Children's Book Suggestions | Animal Fantasy

Some of our favorite animal fantasy books for readers in Grades 2-7, telling traditional fantasy stories where animals are the protagonists. You can view more animal fantasy books for young readers in the library catalog.

For more fantasy book suggestions, check out our Fairy Tales, Fantasy, and Mythology & Folklore book lists.

Updated June 6, 2024
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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The last
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
In this first book of an epic middle grade series, Katherine Applegate takes us on an unforgettable journey. A New York Times bestseller from the beloved author of the action-packed Animorphs series and the award-winning The One and Only Ivan. Byx is the youngest member of...

Katherine Applegate is one of the most prolific authors of animal stories for children! While The One and Only Ivan and others are more realistic, this one features human-like animals engaged in a classic fantasy quest. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The shelterlings
Durst, Sarah Beth
Paper Book
A group of magical misfit animals learns to appreciate their seemingly useless powers--and themselves--when they work together to thwart a villain's attempt to steal their magic. Holly, a grey squirrel, and her animal friends have accepted that they will never be wizards'...

Upside Down Magic meets The Familiars in this fantasy story, in which a group of rejected wizards' familiars band together in search of a cure for their "defective" magic. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Guardians of the Taiga
Hinojosa, Stacy
Paper Book
New York Times bestseller! From StacyPlays, creator of the mega-popular YouTube series Dogcraft, comes a thrilling illustrated novel about a girl raised by a pack of wolves and her quest to protect their shared forest home. The first in a new Minecraft-inspired...

A popular YouTuber and animal lover crafts a story about a young girl raised by wolves who works together with her animal companions to protect their home. (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 young housecat runs away to join a clan of warring cats in the woods. Easily the most popular animal fantasy series in the library! There is literally a new Erin Hunter book published every month, so you will never run out of books to read if you like the Warriors series and its spinoffs. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Lucky duck
Kurtz, Chris
Paper Book
From the critically acclaimed author of The Adventures of a South Pole Pig comes a heartwarming middle grade animal adventure story about Frank, the odd one out in a family of ducks, who discovers both his courage and unique identity as he braves the unknown to save his family from an invading...

A sweet, engaging story loosely based on The Ugly Duckling. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The wind in the willows
Grahame, Kenneth
Paper Book
Since its beginnings as a series of stories told to Kenneth Grahame's young son, The Wind in the Willows has gone on to become one of the best-loved children's books of all time. The timeless story of Toad, Rat, Mole, and Badger has delighted readers of all ages for more than eighty years....

While it's not an epic fantasy quest tale, this cozy classic features a group of humanesque animals living their best lives in the English countryside. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The capture
Lasky, Kathryn.
Audiobook

A group of imprisoned young owls must break free from their prison camp in this suspenseful tale for older elementary readers. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

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...

While cats and mice have always been popular animal fantasy protagonists, we've been getting more and more unusual animals each year! Oregonians will be especially delighted by this series featuring an intrepid young beaver. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Mez's magic
Schrefer, Eliot
Paper Book
The magical rainforest of Caldera has forever been divided into those animals who walk by night and those who walk by day. Nightwalker panthers, like young Mez and her beloved sister, have always feared daywalkers as creatures of myth and legend. Until the eclipse. Now Mez...

A group of rainforest animals set out on a magical quest in this series opener from Eliot Schrefer. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Legend of the yearling
Black, Roan
Paper Book
In the first installment of the action-packed Guardians of Horsa graphic novel series, four young horses from clashing herds must join forces to solve a mystery and save magic. Welcome to the realm of Horsa, a world of magic, wild horses, and danger. The four elemental herds of...

My Little Pony fans looking for a more traditional fantasy setting will enjoy this graphic novel set in a realm of magical horses. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Wild born
Mull, Brandon
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Mull comes Spirit Animals, an epic book series that leaps from the page into a riveting online game. Your book is the key to claim your spirit animal!In the world of Erdas, four children are about to discover if they have a spirit animal bond, a rare...

In a magical worlds where a handful of lucky 12-year-olds forge powerful bonds with magical animals, four young teens and their spirit companions set out to save the world. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The gang of the feline sun
Salati, Giorgio, 1978- author.
Paper Book
Brina, a city cat, moved to the mountains with the owners for a summer holiday. Here she meets some stray cats who call themselves "The Gang of the Feline Sun". The new friends convince her to escape her owners and become a free cat. But while Brina enjoys her newfound freedom and all the new types...

A city cat exploring the mountains on a summer vacation must decide whether to return with her humans or stay in the wild in this realistic story with animal protagonists. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Redwall
Jacques, Brian.
Paper Book
As the inhabitants of Redwall Abbey bask in the glorious Summer of the Late Rose, all is quiet and peaceful. But things are not as they seem. Cluny the Scourge--the evil one-eyed rat warlord, is ell-bent on destroying the tranquility as he prepares to fight a bloody battle for the ownership of...

A brave mouse monk helps defend his abbey home from a gang of marauding weasels in the first book of Brian Jaques' classic fantasy series. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Wild magic
Pierce, Tamora
Paper Book
Discover a land of enchantment, legend, and adventure in this first book of the Immortals series, featuring an updated cover for longtime fans and fresh converts alike, and including an all-new afterword from Tamora Pierce. Thirteen-year-old Daine has always had a special...

A young teen girl who can speak to animals is recruited to help protect her kingdom from a wave of dangerous magical creatures who've found a way to leave the world of immortals. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)


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