers parody the appearance of the Choose Your Own Adventure covers.
According to Packard, the core idea for the series emerged from bedtime stories that he told to his daughters, revolving around a character named Pete and his adventures: "I had a character named Pete and I usually had him encountering all these different adventures on an isolated island. But that night I was running out of things for Pete to do, so I just asked what they would do". His two daughters came up with different paths for the story to take and Packard thought up an ending for each of the paths: "What really struck me was the natural enthusiasm they had for the idea. And I thought: 'Could I write this down?'"<ref name="Beaver">{{cite news |title=Interactive fiction |author=Sandi Scaffetti |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2KwzAAAAIBAJ&pg=5210,5557358&dq=choose-your-own-adventure&hl=en |newspaper=[[The Beaver County Times]] |date=March 30, 1986 |access-date=March 15, 2011}}</ref>


Packard soon developed this basic premise into a manuscript titled ''The Adventures of You on Sugar Cane Island''. He set out in 1970 to find a publisher but was rejected by nine publishing companies, causing him to shelve the idea. In 1975, he was able to convince Ray Montgomery, co-owner of Vermont Crossroads Press, to publish the book and it sold 8,000 copies, a large amount for a small local publishing house. The series was later marketed to [[Pocket Books]], where it also sold well, but Montgomery believed that it would sell better if a bigger publisher could be found. After some discussion, Montgomery was able to make a contract for the series with [[Bantam Books]]. Packard and Montgomery were selected to write books for the series, including the contracting out of titles to additional authors.<ref name="Beaver"/>
==Choose Your Own Adventure books==
=== 1979 ===
* 1. ''The Cave of Time'' by [[Edward Packard]]
* 2. ''Journey under the Sea'' by [[R.A. Montgomery]]
* 3. ''By Balloon to the Sahara'' (reissued as ''Danger in the Desert'') by [[D. Terman]]


The phrase ''Choose Your Own Adventure'' was adapted for the next title with the tag line, ''The Third Planet from Altair: Choose your own adventure in outer space''.
=== 1980 ===
* 4. ''Space and Beyond'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 5. ''The Mystery of Chimney Rock'' (reissued as ''The Curse of the Haunted Mansion'') by Edward Packard
* 6. ''Your Code Name Is Jonah'' (reissued as ''Spy Trap'') by Edward Packard
* 7. ''The Third Planet from Altair'' (reissued as ''Message from Space''; also released as ''Exploration Infinity'') by Edward Packard
* 8. ''Deadwood City'' by Edward Packard


The series was highly successful after it began printing with Bantam Books. A 1981 article in ''[[The New York Times]]'', followed by an interview with Packard on ''[[The Today Show]]'', provided free publicity.<ref name="new yorker">{{cite magazine |title=The Enduring Allure of Choose Your Own Adventure Books |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/09/19/the-enduring-allure-of-choose-your-own-adventure-books |access-date=15 September 2022 |magazine=The New Yorker |date=12 September 2022}}</ref>
=== 1981 ===
* 9. ''Who Killed Harlowe Thrombey?'' by Edward Packard
* 10. ''The Lost Jewels of Nabooti'' (reissued as ''The Lost Jewels'') by R.A. Montgomery
* 11. ''Mystery of the Maya'' by R.A. Montgomery


By the 1990s, the series faced competition from computer games and was in a decline. The series was discontinued in 1999, but was relaunched by a new company, Chooseco, in 2003. Montgomery died in 2014; his final Choose Your Own Adventure book was ''Gus vs. the Robot King''.<ref name="new yorker"/>
=== 1982 ===
* 12. ''Inside UFO 54-40'' by Edward Packard
* 13. ''The Abominable Snowman'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 14. ''The Forbidden Castle'' by Edward Packard
* 15. ''House of Danger'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 16. ''Survival at Sea'' by Edward Packard


