Book picks similar to
No Need for Heroes by Brian Keaney


retellings
y_deity-immortal-demigod-mythology
ya
z_retelling_ariadne-minotaur

Hide and Seek


Jane McFann - 1995
    This exciting new thriller from the well-reviewed author of Be Mine focuses on a 16-year-old who is being stalked by someone who seems to know her very, very well--someone who may have known her forever.

Krazy 4 U


A. Bates - 1996
    until now.First, someone tries to run her down in a truck. Next the life-threatening phone calls and letters start. Then, she walks in on a room plastered with life-size photos of herself...Abbie's scared. Really scared. She can't trust anyone, not even her best friend. Someone wants to kill her and she's got to find out who—before she ends up dead...

Tough-Luck Karen


Johanna Hurwitz - 1982
    Skilled in making everyday occurrences interesting, the author has written a pleasant story of a caring family.--Horn Book.

The Surfer


Linda Cargill - 1995
    The beautiful girl who seemed to get a thrill out of surfing on a stormy sea. Maybe she'd been lucky in the past, but Jessie saw her luck run out. Jessie saw her drown. Now there's a new girl in town. And she doesn't know who she is or where she came from. Has the beautiful surfer come back from the dead?

Fractured Fairy Tales


A.J. Jacobs - 1997
    Now, for the first time, these delightfully warped parables are available in read-aloud book form, illustrated with classic art from the show.

Trapped!


Arthur J. Roth - 1983
    He spun the steering wheel, and the nose of the car dipped as it went off the shoulder. When Jimmy lands in the wooded ravine below, he is slightly injured--and he is trapped inside his mangled car. For two weeks he keeps himself alive. He figures out how to haul in water from a nearby stream, how to pick berries, and how to signal for help. But help does not come. In the end, Jimmy knows he can depend on nobody but himself. Can he escape? "Trapped!", an incredible story of survival, is based on a true incident.

It's Hard Out Here For a Shrimp: Life, Love & Living Large


Jim Lewis - 2008
    He's a lothario, a linguist, and a specialist at looking on the bright side of life-- especially when it means twisting or turning a situation so it works in his favor! In this book, he will teach you how to do the same for yourself. He offers a plethora of thorough advice on parties, relationships, careers, love, friendship, and life in general-- there is something in here for everyone! Pepe's thoughts on friendship? "Love comes and goes .but friendship is forever, or at least until they run out of money and places to take you. Building lifelong relationships with people who aren't related to you or attractive to you is a strange habit, but one that's hard to shake. Here's how I deal with it..." Laugh-out-loud funny and in his authentic, Spanish-accented voice, Pepe's musings and guidance will delight readers of all ages with this fantastic comic relief! Served up with hot, fresh, and filled with wit, pith and a dash of salsa this is Pepe's guide to life, love and living large! From family to friendship to romance and everything is between, Pepe's words of wisdom are served up in fun and witty quotes and advice told with his signature brand of humor.

Coiled


H.L. Burke - 2017
    A hideous face. A looming curse. As the ugly twin to a perfect sister, Princess Laidra lives her life in the shadows—until her parents offer her as bait for a giant serpent. Her escape attempt leaves her shipwrecked on a secluded island with only one inhabitant: Prince Calen, who lives under a curse. If anyone looks upon him, he turns into a giant serpent. Speaking to him in the darkness, Laidra sees past the monster to Calen’s lonely soul, and she determines to free him from the magic’s hold. But if Laidra can’t break the curse in time, Calen will become a mindless creature of scales and fangs forever. A YA mythology/romance that retells the myth of Eros and Psyche with adventure, magic, and true love.

The Saga of Erik the Viking


Terry Jones - 1983
    His name was Erik. His ship was called Golden Dragon and its figurehead was a fierce monster carved out of wood and covered with gold leaf.’So begins this spell-binding series of adventures written by the newly acknowledged master of children’s stories, Terry Jones. Dramatically reminiscent of the most exciting of Nordic Sagas, Erik and his brave band of men set sail in search of ‘the land where the sun goes at night’. Though lightly undertaken, this quest into the unknown turns into an exacting experience for the courageous companions whose strength, skill, wit and intelligence will be tested to the extreme limits.Each chapter forms a complete story in itself, and the landscape of myth and legend it magnificently depicted by Michael Foreman in this, his second collaboration with the author. As one reviewer commented about their last book, Fairy Tales, ‘The Brothers Grimm and Marx together could not have done better.'

The Watcher


Lael Littke - 1994
    Catherine Belmont imagines herself as Cassandra Bly, the sexy star of her favorite soap opera, and eerily, her life begins to slowly resemble Cassandra's until Catherine begins to think she is losing her mind.

King of the Dollhouse


Patricia Clapp - 1974
    A miniature royal family moves into the dollhouse of Ellie, an only child, and keeps her company the summer her mother is writing a story for children.

Yours Till Niagara Falls, Abby


Jane O'Connor - 1979
    But her dreams of a fun-filled summer are shattered when Merle breaks her ankle on the day before their scheduled departure. Now Abby must face a long summer filled with homesickness, nasty bunkmates, and mystery meat -- all without Merle. Will Merle still be the same best friend when she finally returns home? Will Abby ever really fit in at camp? And will the campers ever be able to identify the mystery meat?O'Connor's overall tone is funny, relaxed; but underlying her wit is something meaningful, a realism of characterization that separates Yours Till Niagara Falls, Abby in quality from the bulk...of summercamp fiction. -- School Library JournalThe story is nicely put together and has moments of genuine humor; it is light, satisfying fare for middle graders, especially the camp veterans. -- BooklistO'Connor clearly remembers her own camp days, complete with silly songs and snooping on the counselors! -- Kirkus Reviews

The Waitress (Point Horror, #23)


Sinclair Smith - 1992
    It's the place to eat and meet your friends. But beware...even though the food is great, the service is deadly.One visit to the Dog House and you could end up with more than an upset stomach - it might just kill you.The waitress is in trouble, big trouble. Will Paula's first job be her last?

The Christmas Killer


Patricia Windsor - 1991
    From that day on, Rose Potter's life was not the same. She had dreams. In the first dream, Nancy appeared and brought Rose to a pine-filled forest. Two days later, Nancy's body was found. On it was a poinsettia, the "signature" of someone who would become known as the Christmas Killer. The small town of Bethboro, Connecticut, is running scared. And neither the police nor Rose's twin brother, Jerram, have any idea who the killer could be.Rose tries putting the murder out of her mind. But the dead never sleep. And when Rose closes her eyes at night, Nancy's there, waiting....

The Fire of Ares


Michael Ford - 2008
    When after a chance meeting, he learns that he is of noble heritage, the pendant takes on new meaning as the link to his father's life and death. Suddenly Lysander is thrust into the life of a Spartan warrior and must struggle to prove himself worthy. But when the pendant is stolen, he must fight to retrieve it, and fulfill its powerful destiny before it is too late.This action packed tale of honor, glory and epic battles in Ancient Greece will appeal to even the most reluctant readers, and Lysander's rise from slave to Spartan warrior will leave them thirsting for more.