100 Best Fantasy Books For Kids

Fantasy chapter and middle grade books transport kids into other worlds, worlds of magic and magical creatures. Discover the best fantasy books for kids ages six to sixteen from beginning chapter books to middle grade and YA; books that they’ll love.

The fantasy books below are listed in difficulty from the easiest to hardest from the youngest readers to the oldest. Age recommendations are listed for each title.

Fantasy is my favorite genre because it’s a totally imaginative escape with adventure, action, cool worlds, and magic.

How about you, your kids, and your students? Who else loves this genre?

Best Fantasy Books for Kids

Best Fantasy Books For Kids

Beginning Chapter Books (Ages 6 – 9)

The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Amazingly enough, this princess is able to fight monsters and have a fun birthday party — even though it keeps getting interrupted. A FAVORITE series for many growing readers. (*FIND PRINCESS IN BLACK READ ALIKE BOOKS HERE.)

Kitty and Dragon by Meika Hashimoto, illustrated by Gillian Reid
In three sweet friendship stories, meet Kitty and her new friend, Dragon who live together in a cave with the first story about Kitty finding the cave and her new friend. Buy the book and or read the darling stories on the popular Epic website.

Rise of the Earth Dragon (Dragon Masters) by Tracey West, illustrated by Graham Howells 
In the times of castles and kingdoms, Drake learns he is a dragon master (and that dragons are real!) He must train with the other kids to master his dragon, an earth dragon. This is a fun fantasy chapter book series that will interest almost any child as it has just the right amount of conflict, adventure, and excitement.

The Fabled Stables Willa the Wisp by Jonathan Auxier, illustrated by Olga Demidova
Auggie, the only human, lives on an island of mythical creatures but he’s lonely. When a new stall magically appears, Auggie enters and meets a Wisp who is hunted by ruthless magical poachers. It’s a darling start to a new series perfect for fantasy-loving readers.

Dragons of Ember City: Happy Spark Day by Shane Richardson and Sarah Marino
This is a sweet story of dragon friends with appealing, full-color illustrations that pop off the page! Three young dragon friends feel excited to get their magical spark at Spark Day. Afterward, there’s a big celebration, but two of the dragons get carried away with their fun and break the special disco ball. Three of them work together to fix it using all their Sparks, and their mayor predicts they’ll do great things with their magical powers.

Princess Evie by Sarah Kilbridge
Before Princess Evie starts a new class at school, she and her magical pony, Willow, and cat, Sparkles, help the fairies on their first day of school. She partners with a new friend to rescue a baby hedgehog. Kids will love the combination of horses, magic, and friendship in a wonderful adventure story.

Dragon Slayer’s Academy by Kate McMullan
This is a delightfully funny 20-book fantasy series about a boy named Wiglaf who attends a (terrible) school for dragon slayers, has a pet pig who speaks pig latin (HA) and is friends with Eric, who is Erica, a princess longing for adventure. The hapless and greedy director sends off his students in order for them to kill the dragons and steal their gold for the director. In order to kill the dragons the students must find figure out the dragon’s weakness – in the first book, it’s bad knock-knock jokes that make the dragon explode!

Big Bad Detective Agency by Bruce Hale
The Big Bad Wolf aka. Wolfgang is the only suspect in the destruction of the Little Pigs house. And he doesn’t have an alibi. But he didn’t do it either so he partners with the cheerful 4th Little Pig, Ferkel, (who knew!?) to find the real culprit. A humorous fairy-tale mash-up book series for early elementary kids.

Tank & Fizz The Case of the Slime Stampede by Liam O’Donnel, illustrated by Mike Deas
Tank is a girl techie troll and Fizz is her best friend detective goblin. They know that their beloved school janitor would never have released those slimes that ate the playground but now he’s in jail and it’s up to them to figure out who did it — and why. Excellent!

The Magical Animal Adoption Agency Clover’s Luck by Kallie George, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger
Clover discovers and volunteers to work at the magical animal adoption agency in a deep part of the woods. But after just one day, Mr. Jams leaves Clover in charge by herself. It’s a lovely story showing Clover learning more about herself (that maybe she isn’t unlucky) and gaining confidence.

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott, illustrated by Geneva B (series)
When Jax’s mom drops him off with an irascible old lady named Ma, he learns that she helps magical animals travel between worlds. In this case, three dragons. But, he and Ma accidentally travel back in time instead of to the world of magic, and Ma gets stuck there. It’s up to Jax to rescue Ma and deliver the dragons to where they belong. (Cliffhangers in most of the books.)

The Perilous Princess Plot (Buckle and Squash) by Sarah Courtauld (series)
Very sarcastic and funny humor will keep you entertained throughout this fantasy book about a silly (stupid) sister obsessed with princes and her more steady sister who rescues her silly sister from a kidnapping plot.

Rainbow Magic Fairies (series)
These are very predictable stories but kids ADORE these books — they are some of the most checked-out books, best fantasy chapter books for growing readers. They’re about two human girls who are trusted to help the magical fairies search for something Jack Frost’s goblins stole.

Dragon Girls: Azmina the Gold Glitter Dragon by Maddy Mara (series)
Three girls learn that they’re Glitter Dragon Girls and with magic, teamwork, and turning into dragons, they must protect the forest from the Shadow Sprites. Together, they embark on a quest like no other — in their dragon forms. They must problem solve and figure out how to work together. A solid start in a new series.