In June 2018, [[Z-Man Games]] issued a licensed co-operative board game called ''Choose Your Own Adventure: House of Danger'' inspired by R. A. Montgomery's book in the series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zmangames.com/en/products/choose-your-own-adventure-house-danger/|title=Choose Your Own Adventure: House of Danger|website=Z-MAN Games}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbs8.com/story/39729886/choose-your-own-adventure-publisher-relaunches-its-website |title=Choose Your Own Adventure Publisher Relaunches Its Website - CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8 |access-date=2019-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201172019/http://www.cbs8.com/story/39729886/choose-your-own-adventure-publisher-relaunches-its-website |archive-date=2019-02-01 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== 1983 ===
* 17. ''The Race Forever'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 18. ''Underground Kingdom'' by Edward Packard
* 19. ''Secret of the Pyramids'' by [[Richard Brightfield]]
* 20. ''Escape'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 21. ''Hyperspace'' by Edward Packard
* 22. ''Space Patrol'' by [[Julius Goodman]]
* 23. ''The Lost Tribe'' by [[Louise Munro Foley]]
* 24. ''Lost on the Amazon'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 25. ''Prisoner of the Ant People'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 26. ''The Phantom Submarine'' by Richard Brightfield
* 27. ''The Horror of High Ridge'' by Julius Goodman


In January 2019, Chooseco initiated a trademark infringement legal challenge against [[Netflix]] for the film ''[[Black Mirror: Bandersnatch]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://deadline.com/2019/01/netflixs-black-mirror-bandersnatch-subject-of-suit-over-use-of-choose-your-own-adventure-1202533643/ | title = Netflix's 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' Sued Over Use Of "Choose Your Own Adventure" | first= Dawn | last = Chmielewski | date = 11 January 2019 | access-date = 11 January 2019 | work = [[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/netflix-sued-exploiting-choose-your-own-adventure-black-mirror-bandersnatch-1175428 | title= Netflix's 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' Leads to "Choose Your Own Adventure" Trademark Lawsuit | first= Eriq | last =Gardner | date = 11 January 2019 | access-date= 11 January 2019 | work =[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> Netflix [[settlement (litigation)|settled]] the suit in November 2020.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/netflix-chooses-settlement-to-end-trademark-lawsuit-over-black-mirror-4096733/ | title= Netflix Chooses Settlement to End Trademark Lawsuit Over 'Black Mirror' | first= Eriq | last =Gardner | date = 24 November 2020 | access-date= 24 June 2021 | work =[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref>
=== 1984 ===
* 28. ''Mountain Survival'' by Edward Packard
* 29. ''Trouble on Planet Earth'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 30. ''The Curse of Batterslea Hall'' by Richard Brightfield
* 31. ''Vampire Express'' by [[Tony Koltz]]
* 32. ''Treasure Diver'' by Julius Goodman
* 33. ''The Dragons' Den'' by Richard Brightfield
* 34. ''The Mystery of the Highland Crest'' by Louise Munro Foley
* 35. ''Journey to Stonehenge'' by [[Fred Graver]]
* 36. ''The Secret Treasure of Tibet'' by Richard Brightfield
* 37. ''War with the Evil Power Master'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 38. ''Sabotage'' by [[Jay Leibold]]
* 39. ''Supercomputer'' by Edward Packard


=== 1985 ===
== Literary reception ==
A ''[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]'' article criticizes the style as "formulaic" and quotes a scholar stating that "in terms of literary quality, many of the multiple-storyline books are true skunks".<ref>{{cite news |title=The Surprisingly Long History of 'Choose-Your-Own-Adventure' Stories |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/surprisingly-long-history-of-choose-your-own-adventure-stories-180980014/ |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=Smithsonian Magazine |date=4 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
* 40. ''The Throne of Zeus'' by [[Deborah Lerme Goodman]]
* 41. ''Search for the Mountain Gorillas'' by [[Jim Wallace (author)|Jim Wallace]]
* 42. ''The Mystery of Echo Lodge'' by Louise Munro Foley
* 43. ''Grand Canyon Odyssey'' by Jay Leibold
* 44. ''The Mystery of Ura Senke'' by [[Shannon Gilligan]]
* 45. ''You Are a Shark'' by Edward Packard
* 46. ''The Deadly Shadow'' by Richard Brightfield
* 47. ''Outlaws of Sherwood Forest'' by [[Ellen Kushner]]
* 48. ''Spy for George Washington'' by Jay Leibold
* 49. ''Danger at Anchor Mine'' by Louise Munro Foley
* 50. ''Return to the Cave of Time'' by Edward Packard
* 51. ''The Magic of the Unicorn'' by Deborah Lerme Goodman


