Children's Book Suggestions | Fantasy

Some of our favorite fantasy books for readers in Grades 2-7. You can view more fantasy fiction books for kids in our online catalog. This is a popular genre with kids (and many librarians!), so we also have Animal Fantasy, Fairy Tales, and Mythology & Folklore book lists for young fantasy readers with very specific tastes.

Updated June 6, 2024
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Oregon City Public Library
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Willa the wisp
Auxier, Jonathan
Paper Book
The Fabled Stables are home to oneofakind creatures. Creatures like the Gargantula, the Yawning Abyss, the Bizzybees, and Auggie. Auggie is the only human boy on the island, and he takes care of all the other creatures. Sometimes, the Stables make space for new arrivals. When this happens,...

A young boy tends to a menagerie of magical creatures. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

The dragonet prophecy
Sutherland, Tui
Paper Book
The beginning of a thrilling new dragon saga-- now in paperback!Clay and his friends have grown up under a mountain, secretly raised by the Talons of Peace to fulfill a mysterious prophecy. The five young dragons are destined to end the war that's been raging between the tribes of Pyrrhia...

A traditional fantasy adventure story with a twist: all of the characters are dragons! Next to Percy Jackson, this is our most popular fantasy series for young readers in both chapter book and graphic novel form. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The storm dragon
Harrison, Paula
Paper Book
A group of friends set out to save magical creatures from a cruel queen and her wicked soldiers in the first book in the brand-new Secret Rescuers chapter book series. When Sophy finds a little lost dragon named Cloudy, she knows he's in danger. It will take all the courage she...

Paula Harrison writes lots of girl-friendly fantasy for this age group! In addition to Secret Rescuers, she also writes the Rescue Princesses and Kitty series. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

The lost stone
Quinn, Jordan
Paper Book
Welcome to the Kingdom of Wrenly--a new chapter book series full of fantasy and adventure. Meet Lucas, the eight year-old prince, and Clara, the daughter of the queen's seamstress. Lucas is an only child who longs to make friends and go on adventures. Clara knows the kingdom well...

Ten years ago, Jordan Quinn was the only author writing classic fantasy stories for beginning chapter book readers. Now we have several amazing options to choose from! (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

Rise of the earth dragon
West, Tracey
Paper Book
The New York Times bestselling Dragon Masters series is "How to Train Your Dragon" meets the Dragon Slayers' Academy, and it's perfect for newly independent readers!Pick a book. Grow a reader. This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed...

Our most popular fantasy series in this section! A great choice for kids who love the How to Train Your Dragon movies. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

How to train your dragon
Cowell, Cressida
Paper Book
7 MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THE SERIES THAT INSPIRED THE HIT MOVIES!   Action-packed, hilarious, and perfectly illustrated, How to Train Your Dragon is a beloved modern classic with millions of fans across the globe. Journey into the adventure that...

The book that inspired the movies! There are 12 books in the series. Wizards of Once and Which Way to Anywhere? series are also great choices for chapter book readers. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Dragons in a bag
Elliott, Zetta
Paper Book
The dragon's out of the bag in this diverse, young urban fantasy from an award-winning author! When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she's not his grandmother--but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering...

A young boy living in New York City discovers that his babysitter is actually a witch when she entrusts him with a bag of baby dragons who need to be delivered to a magical realm. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Into the wild
Hunter, Erin
Paper Book
Epic adventures. Fierce warrior cats. A thrilling fantasy world. It all begins here.  Read the book that began a phenomenon--and join the legion of fans who have made Erin Hunter's Warriors series a #1 national bestseller. For generations, four Clans of wild cats...

A house cat dissatisfied with his domesticated life finds his purpose in a clan of wild cats living in the woods. There is literally a new Erin Hunter book every month, so readers who love Warriors will never run out of new books to read. For more fantasy stories where animals are the protagonists, check out our Animal Fantasy book list. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Pip Bartlett's guide to magical creatures
Pearce, Jackson
Paper Book
From bestselling authors Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce comes an exciting new series full of magical creatures, whimsical adventures, and quirky illustrations.Here's a list of things Pip Bartlett can talk to:UnicornsMiniature Silky GriffinsBitterflunksBasically, all magical creaturesHere's a...

Pip Barlett's world is just like ours, except that magical creatures are real--and no one can believe that she can talk to them. Full of illustrations to her updated guide of magical creatures, this chronicles a trip to her aunt's vet clinic for the summer while a plague of fuzzles set everyone's underwear drawers on fire. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The lion, the witch and the wardrobe
Lewis, C. S.
Paper Book
A beautiful paperback edition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, book two in the classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Four adventurous siblings âe" Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie âe" step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen...

C.S. Lewis's original fantasy classic! While it's a great choice for readers of all religious traditions, Christian readers will especially appreciate Lewis' references to his own Christian faith. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The Guardian test
Soontornvat, Christina
Paper Book

Thai author Christina Soontornvat crafts a vibrant fantasy adventure story inspired by the landscapes and traditions of southeast Asia. Her Newbery Honor Book The Last Mapmaker is also a great choice for readers looking for more Asian-inspired fantasy stories. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Northern lights
Pullman, Philip
Paper Book
Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond...

The modern classic that inspired the movie and the recent HBO series. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Hereville : how Mirka got her sword
Deutsch, Barry.
Paper Book
A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, Hereville will captivate middle-school graphic novel fans with its exciting visuals and entertaining heroine. Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn't...