The Misadventures of Salem Hyde Spelling Trouble by Frank Cammuso (series)
What a hilarious character! We love this magical graphic novel about Salem Hyde, an impulsive but very cute little witch who gets confused between spelling words and casting spells. It’s like Calvin turned witch and female. Fantastic!

Beasts of Olympus: Beast Keeper #1  by Lucy Coats (series)
It took me a few chapters to start enjoying this book, but it was worth it. Pan’s son, Demon, is assigned to care for the creatures in the stables on Olympus — which is a dangerous job considering who is there! Demon learns to love all the creatures and his job and pleases even the toughest critic, Hera, when he heals her favorite creature, the Hydra.

Fantasy Chapter Books For Ages 7 – 10

Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater (series)
If you like mythical creatures, independent thinkers, and mysteries, you’ll love this first book in the Pip Bartlett series as much as me. Pip’s world is just like ours except for one significant difference — magical creatures exist and often are pets!

Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Kevin Hong
Plum loves the garden worms and plants where she lives with her grandparents. Even so, she’s thrilled with the opportunity to go to a Guardian school where she hopes she’ll turn into a Guardian to protect the natural world. At the Guardian Academy, Plum struggles to focus; she worries that she’ll never get her animal bond like the other students. But she learns how to fight, talk to animals, and hopes she can prove herself. Readers will love the cool world-building, the captivating illustrations, and the engaging story!

Whatever After by Sarah Mlynowski (series) 
Once upon a time, a regular girl and her brother accidentally enter a fairy tale. And mess it all up. Whoops. You’ll fall in love with these characters and won’t want to put down this best fantasy book series until you’ve read them all. (So good!)

The Sasquatch Escape by Suzanne Selfors (series)
Ben doesn’t think his summer could be any more boring. Until he finds a baby dragon. When he and Pearl Petal discover a veterinarian for imaginary creatures, instead of helping the dragon, they accidentally let a sasquatch escape. Whoops. Now the pair must lure the creature back to the vet. (Easier said than done.) A page-turning fantasy series kids will love.

Of Giants and Ice by Shelby Bach (series)
When Rory finds out that her new after-school club, Ever After School, is a fairy tale training school for characters. In fact, on her first day she fights a real dragon! We learn that all the kids will be assigned their own character in a familiar tale – and the chance to prove themselves. It’s also the beginning of acceptance for Rory – finding friends for the first time and learning about herself. Love it. 

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing
Brilliant illustrations and an action-packed plot make this a must-read graphic novel. Charles isn’t thrilled with his family’s move to a run-down art-deco building in a big city. Making matters worse, the place is haunted. Fortunately, he meets Margo Maloo, a monster mediator. Which might just make things worse before they get better…

Aleca Zamm Is a Wonder by Ginger Rue, illustrated by Zoe Persico (series)
A fast-paced fantasy chapter book for kids and the first in a new easy chapter book series. On her 10th birthday, Aleca accidentally discovers if she says her full name, she can STOP TIME. Which helps her on her math test. Then her Aunt Zephyr arrives and explains a few things about being a Wonder. One, other Wonders who aren’t very nice could use those time stops to find Aleca. And two, she needs to learn how to control her power so it won’t control her. And three, a 10-year-old shouldn’t be in charge of the world clock.

Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan 
A quirky and hilarious adventurous. Merlin decides to teach the falsely boasting Knights of the Round Table a little humility. He sends them back to the age of dinosaurs to test their mettle –for real. And wouldn’t you know it, the bravest of them all, The Black Knight, turns out to be a girl. Check your assumptions right there, yes? The knights learn a thing or two about each other and work together. Plus, dinosaurs are almost like dragons, right? When they return to their own time, they’ll still be able to say they fought dragons.

Middle-Grade Chapter Books (Ages 8 – 12)

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Wonderfully crafted and imagined, this is a fairy tale of sorts about a good witch who rescues a town’s abandoned (the town thinks sacrificed) babies and gives them to another town to love. Except for one baby who she adopts for her own; a special baby named Luna who is accidentally infused with moon magic. It’s also the story of the baby’s magical, bereaved mother, a wicked witch who feeds off sorrow, a woodcarver who wants justice, and most of all, Luna.

Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi (series)
This popular fantasy graphic novel book series is the amazing adventure of two siblings trying to save their kidnapped mom in an underground world of elves, demons, robots, and talking animals. It’s a kid favorite with lots of books in the series to read.

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis (series)
After a food mage turns Aventurine, a dragon, into a human using a magical chocolate drink, she develops a passion for chocolate. Unrecognized by her dragon clan, Aventurine travels to the nearest city to apprentice herself to a chocolate shop. She’s a brave, adventurous girl who makes her chocolate dreams come true with help from a new friend and kind employers. Will she be as brave when her dragon family attacks the town? 

The Adventurers Guild by Zach Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos (series)
Zed and Brock don’t want to be chosen for the Adventurers Guild because the adventurers must leave the walled city to fight the monsters who live outside it. Unfortunately, Zed and Brock are picked as Adventurers. And before they can finish training, Zed, Brock, and others are sent outside the city on a fact-finding mission that uncovers treachery, fiendish beasts, and Zed’s untapped magic. Imaginative world-building, intriguing plot twists, and complex characters kept me enthralled from page one!

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston (series)
Fantastic fantasy world-building, excellent writing, a strong female heroine of color, and a surprise plot twist ending are just a few of the reasons you’ll love this book. On top of that, you’ll find an exciting action-packed, suspenseful story about Amari whose brother vanishes mysteriously. He sends her a message that she’s a magician and should attend a special school. There, she discovers she’s a magician with outlawed dark magic but she’s determined to stay in the school and find her brother.

