Children's Fantasy Books

Fantasy Books for Grades 1 - 6

Updated June 18, 2026
C
City of Mission Viejo Library
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Accidental demons
Edge, Clare
Paper Book
NYPL Best Book for Kids 2024 People Magazine Best Kids Book of 2024 Conjuring demons seems like something you should totally not be able to do by accident, right? Well, normally it isn't. But Bernadette Crowley is the perfect storm of magical...

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

The anti-book
Simon, Raphael (Children's author)
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Name of This Book Is Secret comes a darkly funny story about a boy who wants the world to disappear. This fantastical quest for comfort and belonging was called "a surprisingly powerful, formula-breaking coming-of-age story" by the...

AR: 4.0

Lexile: 550

Azmina the gold glitter dragon
Mara, Maddy
Paper Book
We are Dragon Girls -- hear us roar! Azmina, Willa, and Naomi are thrilled to learn they're Glitter Dragon Girls. Summoned to the Magic Forest by its magnificent ruler, the Tree Queen, the girls quickly find out their dragon-selves have unbelievable abilities. They can soar above the...

AR: 4.2

Lexile: 570

Bo's magical new friend
Elliott, Rebecca
Paper Book
Meet Rainbow Tinseltail and the unicorns of Sparklegrove Forest, in this magical series from the creator of the bestselling Owl Diaries series! Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With...

AR: 2.9

Lexile: 540

The bookwanderers
James, Anna
Paper Book
A USA Today Bestselling book! A Barnes & Noble Book of the Month! A 2019 Kids' Indie Next List Pick! A National Bestseller! "Mr. Lemoncello would love to go bookwandering at Pages and Co. If you love books, you're going to LOVE this book!"--Chris Grabenstein, #1<...

AR: 5.8

Lexile: 870

The café at the edge of the woods
Please, Mikey
Paper Book
"I really, really love this story." --Jon Klassen Lemony Snicket meets Jon Klassen meets Grimm's fairy tales in an outrageously original picture book debut by BAFTA Award-winning and Oscar-nominated animation director Mikey Please, co-director of the acclaimed stop-motion tribute for Over...

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

Cece Rios and the desert of souls
Rivera, Kaela
Paper Book
When a powerful desert spirit kidnaps her sister, Cece Rios must learn forbidden magic to get her back, in this own voices middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of The Storm Runner and Aru Shah and the End of Time. Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the...

AR: 4.7

Lexile: N/A

Charlie Hernǹdez and the league of shadows
Calejo, Ryan
Paper Book
"A perfect pick for kids who love Rick Riordan." --Booklist (starred review) "A winner for all kids, but it will be especially loved by Latinx and Hispanic families." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) The Lightning Thief meets the Story...

AR: 5.4

Lexile: 780

The coldfire curse
Quinn, Jordan
Paper Book
In the first installment of the exciting Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly graphic novel series, the scarlet dragon Ruskin's bravery is put to the test when a curse threatens his kingdom. As the pampered pet dragon of the Prince of Wrenly, Ruskin has never known life beyond the walls of...

AR: 3.0

Lexile: 550

The world of Emily Windsnap. Emily's big discovery
Kessler, Liz
Paper Book
Introducing an exciting new line of readers that brings half-mermaid Emily Windsnap--star of the New York Times best-selling series--to a younger audience. Even though she lives in a houseboat, Emily Windsnap doesn't know how to swim. Her mother has always cautioned her to...

AR: 2.9

Lexile: 520

Farrah Noorzad and the ring of fate
Zargarpur, Deeba
Paper Book
A 12-year-old girl discovers her true jinn heritage when a birthday wish gone wrong traps her father in a magical ring, sending her on an epic quest to free him. This richly imagined fantasy series inspired by Persian mythology and Islamic lore is filled with action, magic, and self-discovery.

AR: 4.6

Lexile: 670

Fun and games
Burnell, Heather Ayris
Paper Book
Sparkly friends Unicorn and Yeti play all sorts of fun games together in this magical book perfect for beginning readers! Pick a Book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic's early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a...

AR: 1.7

Lexile: 360

Lightfall. Book 1, The girl & the Galdurian
Probert, Tim
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Kazu Kibuishi says of Lightfall: "Beautifully drawn. Tim Probert has created a world readers will want to visit." For fans of Amulet and middle grade readers who love sweeping worlds like Star Wars, the first book of the Lightfall series...

