When my sons were in elementary school, they loved a series called "Choose Your Own Adventure". There were a lot of titles. One of my sons got so interested that he wrote and illustrated his own versions--just for fun, of course. I never knew they wrote them for adults til your post. I just checked Amazon and the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books have been reprinted so they are available.

Yep -- I second Ginny's suggestion. I remember when the "Choose Your Own Adventure" series came out in the late 70s. They are geared specifically for kids and they were GREAT fun!

I'd highly recommend them.

Check out the link below -- it's for an eBay auction for about 20 of these books. From the covers, I think these are mostly from the original series.

Here is a link that might be useful: eBay auction for 20 Choose Your Own Adventure books

I sometimes use the Choose Your Own Adventure idea when teaching. Pair up two kiddos, start them off, then each takes a different direction and they switch back and forth. Lots of fun. According to a post at Barnes and Noble, there are over 300 titles. You are set for the next many birthdays and Christmases, Martin!

Thanks! That looks like exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for the auction link - unfortunately, I need something in the UK...!

The adult ones I was referring to were once-offs, and not in this particular series. There's one I've got called Fame and Fortune, where you are a young man called Tim Tryer who starts by moving into a shared house in Kensington with a bunch of other young people, and tries to have a good time and make a living in London. Certainly NOT a story for kids, with some of the sticky ends he comes to...! Very funny though.

Martin-good old "River in South America" .uk has tons-used and new-but as kids often write in them to remember where they went last time-maybe spring for the new ones! hehehehe!
but search "choose your own adventure" juvenile or you'll get some interesting titles.
(You are a computer guru, why am I telling you how to do it?)

Martin --

You've probably already found this but the link below is for an auction to 6 of these books. According to the seller, they're located in the UK.

Of course, as Cece said, maybe spring for new ones since kids DO write in them! (I just used lots of bookmarks or I mapped out the options!)

(Man, these books take me back. I actually remember reading "The Abominable Snowman" when I was in grade school!)

Here is a link that might be useful: UK Choose Your Own Adventure auction

Well, I ordered one from Amazon for three quid. The only thing that concerns me is that Amazon suggest they are from 4-8 year olds. But the subject matter of the stories seems to indicate it's more like Lisa's age.

We'll see if she likes it. If so, then I'll see if I can get some more.

Can't find any in the bookshops, for some reason...

really? here they go 8-12 years.

Martin, I would not worry about it. I've noticed that Amazon sometimes seems to mix up age recomendations with school grade recommendations. I worked in school libraries for a couple of years a while ago. In my schools, these books were most popular with grades 4-7, which would be roughly ages 9-12 in the US.

Rosefolly

So Martin-did the books arrive yet?

Yep - just the one to see how she got on. Adventure Under the Sea or something like that - Book 2 anyway.

(Adventure under the Sea - yeah, right! I've had a couple of goes at it, and I've been down to the centre of the earth, up into space and a thousand years ahead in time. Not bad for a book of about 120 pages...!)

She's hooked ! I'll buy her a couple more, I imagine - but at £3 a time from Amazon, it's just the right amount to save up for with her pocket money. She gets a quid a week - so it'll probably take her a month or so - short enough not to seem out of reach, but long enough to make saving an achievement.

Thanks again for the recommendation.