Mythology-Inspired Fantasy for Tweens

Check out this diverse selection of mythology- and folklore-inspired original fantasy adventures for middle grade readers. Perfect for Percy Jackson fans and readers who love myths and legends.

Updated April 26, 2024
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Amira & Hamza : the war to save the worlds
Ahmed, Samira (Fiction writer)
A Kirkus Best Middle Grade Book of 2021! From New York Times and indie bestselling author Samira Ahmed comes a thrilling and magical adventure intertwining Islamic legend and history, perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the Land...
The enchanted life of Valentina Mejía
Alessandri, Alexandra
Encanto meets The Chronicles of Narnia by way of Colombian folklore in this middle grade fantasy adventure. To save their father's life, a brother and sister must journey across a land full of mythical creatures and find the most powerful and dangerous of them all: the madremonte.
The jumbies
Baptiste, Tracey
The jumbies are coming! Corinne La Mer isn't afraid of anything. Not scorpions, not the boys who tease her, and certainly not jumbies. She knows that jumbies aren't real; they're just creatures parents make up to frighten their children. But on All Hallows' Eve...
Maya and the rising dark
Barron, Rena
In this highly anticipated contemporary fantasy, twelve-year-old Maya's search for her missing father puts her at the center of a battle between our world, the Orishas, and the mysterious and sinister Dark world. Perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the End of Time and The Serpent's...
Serwa Boateng's guide to vampire hunting
Brown, Roseanne A.
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...
Charlie Hern©Łndez & the league of shadows
Calejo, Ryan
"This is a perfect pick for kids who love Rick Riordan's many series, particularly for those eager for mythologies beyond Greek and Roman stories." --Booklist (starred review) "A winner for all kids, but it will be especially beloved by Latinx and Hispanic families." --...
The storm runner
Cervantes, Jennifer
"A perfect storm of inspiring heroes, surprising twists, and some seriously scary monsters. This hilarious, expertly-plotted adventure keeps you racing through the pages and leaves you desperate for the next book (and craving a steaming mug of hot chocolate)!" --Shannon Messenger, New York...
City of the plague god
Chadda, Sarwat
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents an adventure based on ancient Mesopotamian mythology by Sarwat Chadda, author of the Ash Mistry series. "An epic worthy of Gilgamesh. Chadda brings attention to the less well-recognized mythology of ancient Mesopotamia with engaging...
The scroll of chaos
Chapman, Elsie
Join Astrid Xu in this action-packed adventure as she ventures into the world of mythological China in order to save her mother -- and the world! Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings! When Astrid Xu stumbles upon an ancient scroll with...
Aru Shah and the end of time
Chokshi, Roshani
Best-selling author Rick Riordan introduces this fantasy adventure by New York Times best-selling author, Roshani Chokshi, inspired by the great epics she grew up on. Named one of 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time by Time magazine! Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a...
The spirit glass
Chokshi, Roshani
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...
The serpent's secret
Dasgupta, Sayantani
From New York Times bestselling author comes a world packed with action and adventure, perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Soman Chainani.MEET KIRANMALA:INTERDIMENSIONAL DEMON SLAYER(Only she doesn't know it yet.) On the morning of her twelfth birthday, Kiranmala is just a regular sixth...
The widely unknown myth of Apple & Dorothy
Haydu, Corey Ann
Critically acclaimed author Corey Ann Haydu crafts a spellbinding tale following the modern-day descendants of ancient Greek gods--and how two young girls struggling against the weight of the family history end up becoming their own epic myth with large consequences. If you...
Lalani of the distant sea
Kelly, Erin Entrada
"A lush and mysterious fable, full of beauty, full of wonder."--Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly's debut fantasy novel is a gorgeous, literary adventure about bravery, friendship, self-reliance, and the...
The last fallen star : a Gifted clans novel
Kim, Graci
Riley Oh can't wait to see her sister get initiated into the Gom clan, a powerful lineage of Korean healing witches their family has belonged to for generations. Her sister, Hattie, will earn her Gi bracelet and finally be able to cast spells without adult supervision. Although Riley is desperate to...
Pahua and the soul stealer
Lee, Lori M.
"I love the adventures Pahua has in this book. I also love the sense of humor, the clever plotting, and the fantastic cast of characters. But most of all I love Pahua- her courage, her kindness, and her love for family."--NYT best-selling author Rick Riordan Winner...
Winston Chu vs. the whimsies
Lee, Stacey
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling author Stacey Lee's modern reimagining of a classic Chinese folktale--replete with magic, boba, and lots of trash talking. Twelve-year-old Winston Chu is supposed to learn impulse control at the cooking academy his mom...