AR: 2.5

Lexile: N/A

The grace of wild things
Fawcett, Heather
Paper Book
An inventive and fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables--with magic and witches!--that explores found family, loss, and the power of a girl's imagination, from the acclaimed author of The Language of Ghosts and The School Between Winter and Fairyland. Perfect for readers who loved The...

AR: 5.6

Lexile: N/A

The haunting
Lasky, Kathryn
Paper Book
Newbery Honor-winning Kathryn Lasky, author of the bestselling Guardians of Ga'Hoole and Bears of Ice series, delivers a sweeping middle grade animal adventure with loyal beavers, a cultured swan, and ominous lynxes around every turn--a captivating story about heroism, loyalty, and the courage to...

AR: 5.2

Lexile: N/A

Hero trial
Larwood, Kieran
Paper Book
"For collections needing Role-Playing Games (RPG) and funny sci-fi/ fantasy series such as Max Brallier's 'The Last Kids on Earth,' Kazu Kibuishi's 'Amulet,' and Tui T. Sutherland's 'Wings of Fire,' this is a must-add to the list." --School Library Journal ...

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

The hidden world of gnomes
Soloy, Lauren
Paper Book
This book is an introduction to the hidden folk called gnomes, who live in a happy place they call The Pocket. Where is The Pocket, you ask? Well, it's all around you, all the time. Gnomes are curious little creatures, and they're very shy. But after reading this book, you will learn to spot the...

AR: N/A

Lexile: 730

Hocus and Pocus and the spell for home
Capetta, A. R.
Paper Book
From award-winning author A. R. Capetta comes a new first-chapter-book series delivering plenty of puppies, magic, and charm. Puppies Hocus and Pocus are still waiting to be adopted from the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets. Even though Hocus can see two minutes into the...

AR: N/A

Lexile: 610

The horrible bag of terrible things
Renzetti, Robert
Paper Book
From the creator of My Life As a Teenage Robot comes a middle-grade horror story about a horrible bag, the spine-chilling world hidden within it, and a terrifying adventure into the world of GrahBhag. Perfect for fans of Coraline, the Spiderwick Chronicles, and Small...

AR: N/A

Lexile: 800

The house with a dragon in it
Lake, Nick
Paper Book
From the creators of Lily and the Night Creatures comes another "emotionally resonant and empathetic" (Kirkus Reviews) illustrated middle grade novel filled with magic and granted wishes--perfect for fans of The Beast and the Bethany and Kelly Barnhill. ...

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

Jerry, let me see the moon!
Ebbeler, Jeffrey
Paper Book
Things get squirrely when Jerry discovers that his new town is a sanctuary for were-creatures, humans who turn into animals when the moon is full, in an action-packed romp for younger middle grade readers. Jerry has serious questions about the town his scientist father drags him...

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

The labyrinth of lost and found
Lees, Jordan
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times bestseller! Doll Bones meets Skandar and the Unicorn Thief in this spooky, illustrated middle grade novel about a boy who doesn't believe in magic discovering a supernatural world full of danger. It began with a...

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents
Pau Preto, Nicki
Paper Book
A middle grade magic school fantasy perfect for fans of The School for Good and Evil and Witchlings, in which a girl with unparalleled power must work with her misfit classmates to save her new school. Lavinia "Vin" Lucas is out of control and out of options....

AR: N/A

Lexile: 910

Loki : a bad god's guide to being good
Stowell, Louie
Paper Book
Packed with doodles and cartoons, here is the diary of Loki as he's trapped on earth as a petulant eleven-year-old--and even worse, annoying thunder god Thor is there, too. After one prank too many, trickster god Loki has been banished to live as a kid on Earth. If he can show...

AR: 4.9

Lexile: 690

Millie Fleur's poison garden
Mandin, Christy
Paper Book
*A great book for holiday gifting, and one of the best picture books of 2024! *An instant New York Times and Indie Bestseller! Wednesday Addams meets The Curious Garden in this delightfully peculiar story. Millie Fleur's Poison Garden is a...