Legend of the Dream Giants by Dustin Hansen 
Gorgeous, sensory writing fills the pages of this beautifully-crafted story about a young, naive giant named Berg who is searching for his place in the world. He doesn’t want to be like the monstrous Ünhold giant from the human stories and becomes a prisoner without realizing it. This is a story about trust, hope, belonging, friendship, and truth.

Hither and Nigh by Ellen Potter (series)
Masterful storytelling and wildly inventive world-building, Hither and Nigh draws you into a magical, multi-layered story. Nell is forced to join the Last Chance Club or be expelled from school. The teacher surprises the students with lessons in magic! This begins Nell’s search for her missing brother in the magical world of Hither. She hopes to track the poachers who kidnap non-magical children with big imaginations like her brother. One of my favorite fantasy books!

The Endling: The Last by Katherine Applegate (series)
The conquering human ruler, Murdano, hunts and kills all the large, dog-like Dairne. All except Byx. In hopes to find a safe place and maybe the Dairne’s mythical homeland, Byx sets off on what becomes a dangerous, exciting adventure filled with new friends like Tobble who is a wobbyk. I love every book in this BEST-ever fantasy book series set in a uniquely imagined fantasy world about friendship, differences, betrayal, and family.

The Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong (series) 
Rowan wants to be a Monster Hunter instead of the future queen. When tragedy strikes her brother, she gets her chance to switch roles and become the Royal Monster Slayer with her aunt with her brother as king. Unfortunately, she must face and kill a gryphon soon or her scheming uncle will get the throne instead. The story is an exciting adventure filled with surprises, mythical creatures, and new friendships. 

Children of the Black Glass by Anthony Peckham
If you like exciting adventures with surprising twists and cool world-building, read this middle grade fantasy book next! Abandoned by their mom, Tell and Wren live with their dad on the mountain but their dad gets blinded in an accident. So the children go down the mountain to trade their dad’s black glass and find a cure. They immediately lose everything and discover an unfamiliar world with different rules, lies, treachery, and feuding families and sorcerers. Wren and Tell make tentative friendships but must use their cleverness and new and old knowledge to survive.

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis (series)
Fast-paced, this exciting middle-grade book with Celtic mythology is about a foster child attending a magical school while searching for answers about her mysterious heritage. Kelcie leaves the human world for the magical world’s Academy. She discovers that she’s a Saiga, a mistrusted elemental but she makes friends who help her learn about her unique powers and together they fight the monsters who continue to attack the school.

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede (series)
A classic fantasy favorite for middle grade readers, this is a story about a strong female princess named Cimorene who doesn’t want to be a typical damsel in distress only to then be married off. She leaves her home to apprentice herself to a dragon. For fun. No rescuing involved, thank you very much. Plus, she must help save her dragon from the wizards. LOVE and highly recommend this dragon series.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan (series)
Guess what!? The Greek gods still exist! Their kids are half-bloods with unique powers who monsters want to kill them. When Percy learns he’s the son of a Greek God, it explains a lot. Now he must go to safety and training at Camp Half-Blood where before he can learn much, he’s assigned a perilous quest.

Skyriders by Polly Holyoke

The Serpent’s Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #1) by Sayantani Dasgupta
This story pulls you in from the start when Kiranmala discovers on her 12th birthday that she’s a princess from another realm and her real parents are trapped in a black hole-type place. But there’s a lot more she’ll learn — like who her real parents are (it’s not good!) and that demons can be your friends. Kiranmala’s adoptive parents are super awesome, too. An entertaining, Indian mythology adventure.

Nightmares! by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller, illustrated by Karl Kwasny (series)
Charlie’s dad has remarried and moved Charlie and his younger brother into the stepmother’s frightening purple mansion. There Charlie begins to have the most horrible nightmares — nightmares that blur between reality and dream. And when the witches steal Charlie’s brother into the nightmare world, he must rescue his brother in the nightmare world.

Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke (series)
While Jack’s single mom works, Jack takes care of his little sister, Maddy. And like the other Jack, this Jack, at the prompting of his sister who doesn’t talk, also trades the family’s one valuable thing, his mom’s car, for seeds. It all goes downhill from there: The seeds turn into a freaky, monster-growing garden that attacks! Action, adventure, intrigue…

Dragon Slippers trilogy by Jessica Day George (series)
Young, brave Creel wants to own her own seamstress shop. In her pursuit of this dream, she encounters and befriends a few dragons who will change the course of her life. From one of the dragons, she gets a pair of magical slippers that help her speak to and control her most esteemed dragon friend. Of course, she’d never use the slippers for evil purposes but she’s not the only one who knows their power…This entire fantasy series is absolutely enthralling with the best elements of fantasy, adventure, and a hint of romance.

The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips, illustrated by Isabelle Follath (series)
If you like snarky illustrated books that make you laugh, don’t miss this entertaining fantasy. Ebenezer, a man over 500 years old, is kept alive by a monstrous Beast who gives him youth cream in return for exotic foods…and now the Beast wants to eat a child. Still wanting to be youthful, Ebenezer adopts the rudest girl at a local orphanage, Bethany, and begins to fatten her up. She is horrid for a while until she’s not…and Ebenezer feels so bad that he confesses his evil plan. Together, find a solution to get rid of the Beast and get a happy ending! (Or do they?)

