Fantasy & Steampunk

Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper, book 1

First book in one of the OG epic fantasy grail-quest series! From the publisher: "All through time, the two great forces of Light and Dark have battled for control of the world. Now, after centuries of balance, the Dark is summoning its terrifying forces to rise once more…and three children find themselves caught in the conflict.

The Drew siblings—Simon, Jane, and Barney—are on a family holiday in Cornwall [Wales] when they discover an ancient map in the attic of the house they are sharing with their Great Uncle Merry. They know immediately that the map is special but have no way of knowing how much. For the map leads to a grail: a vital weapon for the Light’s fight against evil. In taking on the quest to find the grail, the Drews will have to race against the sinister human beings who serve the dreadful power of the dark—an adventure that puts their own lives in grave peril."

Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

From the publisher: "Once was, once wasn’t.

So began the stories Marjan’s father told her as a little girl—fables like the story of the girl who sprung a unicorn from a hunter’s snare, or the nomad boy who rescued a baby shirdal. Tales of mythical beasts that filled her with curiosity and wonder. 

But Marjan’s not a little girl anymore. In the wake of her father’s sudden death, she is trying to hold it all together: her schoolwork, friendships, and keeping her dad’s shoestring veterinary practice from going under. Then, one day, she receives a visitor who reveals something stunning: Marjan’s father was no ordinary veterinarian. The creatures out of the stories he told her were real—and he traveled the world to care for them. And now that he’s gone, she must take his place. 

Marjan steps into a secret world hidden in plain sight, where magical creatures are bought and sold, treasured and trapped. She finds friends she never knew she needed—a charming British boy who grew up with a griffon, a runaway witch seeking magic and home—while trying to hide her double life from her old friends and classmates. 

The deeper Marjan gets into treating these animals, the closer she comes to finding who killed her father—and to a shocking truth that will reawaken her sense of wonder and put humans and beasts in the gravest of danger."

Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Sydney Taylor Award Honor book, inspired by Russian and Jewish folklore. From the publisher: "...fantasy and mayhem in tenth century Eastern Europe, where headstrong eleven-year-old Anya is a daughter of the only Jewish family in her village. When her family’s livelihood is threatened by a bigoted magistrate, Anya is lured in by a friendly family of fools, who promise her money in exchange for helping them capture the last dragon in Kievan Rus. This seems easy enough, until she finds out that the scary old dragon isn’t as old—or as scary—as everyone thought. Now Anya is faced with a choice: save the dragon, or save her family."

Sequel: Anya and the Nightingale 

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

From the publisher: "Some stories refuse to stay bottled up…

When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni’s Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal–return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni’s health–Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice…and the courage to face a tiger."

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

This dystopian fantasy series is very popular! From the publisher: "Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their graves.

On the day of the Purge, identical twins Alex and Aaron Stowe await their fate. While Aaron is hopeful of becoming a Wanted, Alex knows his chances are slim. He’s been caught drawing with a stick in the dirt-and in the stark gray land of Quill, being creative is a death sentence.

But when Alex and the other Unwanteds face the Eliminators, they discover an eccentric magician named Mr. Today and his hidden world that exists to save the condemned children. Artimé is a colorful place of talking statues, uncommon creatures, and artistic magic, where creativity is considered a gift… and a weapon."

Check out the series website, where you can read excerpts of the rest of the books. And be sure to check out the companion series, Unwanteds Quests for DRAGONS!

The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi

This is Jumanji meets Aladdin!  Farah Mirza comes from a family of game-lovers.  Being highly competitive, it irks her a bit to have to let her little brother, Ahmad, win. He's annoying, but she loves him.  When her aunt gives her a game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand on her birthday, she and her best friends, Essie and Alex, are eager to play. But then Ahmad jumps in, and gets stuck in the game, so the three friends will have to play for real -- or they'll all end up stuck in it forever!  With action, adventure, puzzles, riddles, help from a balloonist, a market peddler and some talking lizards, they must defeat the evil Architect of the game to save themselves. 