An observant Orthodox Jewish girl defeats a monster and earns her sword in this trilogy opener from popular cartoonist Barry Deutsch. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Amulet. Book one, The stonekeeper
Kibuishi, Kazu
Paper Book
The first book in Kazu Kibuishi's #1 New York Times bestselling series that features a beautiful but dangerous world of new friends, giant robots, and shadowy enemies! After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great...

Two siblings encounter a slightly sinister magical realm in the basement of their new home in this classic graphic novel fantasy adventure. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

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...

A Kingdom of Wrenly graphic novel spinoff series featuring dragons! A great choice for younger Wings of Fire fans as well. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Nic Blake and the Remarkables : the manifestor prophecy
Thomas, Angie
Paper Book

The author of The Hate U Give makes her middle grade debut with a fantasy adventure story inspired by Black history and folklore. For more Black history inspired fantasy, try Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

5 worlds. Book 1, The sand warrior
Siegel, Mark
Paper Book
R. J. Palacio, #1 New York Times bestselling author of WONDER, hails this adventure series as "Mind-blowingly beautiful. . . . A must-read." Think Star Wars meets Avatar- The Last Airbender! The Five Worlds are on the brink of extinction...

A fantasy adventure story with vibrant colors and a dreamy illustration style that evoke Hayao Miyazaki's animated classics. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

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...

An aspiring makeup YouTuber finds her summer plans to grow her channel derailed when she discovers she's a witch and is sent to witch camp in Louisiana. A fantastic choice for readers who share Hasani's love of makeup, fashion, and the ups and downs of middle school friendships. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Witchlings
Ortega, Claribel A.
Paper Book
An instant New York Times Bestseller! Disney's The Owl House meets Nevermoor, in a brilliant adventure from Claribel A. Ortega! Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into...

Three girls who have nothing in common, aside from their failure to be accepted into their town's established covens, must form their own or risk losing their magic. A great choice for fans of Harry Potter or The School for Good & Evil from an award-winning Dominican American author. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Alanna: the First Adventure
Pierce, Tamora
Paper Book
With brilliant new livery to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this ground-breaking fantasy series, Alanna the Lioness - the first woman knight - rides again. Alanna of Trebond may be a girl of noble birth, but she will not be sentenced to the life of a well-mannered young lady....

A teen girl switches places with her twin brother so she can train to be a knight in Tamora Pierce's fantasy classic. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Percy Jackson and the lightning thief
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times Bestseller | Now a series on Disney+ 12-year-old Percy Jackson discovers he is the son of Poseidon in the opener to the hilarious, fast-paced adventure fantasy series for young readers ages 10 and up The paperback edition of the...

Is there a fantasy-loving kid today who hasn't read the Percy Jackson books? For kids who've devoured everything Rick Riordan has ever written, try our Mythology & Folklore book list and the Rick Riordan Presents collection of fantasy adventure books inspired by world mythology. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Demon Copperhead
Kingsolver, Barbara
Paper Book
A masterpiece in storytelling from the global bestselling author of Unsheltered and Flight Behaviour.

Dragon riders are a popular topic in fantasy for readers of all ages--see Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley for teens and Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey for adults--but the Texas setting and nail-biting race format set this one apart. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy until he is rescued by an owl, taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learns to play Quidditch and does battle in a deadly duel. The Reason: HARRY POTTER IS A WIZARD!

The book that changed the game for children's publishing in general and children's fantasy books in particular! A lonely orphan learns he's the child of wizards and enrolls in wizard school (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Skandar and the unicorn thief.
Steadman, A. F.
Paper Book
HEROES AND UNICORNS AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE. The first book in the award-winning, international hit fantasy adventure series for children age 9+, and fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Eragon and Fireborn. WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022<...

Unicorns have a sparkly, innocent reputation for creatures with a sword protruding from their forehead! This fantasy adventure story takes on the darker side of traditional unicorn tales. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Nell of Gumbling : my extremely normal fairy-tale life
Steinkellner, Emma
Paper Book
Seventh grade is no fairy tale. From the bestselling author of Okay Witch comes an utterly enchanting graphic novel-diary hybrid about a twelve-year-old girl living an ordinary life in a magical land...disappointment, friend drama, adventure, mystery, and all! To everyone...

An ordinary girl in a magical small town keeps a diary of her seventh grade year in this graphic novel hybrid. Emma Steinkellner does a great job of blending the fantastical with ordinary. If you like Nell, make sure to check out her Okay Witch graphic novel series! (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The song of the swan
Sutton, Karah
Paper Book
A magical retelling of Swan Lake, featuring a clever orphan, a castle filled with enchanted swans, and a quest to unearth the secrets of the past. Olga is an orphan and a thief, relying on trickery and sleight of hand to make her way in the world. But it's magic, not...

The plot of the famous Russian ballet, itself inspired by Slavic folklore, forms the backbone of this fantasy adventure story for young readers. For more stories inspired by fairy tales, try our Fairy Tale book list. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The Nameless City. 1
Hicks, Faith Erin
Paper Book
Every nation that invades the City gives it a new name. But before long, new invaders arrive and the City changes hands once again. The natives don't let themselves get caught up in the unending wars. To them, their home is the Nameless City, and those who try to name it are forever outsiders.

A fast-paced adventure set in a fantasy world inspired by China that will especially appeal to fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Wingbearer [graphic novel]
Liu, Marjorie M.
Paper Book
A young girl must stop a threat to her magical world in this epic graphic novel from New York Times bestselling author Marjorie Liu and remarkable debut illustrator Teny Issakhanian. Plus don't miss the spectacular sequel, Wingborn, out in fall 2023! Zuli is extraordinary-...

A magical fantasy adventure about a girl raised by tree spirits from bestselling teen/adult author Marjorie Liu. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)


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