The Cave of Time: The classic that started The Choose Your Own Adventure series is back in print!

Few books have changed how we experience stories quite like The Cave of Time. First published in 1979, this groundbreaking title became the first entry in the Choose Your Own Adventure series—a format that redefined children’s literature and inspired decades of interactive storytelling. Unavailable for twenty-five years and with more than 17 million copies sold, The Cave of Time has now been re-issued by Chooseco.

The Birth of a Literary Phenomenon:

Before video games let players shape their own destinies, The Cave of Time invited readers to take control of the narrative. Created by Edward Packard, in collaboration with R.A. Montgomery and Bantam Books, the series introduced a bold new idea: the reader decides what happens next.

It was a radical departure from traditional storytelling and by the early 1980s, Choose Your Own Adventure books became a worldwide phenomenon. The series sold hundreds of millions of copies and succeeded in transforming young readers into active participants.

Unprecedented Adventure:

The story begins ordinarily enough—you, the reader, are hiking when you discover a mysterious cave. But this is no ordinary cave—it’s a portal through time! Every decision leads to a new path: one might send you back to the age of dinosaurs, another may launch you into a distant future. Some choices lead to glory, others to disaster, and many end abruptly with the dreaded words: “THE END.”

The Cave of Time stands as an innovator of fiction decades after it was first published. It represents the first spark of a storytelling revolution—one that would eventually influence video games and modern digital narratives. If you’ve ever made a choice in a video game, you owe a nod to Edward Packard’s vision of storytelling and the first book that let us live the story, not just read it.

Kids Review:

Whether you’re revisiting your childhood favorites or discovering the series for the first time, The Cave of Time is the perfect place to start. Packard’s writing remains engaging after all these years. The Cave of Time is more than a story—it’s a journey through decision making, choice, and consequence. There’s just enough mystery and wonder to keep readers of all ages engrossed. Beyond pure entertainment, each read stimulates thought as new twists and endless variations spring from the pages. It may just be the book that hooks your reluctant young reader!

When you give a child a copy of The Cave of Time you are giving them more than a book you are giving them the gift of endless adventure and imagination.

You can buy your own copy via my Amazon affiliate link –> HERE <—

Additional releases coming soon:

About Edward Packard:

Edward Packard was born in 1931 in Huntington, New York. He worked as a lawyer before becoming a full-time writer. He wrote the first book in Bantam’s classic Choose Your Own Adventure series, The Cave of Time, along with many other titles in the series. His book Imagining the Universe (1994) received a Scientific American book award. Packard’s recent writings are available at edwardpackard.com. 

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