The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani Dasgupta

Kiranmala is your average 12-year-old Jersey girl, or so she thinks.  Her parents have always told her she's a "real Indian princess" from another dimension. In fact, on Halloween, which happens to be her birthday, they always make her dress up as an Indian princess.  She thinks they're just being weird, figures that's part of being the daughter of immigrants, who share their legends and folktales. But she doesn't really believe the stories of rakkhosh demons (giant rhyming fiends with slobbering fangs who will devour you as soon as look at you) and flying horses and princes and princesses and kings and queens. Until the day of her 12th birthday, when she comes home from school to find her parents have been snatched away by demons to the other dimension. Then a rakkhosh shows up in her kitchen and tries to eat her, two princes on flying horses show up at her door and tell her she must accompany them to the other dimension if she wants to save her parents. Kiran has to decide whether to trust them, travel to the other dimension and save her parents (who aren't really her parents after all -- all the stories were true), and possibly save the world.  If you're a fan of Percy Jackson stories, based on Greek mythology, you will love this action-filled tale based on Bengali folktales. It is funny, and thrilling, a little scary, and a lot fantastic! This is the first of the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series; the sequel is Game of Stars.

Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor

Nigerian magic mixed with a dash of The Hulk, topped with some Batman-level vigilante justice, all mixed up in a boy's mission to get revenge on his father's killer (if he can figure out who did it).  A year after Nnamdi's police chief father is murdered in his office, his ghost appears to Nnamdi and gives him a magical object -- an Ikenga, which gives him superpowers.  Nnamdi can become "The Man" -- a terrifying giant with superhearing and superstrength who thwarts all the criminals in his home town of Kaleria. The problem is that the townspeople start to think that The Man is the bad guy!  Nnamdi, struggling to control his powers, also fears that in his anger, he is doing more harm than right. Enlisting the help of his two best friends, he must find his father's killer, stop the Chief of Chiefs (head of crime), and save his town.

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beaseley

Micah's Grandpa Ephraim is dying. When he talks about a secret... a magic circus he visited as a child, and the most powerful magician, The Man Who Bends Light, and the miracle Ephraim was supposed to get, Micah thinks he's just rambling, or imagining it. But it's all true... and Micah will have to use the circus magic to save his grandfather... but will the Lightbender keep his promise? Don't miss the new sequel!

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

Corinne La Mer lives at the edge of a forest on a Caribbean island with her dad. She's fearless... mostly.  She doesn't believe in the old tales of jumbies, fearsome creatures who once ruled the island, until humans took over, but who want it back.  Until All Hallow's Eve, when the spirits are said to walk the land, and a beautiful but mysterious woman appears out of nowhere, and puts Corinne's father under a spell.  Who is she? and what does she want?  Can Corinne save her dad, and the island?  With the help of two local homeless boys, and a new friend, she might have a shot. 

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

The first of the Prydain Chronicles, which are classic high fantasy books based on Welsh mythology.  The Black Cauldron was made into an animated film.  The High King won the Newbery Award. These are a don't miss epic quest -- like Lord of the Rings for kids.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

From the publisher: "In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer. "

Wonderling by Mira Bartok

From the publisher: "Welcome to the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures, an institution run by evil Miss Carbunkle, a cunning villainess who believes her terrified young charges exist only to serve and suffer. Part animal and part human, the groundlings toil in classroom and factory, forbidden to enjoy anything regular children have, most particularly singing and music. For the Wonderling, an innocent-hearted, one-eared, fox-like eleven-year-old with only a number rather than a proper name — a 13 etched on a medallion around his neck — it is the only home he has ever known. But unexpected courage leads him to acquire the loyalty of a young bird groundling named Trinket, who gives the Home’s loneliest inhabitant two incredible gifts: a real name — Arthur, like the good king in the old stories — and a best friend. Using Trinket’s ingenious invention, the pair escape over the wall and embark on an adventure that will take them out into the wider world and ultimately down the path of sweet Arthur’s true destiny."

The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan

Don't miss the latest book in the Trials of Apollo series!!!

Rick Riordan Presents

Rick Riordan Presents is a special imprint from the prolific author of the Percy Jackson, Kane Chronicles, Heroes of Olympus, Magnus Chase, and Trials of Apollo series. Riordan is helping other authors tell stories based on their cultures' legends.  Each is the start of a series, and has the same action-packed kind of story-telling, and great characters as his own books. Try them all (and their sequels):

Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older

First of a series. From the publisher: "It's 1863 and dinosaurs roam the streets of New York as the Civil War rages between raptor-mounted armies down South. Magdalys Roca and her friends from the Colored Orphan Asylum are on a field trip when the Draft Riots break out, and a number of their fellow orphans are kidnapped by an evil magistrate, Richard Riker.

Magdalys and her friends flee to Brooklyn and settle in the Dactyl Hill neighborhood, where black and brown New Yorkers have set up an independent community, a safe haven from the threats of Manhattan. Together with the Vigilance Committee, they train to fly on dactylback, discover new friends and amazing dinosaurs, and plot to take down Riker. Can Magdalys and the squad rescue the rest of their friends before it's too late?"

