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For many of those born in the late '70s and early '80s, the best young adult literature was written in second person, regularly involved the supernatural and sometimes led to its reader's metaphysical death.


We are, of course, talking about the Choose Your Own Adventure franchise published by Bantam Books between 1979 and 1998. During that span, the series sold more than 250 million copies, and the books were translated into at least 38 different languages. But more importantly, they taught kids everywhere important lessons about things like the stresses of time travel, interaction with aliens and the pure evil that lies in the heart of the Russian people.

Seeing as it's National Young Readers Week, we thought it appropriate to revisit CYOA by counting down the series' top 20 classic titles, with help from our friends at Gamebooks.org. Just be aware -- by clicking on the gallery below, you accept a nostalgic trip back to your childhood, an adventure full of mystery, child-appropriate intrigue and frequent confrontations with implausibility.

Classic Choose Your Own Adventures

    20. Your Code Name is Jonah This Cold War tale of secret agents has you right in the mix as American and Russian spooks try to unlock the mysteries of a secret whale song. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than the soothing mating calls of whales being associated with espionage.

    Gamebooks.org

    19. The Cave of Time This first book in the series takes you on a time travel epic from the Ice Age to 3700 AD, courtesy of series creator Edward Packard. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than battling dinosaurs, then later partying with robots.

    Gamebooks.org

    18. The Abominable Snowman Frequent series contributor R.A. Montgomery penned this story about your search for the elusive Yeti. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than trouncing around Nepal looking for hairy snowbeasts.

    Gamebooks.org

    17. The Deadly Shadow In this espionage story, you must track a dangerous man named Dimitrius, who has the ability to become a shadow thanks to sinister Russian experiments. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than more Regan-era Cold War propaganda for kids.

    Gamebooks.org

    16. Trouble on Planet Earth This story has you investigating why aliens may or may not be stealing the world's oil supply, and most fans of the series describe the plot as completely incoherent. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than stories that are so bad they're good.

    Gamebooks.org

    15. Inside UFO 54-40 In this adventure, you need to escape from aliens who are trying to put you in their zoo. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than subtly teaching kids that zoos are oppressive hell holes.

    Gamebooks.org

    14. The Forbidden Castle This is a sequel to "The Cave of Time," where must solve a riddle in medieval Europe to find a secret, dare we say, forbidden castle. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than slaying dragons, while spending your downtime with the local peasant girls.

    Gamebooks.org

    13. Prisoner of the Ant People Here's the deal: You're part of the Zondo Quest Group II looking to kick the crap out of the Evil Power Master. Fortunately, you've got a buddy that's like R2D2. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than battling huge killer anthropomorphic ants.

    Gamebooks.org

    12. The Magic of the Unicorn You've got to find a way to purify your village's water in the year 1507, and since Brita hasn't been invented, it's going to take a horse with a horn to do it. Technically nothing is cooler than a unicorn, but go to the next slide anyway.

    Gamebooks.org

    11. The Horror of High Ridge This story has you and your pals Ricardo and Lisa coming face to face with the ghosts of the clashing Indians and settlers of High Ridge. Go to the next slide to find out what's cooler than children's books that recall bloody land disputes.

    Gamebooks.org