The Ruins of Gorlan: Ranger’s Apprentice by John A. Flanagan (series)
SO AMAZING! We follow a boy named Will as he’s apprenticed to become a Ranger, a job he’s unsure about. But as he develops a relationship with his master and learns what being a Ranger is all about (spying for the kingdom), Will comes to embrace his new life. When an old enemy of the kingdom sends out dangerous beasts to attack Will’s master, Will is instrumental in getting help and killing the creatures. Action, fantasy, adventure, friendship, excellent writing — this book has everything!

Snow Rose by Emily Winfield Martin
Sisters Snow and Rose live in the woods with their mother because when their father disappeared, they lost their bigger, fancy home. When the girls explore, they befriend a young boy from a mushrooming family named Ivo as well as a large bear whom they nurse back to health during the winter. They fear that the woodsman will find and kill their beloved bear. Then they stumble upon a sinister Little Man who wants to enchant them or kill them. Surprisingly, this is one Grimm story with a happy ending!

Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty
Set in the time of early American settlers, this is a beautiful story about a night spirit who discovers that her clan is keeping human captives and using forbidden technology. She’s banished but finds shelter with a kind human man whom she grows to trust. When she realizes that one of his children was one of the human captives, Willa knows she must go back and rescue the humans. The author deftly explores the meaning of family, as well as the themes of prejudice and caring for the natural world.

The Iron Trial(Magisterium) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare (series)
Even though Callum tries to fail the entrance trials, he is admitted to the school his dad says is evil. But the Magisterium school is not as bad as he expects. Call learns about his elemental powers, he forges bonds of friendship with his teammates and rescues a wolf puppy who is infused with the evil magic of Chaos. I couldn’t put this book down — especially after the surprise twist of who Callum really is!!

Unwanteds by Lissa McMann (series)
In this society, you are sorted as Wanted, Necessary, and Unwanted. Alex is an Unwanted and sent to die. But instead of death, he is rescued by a magician with a secret, magical haven for the Unwanteds where they live and train to use their magic skills. But, Alex’s twin brother is a Wanted and Alex risks the safety of his new home to see his twin. His actions reveal the secret world and a war breaks out.

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
If your child hasn’t learned about Norse mythology, this will be a great intro! To end the long winter, Odd must journey to find Asgard, a city under siege from the Frost Giants. A wonderful, nail-biting adventure!

Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo (series)

Once Upon a Tim by Stuart Gibbs (series)
Hilarious, illustrated, and perfect for fantasy and adventure fans! Tim and his sister Belinda are peasants who hope to improve their lot in life so they sign up as knights for a not-very-brave prince and his so-called magician sidekick to find and rescue Princess Grace from a monster. Helpful foreshadowing, a strong narrative voice, and humor throughout aren’t all that this book brings to readers, it also includes helpful life lessons from Belinda about the patriarchy and great vocabulary words.

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (series)
Nizhoni, from the Diné (Navajo) people, sees a monster (disguised as a human) at her basketball game. Making matters worse, it’s her dad’s new boss and he kidnaps her dad and tries to get her little brother, too. She escapes with her brother and best friend to ask the Spider Woman for help, learning that she and her brothers are the descendants of the Hero Twins. Her journey challenges her with heroic trials in order to meet the Sun who will give her weapons to fight the monsters and culminating in a fierce battle between the good guys and the monsters. A fast-paced hero’s journey with a rich, diverse mythology.

Cucumber Quest 1: The Doughnut Kingdom by Gigi D.G. (series)
When the kingdoms of Dreamside need a hero, his parents send Cucumber, a not-adventurous or brave magician. Fortunately, his heroically inclined little sister, Almond, arrives just in the nick of time to save Cucumber the first of many dangers. Together, they set off to find the Dream Sword and stop the evil queen and her Nightmare Knight. Adapted from the Cucumber Quest webcomic.

Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson
This is a wonderful magical adventure of friendship, family, and grief set at a sentient inn with interesting characters. (Like a Jabberwocky!) Anna lives with her extended family at their magical B&B with Otherworld and human world guests. A boy named Colin arrives and asks for sanctuary and help after his parents were murdered and his brother went missing. Anna wants to help him, but she doesn’t think her power to see ghosts is as helpful as her other family members’ powers. Can Colin and Anna stop the menacing creature hunting Colin?

Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
In a Thai-inspired world where caste determines your future, Sai’s new job as a mapmaker’s assistant is far beyond her station, which is why she can’t wait to join the Mapmaker on a sailing quest to find a new continent and maybe, find herself a new home. During the trip, the Mapmaker reveals his past hubris of mapping and claiming already-inhabited lands which their war-hungry country would then use and destroy. Betrayal, new friendship, and a shipwreck, this is an exciting, must-read adventure!

A Tale of Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (series)
A bloody and macabre Hansel and Gretel story is woven into eight other Grimm fairy tales. Hansel and Gretel abandon their terrible parents in order to find better ones –ones that won’t try to kill them. Once the siblings are in the wild forest, Hansel transforms into a ravenous, hunter-beast while Gretel continues on her own. This book will make you want to reread your Complete Brother’s Grimm. 

Podkin One-Ear The Legend Begins by Kieran Larwood (series)
Well-written and enthralling, young Podkin is as a lazy, spoiled prince. When the cruel Gorm, metal dark magic rabbits, arrives at his family’s burrow to kill everyone inside, Podkin escapes with his much braver sister and little brother. No longer able to be spoiled and lazy, Podkin tries his best to be brave and pull his weight, often failing miserably but occasionally succeeding, too.