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

First of a series; publisher description: "Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not comfortable with her family, either. The reason? Sophie’s a Telepath, someone who can read minds. No one knows her secret—at least, that’s what she thinks…

But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a Telepath, too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well…she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth, and she is forced to leave behind her family for a new life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known.

But Sophie still has secrets, and they’re buried deep in her memory for good reason: The answers are dangerous and in high-demand. What is her true identity, and why was she hidden among humans? The truth could mean life or death—and time is running out." 

The author also wrote the Sky Fall series for young adults.

Mananaland by Pam Munoz Ryan

By the multiple-award winning author! From the publisher: "Maximiliano Córdoba loves stories, especially the legend Buelo tells him about a mythical gatekeeper who can guide brave travelers on a journey into tomorrow.

If Max could see tomorrow, he would know if he'd make Santa Maria's celebrated fútbol team and whether he'd ever meet his mother, who disappeared when he was a baby. He longs to know more about her, but Papá won't talk. So when Max uncovers a buried family secret — involving an underground network of guardians who lead people fleeing a neighboring country to safety — he decides to seek answers on his own.

With a treasured compass, a mysterious stone rubbing, and Buelo's legend as his only guides, he sets out on a perilous quest to discover if he is true of heart and what the future holds."

The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu

First of the Cronus Chronicles series. From the publisher: "Something extraordinary is about to happen to Charlotte Mielswetzski.

It's not the very cute kitten that appears out of nowhere. It's not the arrival of her cousin Zee, who believes he's the cause of a mysterious sickness that has struck his friends back in England. And it's not the white-faced, yellow-eyed men in tuxedos who follow Charlotte everywhere. What's so extraordinary is not any one of these things. It's all of them.

When Charlotte's friends start to get sick, Charlotte and Zee set out to find a cure. Their quest leads them to a not-so-mythical Underworld, where they face Harpies that love to rhyme, gods with personnel problems, and ghosts with a thirst for blood.

Charlotte and Zee learn that in a world overrun by Nightmares, Pain, and Death, the really dangerous character is a guy named Phil. And then they discover that the fate of every person -- living and dead -- is in their hands."

The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty

From the publisher: "Being an Inquisitor is no job for a nice Jewish boy. But when the police learn that Sacha Kessler can see witches, he’s apprenticed to the department’s star Inquisitor, Maximillian Wolf. Their mission is to stop magical crime. And New York at the beginning of the twentieth century is a magical melting pot where each ethnic group has its own brand of homegrown witchcraft, and magical gangs rule the streets from Hell’s Kitchen to Chinatown.

Soon Sacha has teamed up with fellow apprentice Lily Astral, daughter of one of the city’s richest Wall Street Wizards—and a spoiled snob, if you ask Sacha. Their first case is to find out who’s trying to kill Thomas Edison.

Edison has invented a mechanical witch detector that could unleash the worst witch-hunt in American history. Every magician in town has a motive to kill him. But as the investigation unfolds, all the clues lead back to the Lower East Side. And Sacha soon realizes that his own family could be accused of murder!"

Sequel: the Watcher in the Shadows.

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

First of a series. From the publisher: "Siblings Kate, Michael, and Emma have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage.

 Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.

 Until now.

 Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey through time to dangerous and secret corners of the world . . . a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem. And—if an ancient prophesy is true—what they do can change history, and it’s up to them to set things right."

Half Magic by Edward Eager

Classic fave!  If you like fantasy (or have ever seen the Disney movie Aladdin), you know to be careful what you wish for -- because it doesn't always come out the way you want! Jane, Katharine, Mark, and Martha are bored -- it's summer in the city, it's hot, and they just want an adventure like the ones they read about in stories.  Then, Jane finds a coin... a magic coin!  But, it's only half magic... If they can figure out how it works, maybe, just maybe, they can get it to work for them!

Listen to a sample.

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

From the publisher: The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever.

It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago—a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it’s the day he met Mal—a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help.

Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves. "

The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson

Morgan and Eli are foster sister and brother. Their foster parents are kind, but kinda clueless when it comes to how they feel about being cut off from their Indigenous culture.  Morgan's been in several foster homes, and knows that it could be a LOT worse. For Eli, it's his first time, and he's still grieving. But he loves to draw -- he's always carrying around the sketch pad his dad gave him. Neither one of them fits in much at school.

One day, while exploring in the attic, they find a secret room, and decide to make it their little cozy space.  Eli hangs up one of his drawings, and suddenly, a portal opens up. Snow starts blowing into the attic. Scared, they take it down.

