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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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.

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Willa the wisp
Auxier, Jonathan
Paper Book
The Fabled Stables: Willa the Wisp is the first in a fully illustrated chapter book series from New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Auxier and artist Olga Demidova. Welcome to the Fabled Stables, a magical building filled with one-of-a...

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

The dragonet prophecy
Sutherland, Tui
Paper Book
A thrilling new series soars above the competition and redefines middle-grade fantasy fiction for a new generation!The seven dragon tribes have been at war for generations, locked in an endless battle over an ancient, lost treasure. A secret movement called the Talons of Peace is determined to bring...

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 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...

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
Fire alone can save our Clan. For generations, four Clans of cats have shared the forest. But ThunderClan is in grave danger, and ShadowClan grows stronger every day. In the midst of this turmoil appears a house cat named Rusty . . . who may turn out to be the bravest warrior...

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)

Upside-down magic
Mlynowski, Sarah
Paper Book
Meet the Upside-Down Magic kids in the first topsy-turvy adventure of this New York Times bestselling series, now a Disney Channel Original Movie!It's never easy when your magic goes wonky.For Nory, this means that instead of being able to turn into a dragon or a kitten, she turns into both of them...

A group of kids whose magic doesn't work quite as expected bonds in the Upside Down Magic class at their magical elementary school. A solid choice for kids who love the idea of magic school stories but aren't quite ready for Harry Potter. Kids with IEPs may find Nory and her classmates' experiences especially relateable! (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 hardcover edition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, book two in C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia.  The full-color jacket features art by three-time Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator David Wiesner. The interior includes ...

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
From three-time Newbery honor recipient Christina Soontornvat comes a thrilling fantasy series about kids who can transform into amazing animals! Young Plum is shocked to discover that she's been accepted to the Guardian Academy on Lotus Island, an elite school where kids learn how to...

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)

A dragon's guide to the care and feeding of humans
Yep, Laurence
Paper Book
Fans of How to Train Your Dragon will love this whimsical tale, the first in a series, by a Newbery Honor winner, featuring charming illustrations and pet "training tips" in each chapter. Crusty dragon Miss Drake has a new pet human, precocious Winnie. Oddly enough, Winnie seems...

A grumpy old dragon grieving the loss of her beloved pet human, Fluffy, finds herself reinvigorated by the friendship of Fluffy's 10-year-old great niece. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The golden compass
Pullman, Philip
Paper Book
The modern fantasy classic that Entertainment Weekly named an "All-Time Greatest Novel" and Newsweek hailed as a "Top 100 Book of All Time." Philip Pullman takes readers to a world where humans have animal familiars and where parallel universes are within reach. ...

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

Giants beware!
Aguirre, Jorge.
Paper Book
Make way for Claudette the giant slayer in this delightful, fantastical adventure! Claudette's fondest wish is to slay a giant. But her village is so safe and quiet! What's a future giant slayer to do? With her best friend Marie (an aspiring princess), and her brother...

A brave girl with grand ambitions sets out with her friends to slay a giant and save her dad. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Tower of treasure
Chantler, Scott.
Paper Book
As an acrobat in a traveling circus, 14-year-old orphan Dessa Redd flies through the air with ease. Still, she is weighed down by troubling memories. But when her ragtag circus troupe pulls into the city of Kingsbridge, Dessa feels a tickle of hope. Maybe here in the royal city she will finally find...

Kid-friendly heist stories set in a fantasy world in which a group of young circus performers find new ways to use their skills. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Hereville : how Mirka got her sword
Deutsch, Barry.
Paper Book
Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn't interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There's only one thing she does want: to fight dragons! Granted, no...

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 1, The stonekeeper
Kibuishi, Kazu
Paper Book
After moving into an old ancestral home, Emily and Navin's mother is kidnapped and dragged down the basement stairs by a mysterious creature, and after giving chase, the kids find themselves in a magical but dangerous world of man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, and shadowy enemies. Simultaneous...

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)

Hilda and the Midnight Giant
Pearson, Luke.
Paper Book
WATCH SEASONS ONE AND TWO OF HILDA THE ANIMATED SERIES NOW ON NETFLIX! "Luke Pearson is one of the best cartoonists working today. Hilda is utterly brilliant!" --Raina Telgemeier, creator of Smile Hilda finds her world turned upside down as...

The graphic novel that inspired the Netflix series! A young girl encounters magical creatures in both the wilderness, where she spent her childhood, and her new home in the city. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

The Manifestor prophecy
Thomas, Angie
Paper Book
Instant #1 New York Times bestseller! Internationally bestselling superstar author Angie Thomas makes her middle grade debut with the launch of an inventive, hilarious, and suspenseful new contemporary fantasy trilogy inspired by African American history and folklore. It's not...

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)

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)

The book of three
Alexander, Lloyd.
Paper Book
The Newbery-winning fantasy series now available in gorgeous new paperback editions! Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is...

While most readers are more familiar with the award-winning The Black Cauldron and its movie adaptation, this is the first book in Alexander's classic fantasy series inspired by Welsh history and lore. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Witchlings
Ortega, Claribel A.
Paper Book
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Perfect for fans of Wicked and KPop Demon Hunters. This is a page-turning adventure about fitting in, standing out, and the magical power of friendship. Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the...

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
A girl disguises herself as a boy to train as a knight in this first book in Tamora Pierce's Margaret A. Edwards Award-winning young adult series--now with a new look! From now on, I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight. In a time when girls...

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)

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 hardcover 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)

The great Texas dragon race
Ritter, Kacy
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE * WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION New York Times Readers' Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century * An Oprah's Book Club Selection * An Instant New York Times Bestseller * An Instant Wall Street Journal Bestseller * A #1 Washington Post...

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 sorcerer's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
The beloved first book of the Harry Potter series, now fully illustrated by award-winning artist Jim Kay. For the first time, J.K. Rowling's beloved Harry Potter books will be presented in lavishly illustrated full-color editions. Award-winning artist Jim Kay has created over 100 stunning...

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
Soar into a breathtaking world of heroes and unicorns as you've never seen them before in this fantastical middle grade debut perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson and Eragon series! Skandar Smith has always yearned to leave the Mainland and escape to the secretive Island, where...

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)

Theo Tan and the fox spirit
Sutanto, Jesse Q.
Paper Book
After inheriting a grieving fox spirit, a Chinese American boy must learn to embrace his heritage to solve the mystery of his brother's death in Jesse Q Sutanto's magical, action-packed middle grade fantasy, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit. Theo Tan doesn't want a spirit...

A Chinese American teen investigates his older brother Jamie's death with the help of Kai, Jamie's fox spirit companion. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The Nameless City
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)

Find this list online: https://librarian.syndetics.com/syndeticsunbound/lp/2262.2833/list/3747

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