Nevermoor The Trial of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (series)
Morrigan escapes her birthday’s death curse when she’s whisked away to another realm by a mysterious man named Jupiter North to compete in four trials to join the Wundrous Society. Morrigan is worried because she doesn’t have a magical “nack” like the hundreds of other kids. She befriends a mischievous boy named Hawthorne with the nack for flying dragons. In between the trials, they try to figure out if the elusive Mr. Jones is connected to the dangerous Wundersmith named Ezra Squall. 

The Evil Wizard Smallboneby Deliz Sherman
Runaway, Nick, leaves his horrible uncle only to get stuck with an evil wizard who calls him foxkin and won’t let him leave. If he tries anything against the rules, Nick gets turned into something– a spider and a rock, for example. Once he’s resigned to his new life, Nick finds a lot to like, especially learning magic from the wizard’s books and then helping the wizard protect the Smallbone town from the Evil Wizard Fidelou. This is a magical story about kindness, friendship, and growing up. (With a little Dread Pirate Roberts twist thrown in at the end!)

Valentina Salazar is Not a Monster Hunter by Zoraida Córdova
A marvelous middle-grade novel with the perfect blend of action and adventure mixed with family tragedy, betrayal, magical creatures, and an amazing kid who saves the day! Val gets her two siblings to help her on one last mission to save the magical creature egg that a boy is live streaming so that no one gets hurt or learns about magical creatures. Her family used to be Monster Protectors until one killed her dad. Her nefarious Uncle and his Monster Hunters have lured one of her siblings to his hunter side, and they are chasing Val and her other siblings to get the egg first.

Lark and the Wild Hunt by Jennifer Adam
Sage’s family raises the half-animal, half-fae horses for the Wild Hunt from which her brother doesn’t return. Sage’s new fae friend Rook tells her she must fix the mysterious, broken moon clock to save her brother and strengthen what has been broken. If you like epic adventures with magic, don’t miss this story about a brave and determined human girl in a world of magic and fae who embarks on a quest to save her brother…and her sister…from the new, evil fae king.

Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl by Julie Kagawa (series)

Five Kingdoms: Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull (series)
Brandon Mull has outdone himself with an inventive, totally unique world and characters! Cole, a regular kid, is trick-or-treating with his friends when they all get kidnapped. He manages to hide and follows the kidnappers — to another world, a world of five kingdoms, slavery, and magic. Cole is found and sold to slavers on the Outskirts. There he’ll battle mysterious beings living on cloud castles, discover an exiled princess, escape from slavery, and have unimaginable adventures.

Alliana Girl of Dragons by Julie Abe
A retelling of the Japanese Cinderella, Alliana suffers daily mistreatment by her stepmother, but she doesn’t want to leave her sickly grandmother without a caring person, so she stays and endures the abuse. But when her grandmother dies, Alliana makes her own magic and destiny when she finds and befriends a baby dragon in the dreaded and dangerous abyss and helps a young witch. An enchanting story of a kind-hearted girl!

The Memory Thief (Thirteen Witches Book 1) by Jodi Lynn Anderson (series)
An uplifting fantasy adventure with memorable characters showing the magical power of stories! Rosie takes care of both herself and her mom, who is a shell of a person, her only solace are the stories she wrote. But in a moment of despair, Rosie burns her stories –and suddenly, starts to see ghosts. She learns that she’s the last of the ghost hunters and she’s in terrible danger from the thirteenth witch, the memory thief, who stole her mom’s memories.

Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori Lee (series)
Pahua has always seen spirits, including her best friend who is a cat spirit she names Miv. When she accidentally releases an angry bridge spirit who steals her little brother Matt’s soul, she knows she must fix what she did or Matt will die. She travels to spirit realms to find Matt. With lots of cool Hmong mythology and world-building, you’ll love Pahua’s character and her devotion to her brother.

The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody (series)
A fantastic, magical journey of self-acceptance, a bewitching plotline, and irresistible characters. When gathering mushrooms in his latest apprenticeship, Barclay accidentally becomes his worst fear — a Lore Keeper bonded with a mythical beast. Even though he doesn’t want to be a Lore Keeper, Barclay is forced out of his villagers. He travels with another Lore Keeper named Violet to a town searching for ways to get rid of his mark. He’ll soon have to make a choice — cut out the Beast or embrace his new life.

Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone

The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig
Absolutely lovely. When trolls attack Elfhelm on Christmas Eve, they destroy Father Christmas’ sleigh, the toys, and the town which ruins Christmas. Amelia, the girl whose hope made Christmas happen in the first place, spends Christmas locked in a workhouse, devastated that Father Christmas doesn’t come. But, Father Christmas tries again the next year and gets help from Queen Victoria, Blitzen, Charles Dickens, and a brave elf newspaper reporter. They rescue Amelia from the workhouse, reigniting her hope, and saving Christmas.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow by Ruth Lauren
You know you love a story when you can’t wait for the sequel! You’ll fall in love with Valor, a dedicated sister who attempts to kill the prince in order to get sent to jail to help her sister who is falsely imprisoned. Of course, the breakout doesn’t go as planned. Other prisoners (all kids) want to know what she’s up to and she doesn’t know who to trust. Be ready for an exciting plot twist, terrific characters, and lots of action.