But one night, Morgan wakes to a chill, and realizes that Eli has gone thru the portal, to a land called Misewa.  Terrified something may happen to him, or that their foster parents will kick them out, Morgan goes to rescue him.  They meet a creature called Ochek (he's a human-sized, walking and talking on two legs forest animal: a fisher).  Ochek explains that Misewa is in the grip of a perpetual winter (due to a bad human who took away the summer birds), and it will take a mission of danger and sacrifice to save it, and bring back the warmth of summer.  Eli is determined to save Misewa (and redeem humankind), and Morgan reluctantly agrees to help. They head off, with the help of Arik, a snarky squirrel.  Will they survive? Can they save Misewa and its starving creatures?

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

This is a steampunk/sci-fi/fantasy adventure reimagining of World War I.  The “Clankers” are Germans & Austrians who prefer the mechanical – fantastical machines using steam energy. Alek is the illegitimate son of the Archduke, and the traitors who assassinated his parents are after him. He escapes with his tutor, his fencing teacher, and a couple of loyal soldiers. On the other side are the "Darwinists", British and their allies, who merge machines with animal DNA.  Deryn's got the talent and the guts to serve in the British Royal Air Force, but she's a girl. So she disguises herself as a boy and joins up, serving on a giant airship (like a blimp) made from a whale, with weapons like strafing hawks and flechette bats.  Deryn and Alek should be enemies, but they join forces to stop the war. With great characters, strange creations, and nonstop action, this is one book you won't be able to put down.  Two sequels: Behemoth and Goliath. 

The Rosemary Spell by Virginia Zimmerman

From the publisher: "Part mystery, part literary puzzle, part life-and-death quest, and chillingly magical, this novel has plenty of suspense for adventure fans and is a treat for readers who love books, words, and clues. Best friends Rosie and Adam find an old book with blank pages that fill with handwriting before their eyes. Something about this magical book has the power to make people vanish, even from memory. The power lies in a poem—a spell. When Adam's older sister, Shelby, disappears, they struggle to retain their memories of her as they race against time to bring her back from the void, risking their own lives in the process."

Furthermore by Tahera Mafi

By the author of the Shatter Me series. From the publisher: "Inspired by her childhood love of books like A Secret Garden and The Chronicles of Narnia, bestselling author Tahereh Mafi crafts a spellbinding new world where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn’t miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it’s been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she’s about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she’ll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. It will take all of Alice’s wits (and every limb she’s got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself—and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss."

Sequel: Whichwood

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

By the author of The Hunger Games series, this fantasy series is also very good.    It's a little bit like a kids' Lord of the Rings, because there are various types of creatures, all banding together against a common enemy.  Gregor is doing laundry in his apartment building's basement one day, watching over his little sister. When she disappears behind the washing machine through a hole into a vast underground world beneath the city, Gregor follows.  There are rats, and 6-foot tall talking cockroaches (who love to babysit his sister), spiders, and bats, who are battling to fulfill an ancient prophecy... and Gregor and his sister will play an important part. Oh, and they just might find an answer to the long-ago disappearance of their father...  

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Two of the most popular YA fantasy authors teamed up to write the Magisterium series.  At first, you might think it's a Harry Potter wanna-be... a boy who's special, who goes to a magic school, with two best friends (one boy, one girl), but it is definitely NOT!  It starts with Callum's father trudging through the snow, up a mountain, to the scene of a battle between good and evil magic.  Hoping his wife and baby son will still be alive at the top. When he gets there, all are dead.  Then he sees his wife's body, and hears a cry. His boy is alive!  But his wife has scrawled into the ice, "Kill the child!" What could it mean?  

Skellig by David Almond

Michael and his family have just moved into a new house.  His parents are busy taking care of his baby sister, who is seriously ill.  Once his father tells him not to go into the garage (it’s full of stuff from the previous owner), of course Michael goes exploring.  There he finds a creature that looks vaguely like a person, but has bird wings, and is dusty and covered with blue-bottle flies. Michael also befriends Mina, a neighbor girl who is a home-schooled free spirit. Together, they try to figure out who or what Skellig is. 

This British author always explores deep, symbolic meanings.  The creature of Skellig draws inspiration from (or has elements of) figures from nearly every religion and cultural legend, and ends up being a quasi-angelic figure. Can he save Michael’s baby sister? It is a beautiful book. There is a companion story, a prequel called My Name is Mina.  Some of the author's other weird and wonderful stories include: Clay, about a boy who can bring clay figures to life to fight bullies, and several other titles.

