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 first book in a magical chapter-book adventure series by the Governor General Award-winning author of Sweep. Auggie Pound is eight years old and has the greatest job of all time: he cares for all the animals in the Fabled Stables. The Fabled Stables house the rarest...

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)

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
Read the New York Times bestselling book that inspired the hit movies! Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans, tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan by catching and training a...

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)

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 have shared...

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...

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
Don't miss one of America's top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS's The Great American Read. A mass-market paperback edition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, book two in the classic fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. This edition features cover art by Cliff Nielsen and...

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)

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)

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)

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)

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 sand warrior
Siegel, Mark
Paper Book
R. J. Palacio, #1 New York Timesbestselling author of WONDER, hails this adventure series as "Mind-blowingly beautiful. . . . A must-read." Think Star Warsmeets 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)

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
From Tamora Pierce, the first book in the Song of the Lioness Quartet, honored with the Margaret A. Edwards Award. "From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight." In a time when girls are forbidden to be warriors, Alanna of Trebond wants...

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 Olympians the Lightning Thief Deluxe Collector's Edition
Riordan, Rick.
Paper Book
The deluxe collectors' edition of Rick Riordan's classic first novel, a #1 New York Times bestseller with millions of copies sold throughout the world The worldwide phenomenon that inspired 2 feature-length movies, a Broadway musical, and a streaming series on Disney+...

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 : A Novel
Kingsolver, Barbara
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 philosopher's stone
Rowling, J.K.
Paper Book
Prepare to be spellbound by Jim Kay's dazzling depiction of the wizarding world and much loved characters in this full-colour illustrated hardback edition of the nation's favourite children's book - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Brimming with rich detail and humour that...

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)

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)


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