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi (series)
Magic and color are closely linked in her world. Unfortunately, Alice has no color in her skin or hair. And her father has been missing for years making her even sadder. She travels with a boy named Oliver to a different magical land in order to find and rescue her father. But the rules are wildly different and the inhabitants eat people for their magic. Even though Oliver and Alice start their quest at odds, the many challenges join them in a solid friendship. Furthermore is a uniquely creative plot that is so well written, you won’t want it to end.

Lightcasters by Janelle McCurdy (series)
After the Reaper King’s soldiers attack her forever dark city and capture her parents, Mia, her brother Lucas, plus two other friends flee the nefarious soldiers toward her grandparent’s in the capital city. To make it through the dangerous Nightmare Plains, Mia reluctantly bonds with not one but two wild umbras, creatures made of shadows and starlight, and learns she’s one of the mythical Lightkeepers, foretold to defeat the Reaper King. Unique, super cool world-building, fantastic storytelling.

Saving Fable by Scott Reintgen (series)
Book lovers — don’t miss this wildly imaginative story about a girl named Indira who always wanted to be chosen to go to the Protagonist Preparatory, a school for side characters and protagonists where they hope one of the Brainstormers will introduce them to an author. As we become acquainted with this creative world where (book)Marks and DogEars roam the streets, the story grows into an exciting adventure and puzzling mystery — because someone is using dangerous magic that will damage the world of stories forever. 

The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson
When Yanka’s legs turn into hair bear legs and paws, she leaves her foster mother’s home in the village to find answers in the forest. Her quest for answers leads her to a wolf she met as a baby bear, a Yaga girl and mom and their house on chicken legs, her grandmother, the Bear Tsarina, and eventually, a dangerous task to kill a dragon and save the wish tree so that Yanka can ask for her friend Sasha’s life to be spared. It’s a Russian folktale-infused story with themes of family, belonging, identity, selflessness.

The Menagerie by Tui Sutherland (series)
Stuck in a small town in Wyoming just after his mother disappeared, Logan’s life gets even stranger when he finds a griffin under his bed. Which he learns is connected to Zoe Kahn, a very strange girl in his class at school. She tells him about her family’s menagerie to protect magical creatures. Soon the duo realizes that the griffins didn’t escape, they were let out. Now they must find the culprit fast before the menagerie is shut down. A quick, fun read and great fantasy book series for kids!

The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao (series)
Faryn is a likable, orphaned main character who values kindness and family. After helping defeat a demon in Chinatown she discovers that she’s the prophetic demon-slaying Heaven Breaker and embarks on a quest. She journeys with her resentful, angry brother Alex, her ex-friend Moli, and a cursed boy and fight demons, escape capture, and saves imprisoned dragons in order to attend the god’s Lunar New Year’s banquet. But instead of finding her missing father at the banquet, she is betrayed!

Legacy and the Queen by Annie Matthew, created by Kobe Bryant (series)
Not only is this book beautifully executed with a fuzzy cover, full-color illustrations, and lovely border details, but the uniquely imagined story is also beautifully written and 100% enchanting. Legacy lives at an orphanage with her father and the other orphans but she longs to compete in tennis. When she gets the chance, she leaves to try out for the country’s elite tennis academy. Once she’s there, Legacy’s country background makes her an outcast but that also helps her discover two true friends, her inner magical power, and the dangerous truth of what’s actually going on at the Academy. 

Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland (series)
These dragonets might just be the long-awaited dragonets of the prophecy that will end the dragon wars for good. Or they might not. One thing’s for sure: when the dragonets are captured, things don’t look good.

The Way to Rio Luna by Zoraida Cordova
Danny’s latest foster home is not good, even worse without his beloved sister, who’s been missing for two years. Danny mostly still believes in magic and his sister’s promise to be waiting for him in the land of Rio Luna. On a field trip to the New York Public Library, he sees magical arrows pointing him to the original Rio Luna book of fairy tales. With the help of a new friend, Glory, and Glory’s aunt, they all set off on an epic adventure to follow the magical signs that only Danny can see. Mysteries, magic, magical creatures, monsters, stories, and betrayal, this heart-stopping fantasy adventure.

Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis (series)
I think you already know about these books but if you don’t, they’re absolutely engaging fantasy adventures of good versus evil that take place in a magical world called Narnia. We recently listened to the series on audiobook which was even more fun to hear it read in a British accent. (Since we’re American.)

The Door by the Staircase by Katherine Marsh, illustrations by Kelly Murphy 
I LOVED this fairy tale fantasy book — it’s a fantastic Baba Yaga story about a brave and smart orphan girl, Mary, who wants a home, even if it’s with Baba Yaga.  She just has to figure out how to be sure Baba Yaga won’t eat her and she does so with help from her friend Jacob and MAGIC!

Voyage of the Frostheart by Jamie Littler
A fantastic, illustrated adventure story about an orphan boy with forbidden musical powers with sentient creatures like the vulpi, a walrus and a yeti. After Ash’s Pathfinder parents disappear, Ash moves in with a strict guardian Yeti named Tobu. They’re banished from their home when Ash uses his forbidden Song Weaver magic. So they leave the village with a ship that sails over the snow where he faces challenges, betrayal, and the truth about his parents.

The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr, illustrated by Katie Harnett
Grisha is a dragon who spends a few hundred years enchanted as a teapot. Later, he meets a lonely girl whose first and only friend is him. The girl’s friendship comes many years after a wicked magician has imprisoned or for the most part, enslaved, the world’s remaining dragons. Grisha, one of the dragons who has been working, begins to remember about the other dragons. So he and the girl, Maggie, quest to avoid the magician, find the missing dragons, and free them— no matter the cost. And there will be a cost. 