Summer and Bird by Katherine Catmull

From the publisher: "An enchanting–and twisted–tale of two sisters’ quest to find their parents. 

When their parents disappear in the middle of the night, young sisters Summer and Bird set off on a quest to find them. A cryptic picture message from their mother leads them to a familiar gate in the woods, but comfortable sights quickly give way to a new world entirely–Down–one inhabited by talking birds and the evil Puppeteer queen. Summer and Bird are quickly separated, and their divided hearts lead them each in a very different direction in the quest to find their parents, vanquish the Puppeteer, lead the birds back to their Green Home, and discover the identity of the true bird queen."

Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows

First of a series, for fans of Percy Jackson and the Rick Riordan Presents books. From the publisher: "Thanks to his abuela’s stories, Charlie possesses an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the monsters and ghouls who have spent the last five hundred years haunting the imaginations of children all across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Central and South America. And even though his grandmother sometimes hinted that the tales might be more than mere myth... he knew the stories were just make-believe—nothing more than intricately woven fables meant to keep little kids from misbehaving.

But when Charlie begins to experience freaky bodily manifestations—ones all too similar to those described by his grandma in his favorite legend—he is suddenly swept up in a world where the mythical beings he’s spent his entire life hearing about seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Hispanic folklore and into his life. And even stranger, they seem to know more about him than he knows about himself.

Soon, Charlie finds himself in the middle of an ancient battle between La Liga, a secret society of legendary mythological beings sworn to protect the Land of the Living, and La Mano Peluda (a.k.a. the Hairy Hand), a cabal of evil spirits determined to rule mankind. With only the help of his lifelong crush, Violet Rey, and his grandmother’s stories to guide him, Charlie must navigate a world where monsters and brujas rule and things he couldn’t possibly imagine go bump in the night. That is, if he has any hope of discovering what’s happening to him and saving his missing parents (oh, and maybe even the world)."

Sequel: Charlie Hernandez and the Castle of Bones

The Finisher by David Baldacci

The first in the Vega Jane series by this prolific author, who usually writes thrillers for adults. From the author website at Hachette: "Why would Quentin Herms flee into the Quag? There was nothing in the Quag except certain death.

Vega Jane has never left the village of Wormwood. But this isn’t unusual – nobody has ever left the village of Wormwood. At least not until Quentin Herms vanishes into the unknown.

Vega knows Quentin didn’t just leave – he was chased. And he’s left behind a very dangerous trail of clues that only she can decode.

The Quag is a dark forest filled with terrifying beasts and bloodthirsty Outliers. But just as deadly are the threats that exist within the walls of Wormwood. It is a place built on lies, where influential people are willing to kill to keep their secrets. Vega is determined to uncover the truth – but the closer she gets, the more she risks her life."

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

From the publisher: "In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well."

Also check out her other series, The Mark of the Thief, and her new series, The Traitor's Game.

The Ranger's Apprentice: Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

From The World of John Flanagan: “They have always scared him in the past—the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice. What he doesn’t yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied. . .” This is the first of a popular series.

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

From the publisher: "Eugenides, the queen’s thief, can steal anything—or so he says. When his boasting lands him in prison and the king’s magus invites him on a quest to steal a legendary object, he’s in no position to refuse. The magus thinks he has the right tool for the job, but Gen has plans of his own."

The first of a series.

The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill

Ned is the Witch's boy: his mother is Sister Witch, the village healer whom everybody needs sometimes but is a little afraid of the rest of the time. Sister Witch is from a long line of those who are supposed to take care of and hold back magic. When Ned and his twin brother were little, nobody could tell them apart, but when only Ned survives their raft ride on the roaring river, the villagers whisper that the wrong boy survived. Ned hasn't spoken much since, but his brother's voice is in his head. On the other side of the deep, dark forest is a kingdom with a spoiled, whiny King who wants to conquer Ned's village and the magic. In the depth of the forest is a Bandit King, and his daughter, Aine, whose dying mother told her the wrong boy will save her and the wolf... But she never finishes her prophecy. All these stories are intertwined, along with the Standing Stones and their plans for the magic and the lives of all these puny humans.  A fairy tale of prophecies and war and unexpected heroes. 

Also by this author: The Girl Who Drank the Moon.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Another high fantasy from the Australian author of the Seventh Tower series. From the publisher: "Since childhood, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who refuse to stay dead. But now her father, the Abhorson, is missing, and Sabriel must cross into that world to find him. With Mogget, whose feline form hides a powerful, perhaps malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage, Sabriel travels deep into the Old Kingdom. There she confronts an evil that threatens much more than her life and comes face-to-face with her own hidden destiny. . . ."