=== 1986 ===
== See also ==
{{Portal|Children's literature}}
* 52. ''Ghost Hunter'' by Edward Packard
* ''[[Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman]]''
* 53. ''The Case of the Silk King'' by Shannon Gilligan
* ''[[Endless Quest]]''
* 54. ''Forest of Fear'' by Louise Munro Foley
* ''[[Fighting Fantasy]]''
* 55. ''The Trumpet of Terror'' by Deborah Lerme Goodman
* ''[[Give Yourself Goosebumps]]''
* 56. ''The Enchanted Kingdom'' by Ellen Kushner
* ''[[Grailquest]]''
* 57. ''The Antimatter Formula'' by Jay Leibold
* [[Interactive fiction]]
* 58. ''Statue of Liberty Adventure'' by Ellen Kushner
* [[List of Choose Your Own Adventure books|List of ''Choose Your Own Adventure'' books]]
* 59. ''Terror Island'' by Tony Koltz
* ''[[Lone Wolf (gamebooks)|Lone Wolf]]''
* 60. ''Vanished!'' by Deborah Lerme Goodman
* ''[[The Garden of Forking Paths]]''
* 61. ''Beyond Escape!'' by R.A. Montgomery
* ''[[Twistaplot]]''
* 62. ''Sugarcane Island'' by Edward Packard
* [[Usborne Puzzle Adventure series|Usborne ''Puzzle Adventure'' series]]
* 63. ''Mystery of the Secret Room'' by Ellen Kushner
* [[Visual novel]]


=== 1987 ===
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
* 64. ''Volcano!'' by Meryl Siegman
* 65. ''The Mardi Gras Mystery'' by Louise Munro Foley
* 66. ''Secret of the Ninja'' by Jay Leibold
* 67. ''Seaside Mystery'' by [[Ann Hodgman]]
* 68. ''Secret of the Sun God'' by [[Andrea Packard]]
* 69. ''Rock and Roll Mystery'' by Jim Wallace
* 70. ''Invaders of the Planet Earth'' by Richard Brightfield
* 71. ''Space Vampire'' by Edward Packard
* 72. ''The Brilliant Dr. Wogan'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 73. ''Beyond the Great Wall'' by Jay Leibold
* 74. ''Longhorn Territory'' by [[Marc Newman]]


=== 1988 ===
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
* 75. ''Planet of the Dragons'' by Richard Brightfield
* 76. ''The Mona Lisa is Missing!'' by [[Ramsey Montgomery]]
* 77. ''The First Olympics'' by [[Ben M. Baglio]]
* 78. ''Return to Atlantis'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 79. ''Mystery of the Sacred Stones'' by Louise Munro Foley
* 80. ''The Perfect Planet'' by Edward Packard
* 81. ''Terror in Australia'' by Shannon Gilligan
* 82. ''Hurricane!'' by Richard Brightfield
* 83. ''Track of the Bear'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 84. ''You Are a Monster'' by Edward Packard
* 85. ''Inca Gold'' by [[James Beckett]]
* 86. ''Knights of the Round Table'' by Ellen Kushner

=== 1989 ===
* 87. ''Exiled to Earth'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 88. ''Master of Kung Fu'' by Richard Brightfield
* 89. ''South Pole Sabotage'' by [[Seddon Johnson]]
* 90. ''Mutiny in Space'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 91. ''You Are a Superstar'' by Edward Packard
* 92. ''Return of the Ninja'' by Jay Leibold
* 93. ''Captive!'' by [[Bill Hampton]]
* 94. ''Blood on the Handle'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 95. ''You Are a Genius'' by Edward Packard
* 96. ''Stock Car Champion'' by R.A. Montgomery