Impyrium by Henry H. Neff
Hazel is the third granddaughter, a princess who resembles no one else in the family except the most dangerous magician ruler the kingdom ever knew. She, like her ancestor, is gifted at magic and her grandmother wants to use Hazel’s magic to protect the kingdom. But it’s an unjust kingdom and Hob, a young spy and commoner boy in her service, wants things to change. Hazel will face a choice to follow in the dark magic footsteps of her ancestor. Hob will face doing what he’s ordered or following his heart. Plots within plots, twists, and turns, make this a wonderful, enthralling fantasy adventure.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee
Stuck in a museum with her sister and father who is working on a sword exhibit, Ophelia’s curiosity leads her to a locked room where a boy has been trapped for thousands of years. But Ophelia doesn’t believe in that kind of thing. Except she kind of does. She remembers her mother used to tell her those stories . . . This is a breathtaking journey of loss, acceptance, hope, and friendship. I just loved it!

Sea of Trolls series by Nancy Farmer (series)
A bard, a boy, a band of Viking berserkers, trolls, dragons, and a quest — what more could you want in a series? This is one of those ca n’t-put-it-down books that will keep you up all night reading and I loved this it. (Actually, I love all Farmer’s books.) Your kids will enjoy reading a new adventure in Norse and Old English mythology.

Starcatchers series by Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson (series)
I adore this series, but my kids didn’t like it as much as me. The authors imagined what happened BEFORE Peter Pan and this is the result. I think it’s a stunning, totally creative fantastical adventure of magical star stuff and evil shadows who want to rule the universe.

Wicked Nix by Lena Coakley, illustrated by Jaime Zollars
Fairy Nix guards the woods for his beloved fairy queen. He’s particularly annoyed by a human man who lives in a cottage in his woods. Eventually, the man reveals to Nix that Nix is not a fairy but a human child who was stolen long ago from his own family. It’s a bittersweet, tender story about a lost boy who finds that everything he’s believed he’s known is a lie. And I LOVED it so much.

Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack 
Set in the historical Turkic Jewish empire of Khazaria, Ziva’s beloved twin brother with leprosy continues to deteriorate, and she learns he’ll be taken by her uncle, so she steals him away to search for a cure. Along their journey, they meet a half-demon boy who tells them about a mythical city where the Angel of Death can not enter. They journey toward the city and Ziva clings to the hope that the city will be the answer to everything. She’ll bargain and beg with Death, but ultimately, she’ll have to accept that in life, we all must die.

Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria by George Jreije (series)
FANTASY
Shad is an orphan who learns about alchemy and necromancy right before he’s sent to an elite academy that he thought was to train alchemists. It’s not. He’s aware that there are dark forces who want to use alchemy for dark purposes — and take over the school. Or are they already in charge? He needs to figure it out because every moment at the school, he’s in danger.

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
You’ll fall in love with this magical story about a lonely boy named Micah whose beloved grandfather faces a life-ending illness. Micah hopes the Lightbender in the Circus Mirandus who owes the grandfather a miracle will be able to help. With a missive to the Lightbender, Micah finds the magical circus his grandfather once loved so much and hopes the Lightbender will hear him out.

Young Adult Books (Ages 13+)

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton (series)
Camilla and her sisters have the magic in their blood to make the citizens of New Orleans beautiful…for a price. Because, without the Belles, the people are gray and ugly. When Camilla is the second choice for the Queen’s favorite, she learns there’s a terrifying darkness to the princess. As she seeks a way to fulfill her role, she must decide if it’s worth risking her life in order to save the oldest princess, the true heir, who’s been in a lifeless coma for years. I enjoyed this imaginative fantasy / dystopian world where beauty is tightly controlled. Be ready for a surprise plot twist at the end.

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant  (series)
I loved this story so much! Nina’s a survivor thanks to her older sister. But when her dad sells her older sister into prostitution, Nina knows she has to save her sister. This sends her into a new, dangerous guild where she makes alliances and plans…Intrigue, adventure, and a unique, unpredictable plot make this an imaginative new YA favorite set in the world of Les Miserables…

Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly (series)
What a great girl power chapter book for teens! This is the story of five mermaids who journey to find each other and then to the sea witches. An ancient evil is being unleashed and not only is trying to kill the girls but enslave or kill their communities. Very entertaining.

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
Wolf by Wolf is a high-stakes journey of wits and bravery, an author’s skillful writing and imagination, and a compelling story that won’t soon be forgotten. It imagines a world in which WWII ended very differently — with the Axis powers winning. Yael, our heroine, is a death-camp medical experiment escapee who can shapeshift into other humans. She braves a motorcycle race across half the world in order to first win and second get close enough to Hitler to kill him. This is a must-read novel!

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (series)
Maybe a bit predictable but I still enjoyed this dystopian YA novel about a world separated into classes labeled by blood color. The elite class, those with silver blood, possess magical abilities and the rest of the world is the hard-working red class. Mare is not supposed to have magic because she’s red. To hide this truth, the royal family disguises her as silver and she’s forced to play along. But what if she could help her red class be free of the ruling elite?

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holberg (series)
In a world where magicians specialize in specific magic (metal, paper, and so forth), magician-in-training Ceony is assigned to learn from Magician Emery Thane. When his ex-wife tries to kill him, Ceony animates a magical heart to save Emery’s life then leaves to fight the evil magician Excisioners. As the story develops, so does the attraction between Emery and Ceony. Great character development with fast-paced action.