The Green Children of Woolpit by J. Anderson Coats

Inspired by an English legend (or urban legend?). From the publisher: "It is the autumn of 1160, and twelve-year-old Agnes is helping with the harvest when she hears a frightened voice calling from the nearby woods. When she goes to investigate, Agnes can’t believe what she sees. There, at the bottom of the deep wolf traps, are two children. They are shouting in a language no one understands—and their skin is bright green.

Agnes soon discovers that these are no ordinary children; in fact, they aren’t even human. They are of the Fair Folk, and they are here to take Agnes home to their world. Trusting that the Fair Folk cannot lie, Agnes agrees to venture underground. But she soon learns just how dangerous their world is—and what it will take to break the ancient bargain meant to keep her there."

Read about the real children that inspired the stories here.

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

First of an action-packed, magical series.  You may have heard about this guy, Nicholas Flamel, in Harry Potter... yup, he was a real guy in the Middle Ages, supposedly an alchemyst who died in 1418. Or did he? Legends say that he found the secret to immortality. His nemesis, John Dee (also a real guy, spy for Queen Elizabeth, the first one, look him up!!! If anybody could be called a wizard IRL, it's him!).  

Josh and Sophie are teen twins in modern-day San Francisco, going about their normal life. Josh works at a bookstore, and Sophie works across the street at a coffee shop.  One day, she's looking out the window, and sees suspicious guys in trench coats get out of black limos and go into the store... then it blows up!!!  Thankfully, Josh is okay.  The brother-sister duo learns that Josh's boss isn't who he says he is... they were chosen for a special mission (for special reasons!)... and they get caught up in a good vs. evil war between Flamel and Dee over a magical book that holds the mysteries to living forever, but could also destroy the world!  

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

The classic fantasy novel that inspired the anime film. From the publisher: "Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. 

To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye. 

In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?"

The Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

First of a steampunk series, it won several book awards in England and was adapted into a movie in 2018.  It's set way in the future (?), when the world was pretty much destroyed, and cities became mobile. Large "Traction" cities like London travel around absorbing, or 'eating' smaller ones. But other technology was mostly lost, so historians search for it, and study it.  The Historians are one level of society. The Engineers keep the city going, literally. The Navigators figure out where they're going and how to get there. The Merchants run the businesses.  But some things about human societies never change -- wealthier nobles live in the upper, nicer, parts of the city, while poor, lower-class citizens live in the dirtier, noisier, uglier lower levels. And those in power will do anything to stay in power. 

Tom is an apprentice Historian who idolizes the head honcho Historian, Thaddeus Valentine, and his brilliant daughter, Katherine.  One day, while doing a task below, he sees a disheveled and disfigured girl (Hester), steal aboard the city and attempt to assassinate Valentine, claiming he scarred her.  Tom interferes, and Hester escapes down a chute.  But when Tom tries to talk to his mentor, and tells him Hester's name, he suddenly pushes Tom into the chute after her!  Why would he do that? What does he have to hide?  

Tom and Hester, left behind as the city moves on, must trail after it to try to get back aboard.  They face many dangers, including Shrike, the cyborg sent to kill them! They realize that they are cogs in a much bigger machine -- they need to stop the powers that be from using an ancient weapon --  with some help from Anna Fang and her airship, and another, far more unlikely ally...

The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove.

First of a magical adventure trilogy. From the publisher: "Boston, 1891. Sophia Tims comes from a family of explorers and cartologers who, for generations, have been traveling and mapping the New World—a world changed by the Great Disruption of 1799, when all the continents were flung into different time periods. Eight years ago, Sophia’s parents left her with her uncle Shadrack, the foremost cartologer in Boston, and went on an urgent mission. They never returned.

Then Shadrack is kidnapped. Sophia must search for him with the help of Theo, a refugee from the West. Together they travel over rough terrain and uncharted ocean, encounter pirates and traders, and rely on a combination of Shadrack’s maps, common sense, and Sophia’s unusual powers of observation. Little do they know that their lives are in as much danger as Shadrack’s."

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

First of a romantasy duology. From the author's website: "When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish―into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross' Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love. "

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

From the publisher: "From acclaimed author Makiia Lucier, a dazzling, romantic fantasy inspired by Pacific Island mythology.

In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. But as with all things that offer hope when hope had gone, the tale came with a warning.

Every wish demands a price.

Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.

Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two choices: to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time-hope.

But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape…that of the dragonfruit itself."

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

From the publisher: "Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.