=== 1990 ===
* 97. ''Through the Black Hole'' by Edward Packard
* 98. ''You Are a Millionaire'' by Jay Leibold
* 99. ''Revenge of the Russion Ghost'' by Jay Leibold
* 100. ''The Worst Day of Your Life'' by Edward Packard
* 101. ''Alien, Go Home!'' by Seddon Johnson
* 102. ''Master of Tae Kwon Do'' by Richard Brightfield
* 103. ''Grave Robbers'' by Ramsey Montgomery
* 104. ''The Cobra Connection'' by Louise Munro Foley
* 105. ''The Treasure of the Onyx Dragon'' by Alison Gilligan
* 106. ''Hijacked!'' by Richard Brightfield
* 107. ''Fight for Freedom'' by Richard Brightfield
* 108. ''Master of Karate'' by Richard Brightfield

=== 1991 ===
* 109. ''Chinese Dragons'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 110. ''Invaders from Within'' by Edward Packard
* 111. ''Smoke Jumper'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 112. ''Skateboard Champion'' by Edward Packard
* 113. ''The Lost Ninja'' by Jay Leibold
* 114. ''Daredevil Park'' by [[Spencer Compton (author)|Spencer Compton]]
* 115. ''The Island of Time'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 116. ''Kidnapped!'' by Edward Packard
* 117. ''The Search for Aladdin's Lamp'' by Jay Leibold
* 118. ''Vampire Invaders'' by Edward Packard
* 119. ''The Terrorist Trap'' by Shannon Gilligan
* 120. ''Ghost Train'' by Louise Munro Foley

=== 1992 ===
* 121. ''Behind the Wheel'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 122. ''Magic Master'' by Edward Packard
* 123. ''Silver Wings'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 124. ''Superbike'' by Edward Packard
* 125. ''Outlaw Gulch'' by Ramsey Montgomery
* 126. ''Master of Martial Arts'' by Richard Brightfield
* 127. ''Showdown'' by Shannon Gilligan
* 128. ''Viking Raiders'' by Edward Packard
* 129. ''Earthquake!'' by Alison Gilligan
* 130. ''You Are Microscopic'' by Jay Leibold

=== 1993 ===
* 131. ''Surf Monkeys'' by Jay Leibold
* 132. ''The Luckiest Day of Your Life'' by Edward Packard
* 133. ''The Forgotten Planet'' by [[Doug Wilhelm ]]
* 134. ''Secret of the Dolphins'' by Edward Packard
* 135. ''Playoff Champion'' by [[Felix von Moschzisker ]]
* 136. ''Roller Star'' by Edward Packard
* 137. ''Scene of the Crime'' by Doug Wilhelm
* 138. ''Dinosaur Island'' by Edward Packard
* 139. ''Motocross Mania'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 140. ''Horror House'' by Edward Packard
* 141. ''The Secret of Mystery Hill'' by Doug Wilhelm
* 142. ''The Reality Machine'' by Edward Packard

=== 1994 ===
* 143. ''Project UFO'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 144. ''Comet Crash'' by Edward Packard
* 145. ''Everest Adventure!'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 146. ''Soccer Star'' by Edward Packard
* 147. ''The Antimatter Universe'' by [[Kate Mueller ]]
* 148. ''Master of Judo'' by Richard Brightfield
* 149. ''Search the Amazon!'' by Doug Wilhelm
* 150. ''Who Are You?'' by Edward Packard
* 151. ''Gunfire at Gettysburg'' by Doug Wilhelm
* 152. ''War With the Mutant Spider Ants'' by Edward Packard
* 153. ''Last Run'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 154. ''Cyberspace Warrior'' by Edward Packard