Undertow by Michael Buckley  (series)
Michael Buckley’s Alpha are oceanic clans of creatures with wild amphibian and human appearances and a specific hierarchy. 16 year old Lyric hides that her mom is one of the Alpha (First People) so they’re not sne to a camp. When her school is forced to integrate with the Alpha, Lyric is ordered to help the prince, Fathom. Now what will she do?

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker
This is an adventurous series opener that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In a kingdom that outlaws the use of magic, Elizabeth hunts and imprisons witches (who have magic) until she herself is imprisoned. At the moment she’s to be burned, she’s rescued by a powerful wizard who shows her truths she’d never imagined and who she should really be fighting.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (series)
Part historical (think Rome) and part fantasy, Elias and Laia live in a world that enslaves them both in different ways — Elias to fight and Laia to serve and spy. This is an epic page-turner fantasy for kids with lots of mystery, action, and a hint of romance — a teen favorite!

Wereworld  by Curtis Jobling
Drew is raised on a farm and knows little of his surroundings. He’s ill-prepared to live on the run, which he does when his were powers arise. Fortunately, he meets a other WereLords including a WereBear Lord who fought with Drew’s father and is willing to help him. Kidnappings, revenge, murder, and a prophecy — this book has all the elements you’ll want in a fantasy adventure series. I loved the story, the writing, and the characters.

Infinity: Chronicles of Nick (Chronicles of Nick Book 1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon (SERIES)
The Chronicles of Nick series is a magical, mythical-creatures fantasy adventure for teen readers. It’s a fast-paced, action-packed story about a teenager who possesses powerful magic that could destroy humanity. Of course, he doesn’t know it quite yet. But he will. 🙂 

The Novice The Summoner by Taran Matharu (series)
Fletcher’s an orphan, raised by the town’s blacksmith, finds a book about magic and summons a demon. Through a series of events, he lands at a school for mages where he will learn to use his demon to fight the Empire’s enemies. Captivating writing and action.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (series)
Orphan, Alina, lives in a country where much of the land and people have been in a darkness called the Shadow Fold. When Alina’s powers reveal themselves, she’s taken to the magical leader, the Darkling, to train and serve him in his fight against the Shadow Fold. Alina feels out of place without her best friend and doesn’t fit in with the other Grisha. Plus, strange things begin to happen and she must discover the secret behind the source of the Shadow Fold’s power.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (series)
Taylor created a totally original, completely compelling mythical world; it’s a world split into two sides, the Chimera and the Angels. Our heroine is an art student raised by a sorcerer named Brimstone, Karou, who knows about the monsters, at least she thinks she does. Adding to the mystery and adventure is a forbidden romance between Karou and a beautiful angel named Akiva. This is one of the BEST books I’ve ever read in my life, let alone one of the best YA books for teens. AMAZING. Includes mature content.

Air Awakens by Elise Kova (series)
Vhalla thinks she’s just a library assistant but when the prince needs her, she learns she’s the only air elemental in the kingdom. Now she must decide if she’ll train her magic or let the wizards remove it. The second book is already out, too! Adventure and magic make this a great fantasy book series for kids.

The Nethergrim by Matthew Jobin
It looks like the Nethergrim is back and so are it’s monstrous minions. After Edmund’s brother is taken, he and his two friends and an adult decide to find the Nethergrim and save all the children who were taken. They’ve counted and know that for the Nethergrim’s spell to work, it only needs one more child. I found this a compelling story with interesting plot twists and adventure.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (series)
You’ll LOVE this unique fantasy YA book for teens. Water horses eat human flesh so it’s a sign of great skill and bravery to race one in the annual Scorpio Races. Orphan, Puck needs to win the race or she and her brother won’t have food to eat or a home. Totally mesmerizing.

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor 
I loved this creative expanded Alice in Wonderland fantasy story. Alyss Heart, the heir to Wonderland, flees from her evil aunt Redd who has attacked her kingdom and killed her parents. Alyss ends up in London, lost and unsure of how to return home. She tells her story to Louis Carroll who writes it down — but not exactly right – and eventually, her royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan finds her and takes her back to fight.

Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles) by Gena Showalter (series)
A YA chapter book about Alice and zombies — that I recommend? Crazy but true! Alice’s father has embarrassed her all her life with is paranoia, refusal to go out after dark even to a school performance, and drinking but it turns out he is right. And now he, her mother, and her sister are dead. Adventure and a little romance make this quite a page-turner.

Peter & Max: A Fables Novel  by Bill WillinghamIf you love fairy tales, you must read this YA chapter book based on a comic book series. It’s based on the story of the Pied Piper and is about two brothers, one good and one evil, Peter and Max. Through the story, Max becomes more entrenched in black magic and only his brother, Peter, will be able to stop him.

Penryn & the End of Days by Susan Ee (series)  
Angels (not the friendly kind, the warrior kind) rule the world using humans for experiments, and disposable arm candy. Penryn’s sister is kidnapped, and she is determined to rescue her. On her journey, she meets Raffe, an angel whose wings were brutally cut off. The two work together and what they discover at the angel compound will make the world even worse off than it already is. I couldn’t put this paranormal YA book down!  

KEEP READING

Compelling Sci-Fi Chapter Books for Kids

Dystopian Middle Grade Books for Ages 8 – 12

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Harry Potter Potions Class

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