The start of a bold and immersive fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther. "

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

This extremely popular fantasy series is the first of the Grishaverse, and the inspiration for the hot new Netflix series!  From the website: "Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold—a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite—and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems."

Check out the website for the rest of the series. Be sure to look for her latest series, King of Scars, and her adult book, The Ninth House (HS).

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Zelie remembers when Orisha was full of magic, and her mother was a powerful Reaper.  But then King Saran and his guards destroyed it all, killing the maji, taking away all the magic.  Ever since, diviners (those who were destined to grow up into maji) like Zelie, marked by their white hair, and non-magical people like her brother, Tzain, and their Baba (father), alike, are all ruled under the iron thumb of a cruel and violent monarch who will do anything to prevent magic from coming back. Saran's son, Inan, wants dearly to please his father, and be a worthy future king, and believes the fears his father has bred into him.  But the Princess Amari feels differently.  when she witnesses her father's cruelty, she escapes with one of three artifacts needed for an ancient ritual that will bring magic back.  She literally runs into Zelie, and so starts a quest that will change them all.  The author was inspired by her West AFrican heritage to create this epic fantasy, the first in a new series, and already optioned for a movie.  The sequel is Children of Virtue and Vengeance.

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Elatsoe, or "Ellie" is a Lipan Apache teen with the power to talk to dead animals (an ability she inherited thru all the women in her family going back to her sixth-great grandmother). Her best friends are Kirby (her ghost dog) and Jay.  This fantasy world is just like ours, except with magic and magical creatures like ghosts and fairies and vampires.  And it's not secret, either.

Ellie's cousin died in a 'car accident' -- but she knows that's not the truth because his ghost told her so, and Ellie is determined to find out what really happened.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

"It is the first of November, and so today, someone will die." Every November on the shores of the island of Thisby, the Scorpio Races are held. But these are no ordinary racehorses. They are cappall uisce, or water horses: dangerous creatures who come from the sea. Bring them on land, and they are the swiftest and best horses -- but almost impossible to control. Just don't let them get near the sea -- they go crazy, devour their rider and escape back under the waves. Sean Kendrick has a talent for riding them -- he's like the water horse whisperer. He's won the last three races, like his father before him (until he was killed during a race). This year, Sean hopes to win enough money to buy the waterhorse he loves. But Puck Connolly needs to win too -- to save the home where she lives with her brothers. The first girl to ever enter the race, Puck doesn't even have a water horse. Her little island pony is strong and fast, but how can she hope to beat waterhorses? This book has suspense, great characters, excitement and romance -- no wonder it won the Printz Award! 

Don't miss her Raven Cycle series, starting with The Raven Boys. It's a modern quest worthy of King Arthur, with richly created characters and vivid settings.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

The first of a planned fantasy duology, inspired by North African and West African folklore, and an instant bestseller! If you like magical romances where the characters start out being enemies... this is the one for you! 

From the publisher: "For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a heart-pounding course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?"

The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni

Arthurian legend, modern-style. Jax Aubrey is an orphan living with Riley, an 18-year-old guardian covered in tattoos who rarely remembers to make sure there's food in the house.  Jax wakes up one day to find everyone gone.  Thinking it's the end of the world, he wanders around, breaks into Walmart and brings home canned food and water, and worries.  The next day, he wakes up, and everything is back to normal. What happened? Turns out, it's the eighth day, an extra day between Wednesday and Thursday, which only some people experience. They're called Transitioners, and Jax comes from a LONG line of them. And so does Riley! There are some people who ONLY live in this alternate world, and they're the Kin, descendants of the three who created the eighth day: Merlin, Arthur, and the Lady of the Lake. Some of them want to destroy the Normals and their world.  Riley and Jax can't let that happen. This is an action-packed adventure filled with alliances, betrayals, and a quest to save the girl who is the key to the curse... just don't call her a damsel in distress! 

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

From the publisher: "Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away—by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began—and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong."

Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older

Sierra Santiago is a teenage mural artist who lives in Brooklyn with her close-knit family. While painting one day with her new friend, Robbie, she sees the painted figures moving. Little does she know that this summer will reveal her true heritage: she comes from a long line of shadowshapers. They have the power to raise ancestral spirits out of the paintings.  But she has trouble learning to use and control her power, because her mother has disavowed magic, and her beloved grandfather's stroke has left him unable to think and communicate. She will need help, if she is to thwart the evil man trying to steal all the shadowshapers' powers for himself. This story is has a richly written setting, not to mention thrilling danger, and a possible romance.  First in a series.