=== 1995 ===
* 155. ''Ninja Cyborg'' by Jay Leibold
* 156. ''You Are an Alien'' by Edward Packard
* 157. ''U.N. Adventure'' by Ramsey Montgomery
* 158. ''Sky-Jam!'' by Edward Packard
* 159. ''Tattoo of Death'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 160. ''The Computer Takeover'' by Edward Packard
* 161. ''Possessed!'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 162. ''Typhoon!'' by Edward Packard
* 163. ''Shadow of the Swastika'' by Doug Wilhelm
* 164. ''Fright Night'' by Edward Packard
* 165. ''Snowboard Racer'' by Anson Montgomery
* 166. ''Master of Aikido'' by Richard Brightfield

=== 1996 ===
* 167. ''Moon Quest'' by Anson Montgomery
* 168. ''Hostage!'' by Edward Packard
* 169. ''Terror on the Titanic'' by Jim Wallace
* 170. ''Greed, Guns, and Gold'' by Edward Packard
* 171. ''Death in the Dorm'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 172. ''Mountain Biker'' by Edward Packard
* 173. ''The Gold Medal Secret'' by Doug Wilhelm
* 174. ''The Power Dome'' by Edward Packard
* 175. ''The Underground Railroad'' by Doug Wilhelm

=== 1997 ===
* 176. ''Master of Kendo'' by Richard Brightfield
* 177. ''Killer Virus'' by R.A. Montgomery
* 178. ''River of No Return'' by [[Vince Lahey]]
* 179. ''Ninja Avenger'' by Jay Leibold
* 180. ''Stampede!'' by [[Laban Carrick Hill]]

=== 1998 ===
* 181. ''Fire On Ice'' by Edward Packard
* 182. ''Fugitive'' by Edward Packard
* 183. ''CyberHacker'' by Anson Montgomery
* 184. ''Mayday!'' by Edward Packard


== Choose Your Own Adventure books for younger readers ==
These books were written for a simpler reading level than the main series.
* 1. ''The Circus'' by Edward Packard, 1981
* 2. ''The Haunted House'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1981
* 3. ''Sunken Treasure'' by Edward Packard, 1982
* 4. ''Your Very Own Robot'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1982
* 5. ''Gorga, the Space Monster'' by Edward Packard, 1982
* 6. ''The Green Slime'' by [[Susan Saunders]], 1982
* 7. ''Help! You're Shrinking'' by Edward Packard, 1983
* 8. ''Indian Trail'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1983
* 9. ''Dream Trips'' by Edward Packard, 1983
* 10. ''The Genie in the Bottle'' by [[Jim Razzi]], 1983
* 11. ''The Bigfoot Mystery'' by [[Lynn Sonberg]], 1983
* 12. ''The Creature from Miller's Pond'' by Susan Saunders, 1983
* 13. ''Jungle Safari'' by Edward Packard, 1983
* 14. ''The Search for Champ'' by Shannon Gilligan, 1983
* 15. ''The Three Wishes'' by Shannon Gilligan, 1984
* 16. ''Dragons!'' by Jim Razzi, 1984
* 17. ''Wild Horse Country'' by Lynn Sonberg, 1984
* 18. ''Summer Camp'' by J[[udy Gitenstein]], 1984
* 19. ''The Tower of London'' by Susan Saunders, 1984
* 20. ''Trouble in Space'' by J[[ohn Woodcock]], 1984
* 21. ''Mona is Missing'' by Shannon Gilligan, 1984
* 22. ''The Evil Wizard'' by Andrea Packard, 1984
* 23. ''The Polar Bear Express'' by Edward Packard, 1984
* 24. ''The Mummy's Tomb'' by [[Stephanie Spinner]], 1985
* 25. ''The Flying Carpet'' by Jim Razzi, 1985
* 26. ''The Magic Path'' by Julius Goodman, 1985
* 27. ''Ice Cave'' by Susan Saunders, 1985
* 28. ''Fire!'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1985
* 29. ''The Fairy Kidnap'' by Shannon Gilligan, 1985
* 30. ''Runaway Spaceship'' by Susan Saunders, 1985
* 31. ''Lost Dog!'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1985
* 32. ''Blizzard at Black Swan Inn'' by Susan Saunders, 1986
* 33. ''Haunted Harbor'' by Shannon Gilligan, 1986
* 34. ''Attack of the Monster Plants'' by Susan Saunders, 1986
* 35. ''The Miss Liberty Caper'' by Susan Saunders, 1986
* 36. ''The Owl Tree'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1986
* 37. ''Haunted Halloween Party'' by Susan Saunders, 1986
* 38. ''Sand Castle'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1986
* 39. ''Caravan'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1987
* 40. ''The Great Easter Bunny Adventure'' by Edward Packard, 1987
* 41. ''The Movie Mystery'' by Susan Saunders, 1987
* 42. ''Light on Burro Mountain'' by Susan Saunders, 1987
* 43. ''Home in Time for Christmas'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1987
* 44. ''You See the Future'' by Deborah Lerme Goodman, 1988
* 45. ''The Great Zopper Toothpaste Treasure'' by [[Jennifer Bach]] and [[Amy Brost]], 1988
* 46. ''A Day with the Dinosaurs'' by Edward Packard, 1988
* 47. ''Spooky Thanksgiving'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1988
* 48. ''You Are Invisible'' by Susan Saunders, 1989
* 49. ''Race of the Year'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1989
* 50. ''Stranded!'' by [[Sara Compton]], 1989
* 51. ''You Can Make a Difference: The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr.'' by [[Anne Bailey]], 1990
* 52. ''The Enchanted Attic'' by [[Adele Read]], 1992

