This site is the home of The Adventures of Phoebe McGee, an choose-your-own adventure that can be played here as part of a projected series of episodes, much like the cliffhangers of old. Also included will be many resources for engaging the story.

The Adventures of Phoebe McGee, the Small Stories, and this website are made available as part of the Extension programming of Charles A. Smith, Ph.D. and the support of the School of Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University.

The hero of the story is Phoebe, a thirteen-year-old girl who lives in coastal Maine in 1937.

This series is intended for teens and adults (and older elementary school children with support from parents or teachers) and is based on a “choose your own adventure” format in which a page from the story is presented and the reader is given one or more choices to select. The reader plays the part of Phoebe, deciding, most of the time, what she will do.

By clicking on the available choices with a mouse, the reader (alone or with other readers  like parents or teachers), decide where Phoebe will go, what objects she will pick up and use, how she will solve problems, and how she will behave toward other characters.

There are no fancy graphics or animation (though each page is accompanied by a small picture that represents the location). Like a short novel, players read and use their imaginations. Unlike a novel, players have to make decisions about how Phoebe will respond to the challenges she faces. A happy ending is never certain because the reader’s choices will result in success or failure.

Visit the Small stories tab for stories suitable for preschoolers.

Visit The WonderWise Parent and Raising Courageous Kids if you would like to see examples of my other work (both links open to a new window).

Charles A. Smith, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus

School of Family Studies and Human Services

Kansas State University