AR: 3.4

Lexile: 610

A natural history of magical beasts : from the notebook of Dr. Dimitros Pagonis
Hawkins, Emily
Paper Book

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

Rise of the green flame
Mensah, Bernard (Children's author)
Paper Book
Magic, adventure, and friendship come together in Kwame's Magic Quest, an action-packed, fully illustrated early chapter book series perfect for fans of Dragon Masters! Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly...

AR: 3.8

Lexile: 600


The rise of the halfling king
Bowles, David
Paper Book
In this graphic novel series based on ancient Mesoamerican sagas, a magical boy from Maya legend takes on a giant snake, a power-hungry king, and three impossible tests. Sayam has always been different from other kids--he's very short for his age, his best friend is a monkey, and...

AR: 3.3

Lexile: 510

Roll call
Ostertag, Molly Knox
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling author Molly Knox Ostertag and critically acclaimed illustrator Xanthe Bouma comes an all-new Dungeons & Dragons graphic novel series! Middle school is a dungeon... At least, that's how Jess sees it. Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to...

AR: 3.1

Lexile: N/A

The selkie's daughter
Brennan, Linda Crotta
Paper Book
A cozy, richly imagined fantasy where a young selkie girl must save her family from a vengeful king. Brigit knows all the old fisherman songs and legends by heart: sea goddess, warriors, and people who are not quite human. But Brigit also knows the truth. It's evident in the...

AR: 4.4

Lexile: N/A

Serwa Boateng's guide to vampire hunting
Brown, Roseanne A.
Paper Book
For most kids, catching fireflies is a fun summer activity. For twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng, it's a matter of life and death. That's because Serwa knows that some fireflies are really adze, shapeshifting vampires from the forests of Southeastern Ghana. Adze prey on the blood of...

AR: 6.2

Lexile: 920

Spell sweeper
Fo?di, Lee Edward
Paper Book
Featuring a failed young wizard and her cleanup crew, this delightfully dysfunctional middle grade fantasy is an imaginative twist on magic school that's perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil. Cara Moone is a wizard--but she's basically flunked out of wizard school...

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

The spirit glass
Chokshi, Roshani
Paper Book
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents a standalone quest adventure based on Filipino mythology by Roshani Chokshi, author of the best-selling Aru Shah series. Corazon yearns to finally start training as a babaylan (a mystical healer and spirit guide) under her powerful...

AR: 5.2

Lexile: 710

The story of Gumluck the wizard
Rex, Adam
Paper Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2023  A 2023 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book  FIVE STARRED REVIEWS!    "Adorable."--Shelf Awareness, starred review

AR: 3.5

Lexile: 610

Troll trouble
McGee, Joe
Paper Book
The Junior Monster Scouts forage for a very special ingredient in this exciting Level 2 Ready-to-Read! Vampyra's aunts--Belladonna, Hemlock, and Moonflower--are going to cook Vampyra's favorite dish, Cauldron Stew, but they're missing one key ingredient: Troll Root. When the...

AR: N/A

Lexile: N/A

The truth about dragons
Leung, Julie
Paper Book
A Caldecott Honor Winner Winner of the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature An unforgettable lyrical picture book that celebrates biracial identity from the award-winning author of Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong,...

AR: 4.7

Lexile: 910

Uni's wish for wings : an Amy Krouse Rosenthal book
Ransom, Candice F.
Paper Book
Uni the Unicorn for early readers! Another exciting Step 2 adventure for children who can't get enough of Uni and friends! Watching birds soar through the sky makes Uni want to fly! When Uni befriends a winged horse named Pegasus, it seems like flying might be possible. Uni's...

AR: N/A

Lexile: 730

Wildseed witch
Dumas, Marti
Paper Book
Hasani's post-seventh-grade summer to-do list is pretty simple: get a bigger following for her makeup YouTube channel and figure out how to get her parents back together. What she does NOT expect is that an emotional outburst will spark a latent magical ability in her. Or that the magic will be...

AR: 4.7

Lexile: N/A

The worlds we leave behind
Harrold, A. F.
Paper Book
A Booklist Editor's Choice Title for 2023 From acclaimed author and illustrator pair A.F. Harrold and Levi Pinfold comes another powerful and poignant story about friendship, betrayal, and redemption. Hex doesn't know why he does the things he does...

AR: 5.0

Lexile: N/A


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