== Choose Your Own Super Adventure books ==
These books were longer and more complex than the books in the regular series.
* 1. ''Journey to the Year 3000'' by Edward Packard, 1987
* 2. ''Danger Zones'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1987

== Choose Your Own Nintendo Adventure books ==

These books were based off of video games by [[Nintendo]].

# Double Trouble
# Leaping Lizards
# Monster Mix-Up
# Koopa Capers
# Pipe Down!
# Doors to Doom
# Dinosaur Dillema
# Flown the Koopa
# The Crystal Trap
# The Shadow Prince
# Unjust Desserts
# Brain Drain

Note: All books except 9 & 10 were based on the [[Mario]] series. Books 9 & 10 were based on the [[Zelda]] series.

== Choose Your Own Adventure: Passport books ==
This series is more educational and casts the reader as a member of a globe-trotting news team.

* 1. ''Tour de France'' by James Becket, 1992
* 2. ''Forgotten Days'' by Kate Mueller, 1992
* 3. ''On Tour'' by [[Ken McMurtry]], 1992
* 4. ''Path of the Crusaders'' by Ken McMurtry, 1992
* 5. ''Mystery of the Trans-Siberian Express'' by Ken McMurtry, 1992
* 6. ''Manhunt'' by Ken McMurtry, 1992

== Choose Your Own Nightmare books ==
The success of [[R. L. Stine|R.L. Stine]]'s ''[[Goosebumps]]'' horror novels inspired a flood of children's horror novels, including this Choose Your Own Adventure spin-off series.

* 1. ''Night of the Werewolf'' by Edward Packard, 1995
* 2. ''Beware the Snake's Venom'' by Ken McMurtry, 1995
* 3. ''Island of Doom'' by Richard Brightfield, 1995
* 4. ''Castle of Darkness'' by R.A. Montgomery, 1995
* 5. ''The Halloween Party'' by [[E.A.M. Jakab]], 1995
* 6. ''Risk Your Life Arcade'' by Ken McMurtry, 1995
* 7. ''Biting for Blood'' by Edward Packard, 1996
* 8. ''Bugged Out!'' by Laban Carrick Hill, 1996
* 9. ''The Mummy Who Wouldn't Die'' by E.A.M. Jakab, 1996
* 10. ''It Happened at Camp Pine Tree'' by R.A. Montgomery and [[Janet Hubbard-Brown]], 1996
* 11. ''Watch Out for Room 13'' by Laban Carrick Hill, 1996
* 12. ''Something's in the Woods'' by Richard Brightfield, 1996
* 13. ''The Haunted Baby'' by Edward Packard, 1997
* 14. ''The Evil Pen Pal'' by Laban Carrick Hill, 1997
* 15. ''How I Became a Freak'' by Richard Brightfield, 1997
* 16. ''Welcome to Horror Hospital'' by Laban Carrick Hill, 1997
* 17. ''Attack of the Living Mask'' by Robert Hirshfield, 1997
* 18. ''The Toy Shop of Terror'' by Laban Carrick Hill, 1997

== Choose Your Own Star Wars Adventure books ==
These books were based on the original [[Star Wars]] trilogy.