Where the mountain meets the moon
Lin, Grace.
A Time Magazine 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time selection!​ A Reader's Digest Best Children's Book of All Time​! This stunning fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore is a companion novel to Starry River of the Sky and the...
Medusa
Marsh, Katherine
"You won't be able to stop turning pages . . . it is so stinking good!" --Colby Sharp, author of The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection From National Book Award finalist Katherine Marsh: Percy Jackson meets Wednesday Addams in this fantastical adventure about...
LEI AND THE FIRE GODDESS
MAUNAKEA, MALIA
"Lei and the Fire Goddess blends preteen angst and beloved Hawaiian moʻolelo in a way that hasn't been done before." -Auliʻi Cravalho, actress and voice of Disney's Princess Moana Curses aren't real. At least, that's what twelve-year-old, part...
Tristan Strong punches a hole in the sky
Mbalia, Kwame
Seventh grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he's going to spend on his grandparents' farm in Alabama,...
The fight for the hidden realm
McDermott, Siobhan
A 12-year-old girl wins an invitation to train as an apprentice to immortals in the first book of the new must-read magical series destined to take the world by storm--perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers, Skandar and Eragon. Let the competition begin! ...
Paola Santiago and the river of tears
Mejia, Tehlor Kay
Space-obsessed 12-year-old Paola Santiago and her two best friends, Emma and Dante, know the rule- Stay away from the river. It's all they've heard since a schoolmate of theirs drowned a year ago. Pao is embarrassed to admit that she has been told to stay away for even longer than that, because her...
BATU AND THE SEARCH FOR THE GOLDEN CUP
NAURYZBAI, ZIRA
A warrior's power lies not in his weapons but in his heart. Batu is just an ordinary kid in present-day Almaty, worried about bullies, school, and his mom's new baby...until the day he meets Aspara, the Golden Warrior. Aspara steps straight out of Batu's notebook cover--and out of...
Black bird, blue road
Pasternack, Sofiya
In this historical fantasy novel, praised as a "rich, omen-filled journey that powerfully shows love and its limits*" and "propulsive, wise, and heartbreaking,"** Ziva will do anything to save her twin brother Pesah from his illness--even facing the Angel of Death himself....
Cameron Battle and the hidden kingdoms
Perry, Jamar J
Inspired by West African and Igbo history and mythology, this adventurous middle-grade fantasy debut perfect for fans of Aru Shah and Tristan Strong celebrates the triumphs and challenges of a boy finding his truth path to greatness. As the true Descendant, I command to...
Pilar Ramirez and the escape from Zafa
Randall, Julian
The Land of Stories meets Dominican myths and legends come to life in Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa, a blockbuster contemporary middle-grade fantasy duology starter from Julian Randall. Fans of Tristan Strong and The Storm Runner, here is your next...
Cece Rios and the desert of souls
Rivera, Kaela
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...
Rayleigh Mann in the company of monsters
Smart, Ciannon
"A dangerously good time!" --Kwame Mbalia, #1 New York Times bestselling author "This enchanting world will grab hold and never let go. Triumphant!" --Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Marvellers  Enter the world of Below London,...
Momo Arashima steals the sword of the wind
Sugiura, Misa
A thrilling fantasy series about a twelve year old girl who sets out to save her Shinto goddess mother--and the world--by facing down demons intent on bringing chaos. "A grand adventure." --Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fablehaven "A wild...
Fenris & Mott
Van Eekhout, Greg
A girl and her puppy face down the end of the world--which the puppy's partly responsible for--in this middle grade story from acclaimed author Greg van Eekhout, perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and J.C. Cervantes. When Mott finds a puppy abandoned in a recycling bin,...
Lulu Sinagtala and the city of noble warriors
Villanueva, Gail D.
In this fast-paced, thrilling middle grade fantasy rooted in Tagalog mythology, a young Filipino girl discovers realms beyond our own full of monsters and gods, a terrible evil who wants her magic, and even a talking duck! The first book in a duology from Gail D. Villanueva (My Fate According to...
The dragon warrior
Zhao, Katie
"An exhilarating tale. . . Readers will be enthralled." --J.C. Cervantes, New York Times bestselling author of The Storm Runner A debut novel inspired by Chinese mythology, this middle-grade fantasy follows an outcast as she embarks on a quest to save the...
ZACHARY YING AND THE DRAGON EMPEROR
ZHAO, XIRAN JAY
Percy Jackson meets Tristan Strong in this hilarious middle grade "edge-of-your-seat adventure" (James Ponti, New York Times bestselling author of City Spies) that follows a young boy as he journeys across China to seal the underworld shut and save the mortal realm. ...

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