The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin

An iconic fantasy series, and a must-read for any true fantasy lover. From the publisher: "Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea cycle has become one of the best-loved fantasies of our time. The windswept world of Earthsea is one of the greatest creations in all of fantasy literature, frequently compared with J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth or C.S. Lewis's Narnia. The magnificent saga begins with A Wizard of Earthsea, continues in The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore, and concludes with Tehanu — each book a treasure of wisdom, wonder, and literary wizardy.

A Wizard of Earthsea 

Ged was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, but once he was called Sparrowhawk, a reckless youth, hungry for power and knowledge, who tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance."

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

This book delves into questions about beauty, and how people are judged by what they look/dress like, vs. the kind of person they are. Set in a fantastical version of New Orleans, pitting Camellia, an ambitious "Belle" with powers to make people beautiful, against an evil and mean princess, in the efforts to save her ailing sister... With friendships, and betrayals, and palace intrigue galore.

Cliffhanger!!!  NOOOO ..... grab the sequel, The Everlasting Rose.

The Girl King by Mimi Yu

From the publisher: "Sisters Lu and Min have always known their places as the princesses of the Empire of the First Flame: assertive Lu will be named her father's heir and become the dynasty's first female ruler, while timid Min will lead a quiet life in Lu's shadow. Until their father names their male cousin Set his heir instead, sending ripples through the realm and throwing both girls' lives into utter chaos.

Determined to reclaim her birthright, Lu has no choice but to go on the run, leaving Min to face the volatile court alone. Lu soon crosses paths with Nokhai, the lone, unlikely survivor of the Ashina, a clan of nomadic wolf shapeshifters. Nok never learned to shift--or to trust the empire that killed his family--but working with the princess might be the only way to unlock his true power.

As Lu and Nok form a shaky alliance, Min's own hidden power awakens, a forbidden, deadly magic that could secure Set's reign . . . or allow her to claim the throne herself. But there can only be one emperor, and the sisters' greatest enemy could very well turn out to be each other."

The Story of Owen, Dragonslayer of Trondheim by E.K. Johnston

This is contemporary Canada, realistic except for the fact that there are dragons. Dragons eat carbon (as well as people, cows, etc.), so they go after factories, cities, cars, fires, and so on. Where there are dragons, there must be dragon-slayers, to protect people and cities and towns. Owen Thorskard is the scion of a famous family: his father, and his famous aunt, Lottie, are both well-known dragon-slayers, who have moved to the small town of Trondheim, along with Lottie's wife, Hannah, a blacksmith who crafts swords and other dragon-fighting equipment. Siobhan McQuaid, mild-mannered musician in all of Owen's classes at high school, is enlisted to tutor him in English and Algebra, and to be his bard.  She will write songs that tell the stories of Owen's adventures in dragon-slaying, in the style of the old Viking epic tales. Of course, she has to learn to use a sword, as well, just in case... 

Spelled by Betsy Schow

Recommended by Mrs. Faulkner, 7th grade LAL teacher, for anybody who likes fractured fairy tales and the Wizard of Oz.  Will you get all the references? Even if you don't, you'll love this one. From the publisher: "Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure, being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks — like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the not-so-charming prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed-off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse, before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story."

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Set in a world inspired by ancient Arabia. From the publisher: "People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.

Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya—but neither wants to be.

War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine."

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

A story of sisters, and the power of their love that could not be broken, as one must save the other. But is it real, or just a game?  From the publisher: "Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away."

Sequels: Legendary; Finale.

Chime by Franny Billingsley

National Book Award Finalist! From the publisher: "Briony has a secret. It is a secret that killed her stepmother, ruined her sister’s mind, and will end her life, if anyone were to know. She has powers. Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and a great mane of tawny hair. He is as natural as the sun, and he treats her as if she is extraordinary. And everything starts to change..."

The Reader by Traci Chee

First of a trilogy; NYTimes bestseller and Kirkus Prize Finalist. From the publisher: "Sefia knows what it means to survive. After her father is brutally murdered, she flees into the wilderness with her aunt Nin, who teaches her to hunt, track, and steal. But when Nin is kidnapped, leaving Sefia completely alone, none of her survival skills can help her discover where Nin’s been taken, or if she’s even alive. The only clue to both her aunt’s disappearance and her father’s murder is the odd rectangular object her father left behind, an object she comes to realize is a book—a marvelous item unheard of in her otherwise illiterate society. With the help of this book, and the aid of a mysterious stranger with dark secrets of his own, Sefia sets out to rescue her aunt and find out what really happened the day her father was killed—and punish the people responsible."