* 1. ''A New Hope'' by [[Christopher Golden]], 1998
* 2. ''The Empire Strikes Back'' by Christopher Golden, 1998
* 3. ''Return of the Jedi'' by Christopher Golden, 1998

== See also ==
* [[Interactive fiction]]
* [[Fighting Fantasy Game Books]]


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.cyoa.com/}}
* [http://www.gamebooks.org/cyoalist.htm Choose Your Own Adventure book list and reviews] (gamebooks.org)


[[Category:Gamebooks]]
[[Category:Choose Your Own Adventure| ]]
[[Category:Series of books]]
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1979]]
[[Category:Lists of books]]
[[Category:Children's books]]

Latest revision as of 08:39, 9 September 2024

This article is about the trademarked book series. For the genre, see Gamebook. For the TV series, see Lawrence Leung's Choose Your Own Adventure.
Not to be confused with You Decide on the Adventure.

Choose Your Own Adventure
The Cave of Time by Edward Packard, the first book in the series
Cover artistPaul Granger
LanguageEnglish
GenreGamebook
PublisherBantam Books
Published1979–1998 (original series)
Media typePrint
No. of books184 (original series) (List of books)

Choose Your Own Adventure is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions and the plot's outcome. The series was based upon a concept created by Edward Packard and originally published by Constance Cappel's and R. A. Montgomery's Vermont Crossroads Press as the "Adventures of You" series, starting with Packard's Sugarcane Island in 1976.[1]

Choose Your Own Adventure, as published by Bantam Books, was one of the most popular children's series during the 1980s and 1990s, selling more than 250 million copies between 1979 and 1998.[2] The series has been translated into 40 languages. When Bantam, now owned by Random House, allowed the Choose Your Own Adventure trademark to lapse, the series was relaunched by Chooseco. Chooseco does not reissue titles by Packard, who has started his own imprint, U-Ventures.[3]

Format

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Originally created for 7- to 14-year-olds, the books are written in the second person. The protagonist—that is, the reader—takes on a role relevant to the adventure, such as a private investigator, mountain climber, race car driver, doctor, or spy. Certain books in the series allow readers choice of whom to take the role of, for example, in an adventure book, readers may be prompted to choose between a climber, a hiker, or a traveler. Stories are generally gender- and race-neutral, though in some cases, particularly in illustrations, there is the presumption of a male reader (the target demographic group).[4] In some stories, the protagonist is implied to be a child,[5] whereas in other stories, the protagonist is an adult.[5]

The stories are formatted so that, after a few pages of reading, the protagonist faces two or three options, each of which leads to further pages and further options, and so on until they arrive at one of the many story endings.[1] The number of endings varies from as many as 44 in the early titles to as few as 7 in later adventures. Likewise, there is no clear pattern among the various titles regarding the number of pages per ending, the ratio of good to bad endings, or the reader's progression backwards and forwards through the pages of the book. This allows for a realistic sense of unpredictability, and leads to the possibility of repeat readings, which is one of the distinguishing features of the books.[6]

As the series progressed, both Packard and Montgomery experimented with the gamebook format, sometimes introducing unexpected twists such as endless page loops or trick endings. Examples include the "paradise planet" ending in Inside UFO 54-40, which can only be reached by cheating or turning to the wrong page by accident.[4][a] The only way out of this is to "reset", or close the book and start over from the first page.

History

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According to Packard, the core idea for the series emerged from bedtime stories that he told to his daughters, revolving around a character named Pete and his adventures: "I had a character named Pete and I usually had him encountering all these different adventures on an isolated island. But that night I was running out of things for Pete to do, so I just asked what they would do". His two daughters came up with different paths for the story to take and Packard thought up an ending for each of the paths: "What really struck me was the natural enthusiasm they had for the idea. And I thought: 'Could I write this down?'"[8]

Packard soon developed this basic premise into a manuscript titled The Adventures of You on Sugar Cane Island. He set out in 1970 to find a publisher but was rejected by nine publishing companies, causing him to shelve the idea. In 1975, he was able to convince Ray Montgomery, co-owner of Vermont Crossroads Press, to publish the book and it sold 8,000 copies, a large amount for a small local publishing house. The series was later marketed to Pocket Books, where it also sold well, but Montgomery believed that it would sell better if a bigger publisher could be found. After some discussion, Montgomery was able to make a contract for the series with Bantam Books. Packard and Montgomery were selected to write books for the series, including the contracting out of titles to additional authors.[8]

The phrase Choose Your Own Adventure was adapted for the next title with the tag line, The Third Planet from Altair: Choose your own adventure in outer space.

The series was highly successful after it began printing with Bantam Books. A 1981 article in The New York Times, followed by an interview with Packard on The Today Show, provided free publicity.[9]

By the 1990s, the series faced competition from computer games and was in a decline. The series was discontinued in 1999, but was relaunched by a new company, Chooseco, in 2003. Montgomery died in 2014; his final Choose Your Own Adventure book was Gus vs. the Robot King.[9]

In June 2018, Z-Man Games issued a licensed co-operative board game called Choose Your Own Adventure: House of Danger inspired by R. A. Montgomery's book in the series.[10][11]

In January 2019, Chooseco initiated a trademark infringement legal challenge against Netflix for the film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.[12][13] Netflix settled the suit in November 2020.[14]

Literary reception

[edit]

A Smithsonian article criticizes the style as "formulaic" and quotes a scholar stating that "in terms of literary quality, many of the multiple-storyline books are true skunks".[15]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Under a special warning on page 1 of Inside UFO 54-40, the reader is informed that they may hear about Ultima, the planet of paradise, and that "no one can get there by making choices or following instructions". There is no choice whatsoever to get to the Ultima ending on page 101, which begins, "You did not make a choice, or follow any direction, but now, somehow, you are descending from space - approaching [Ultima]".[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b Scott Kraft (October 10, 1981). "He Chose His Own Adventure". The Day. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  2. ^ Lodge, Sally (18 Jan 2007). "Chooseco Embarks on Its Own Adventure". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  3. ^ Conan, Neal. "'Choose Your Own Adventure' Gets An iMakeover". NPR News Transcripts. NPR. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  4. ^ a b Hendrix, Grady (18 February 2011). "Choose Your Own Adventure How The Cave of Time taught us to love interactive entertainment". Slate. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  5. ^ a b Katz, Demian. "Demian's Gamebook Web Page". Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  6. ^ Swinehart, Christian. "One Book, Many Readings". Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  7. ^ Jamieson, Gavin (21 March 2015). "The 7 Most F***ed Up Real 'Choose Your Own Adventure' Books". Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  8. ^ a b Sandi Scaffetti (March 30, 1986). "Interactive fiction". The Beaver County Times. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  9. ^ a b "The Enduring Allure of Choose Your Own Adventure Books". The New Yorker. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  10. ^ "Choose Your Own Adventure: House of Danger". Z-MAN Games.
  11. ^ "Choose Your Own Adventure Publisher Relaunches Its Website - CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8". Archived from the original on 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
  12. ^ Chmielewski, Dawn (11 January 2019). "Netflix's 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' Sued Over Use Of "Choose Your Own Adventure"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  13. ^ Gardner, Eriq (11 January 2019). "Netflix's 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' Leads to "Choose Your Own Adventure" Trademark Lawsuit". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  14. ^ Gardner, Eriq (24 November 2020). "Netflix Chooses Settlement to End Trademark Lawsuit Over 'Black Mirror'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  15. ^ "The Surprisingly Long History of 'Choose-Your-Own-Adventure' Stories". Smithsonian Magazine. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
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