FANTASY AND ADVENTURE

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper to a famous oracular sow, sets out on a hazardous mission to save Prydain from the forces of evil. Chronicles of Prydain Series. 1964

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving men, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy. 2003

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper
Three children on a holiday in Cornwall find an ancient manuscript which sends them on a dangerous quest for a grail that would reveal the true story of King Arthur. Dark is Rising Sequence Series. 1965

The Boggart by Susan Cooper
After visiting the castle in Scotland which her family has inherited and returning home to Canada, twelve-year-old Emily finds that she has accidentally brought back with her a boggart, an invisible and mischievous spirit with a fondness for practical jokes. 1993

Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville
Having jumped into the fantasy land of Luster, Cara joins Lightfoot the unicorn in the search for Queen Arabella Skydancer. Unicorn Chronicle Series. 1994

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo
The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin. 2003

The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
When the Grace children go to stay at their Great Aunt Lucinda's worn Victorian house, they discover a field guide to fairies and other creatures and begin to have some unusual experiences. Spiderwick Chronicles Series. 2003

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions. 2003

The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer
After Jack becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard, he and his little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken to the home of King Ivar the Boneless and his half-troll queen, leading Jack to undertake a vital quest to Jotunheim, home of the trolls. 2004

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
After learning that humans are headed toward his peaceful hidden home, Firedrake, a silver dragon, is joined by a brownie and an orphan boy in a quest to find the legendary valley known as the Rim of Heaven, encountering friendly and unfriendly creatures along the way, and struggling to evade the relentless pursuit of an old enemy. 2004

The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson
Odge Gribble, a young hag, accompanies an old wizard, a gentle fey, and a giant ogre on their mission through a magical tunnel from their Island to London to rescue their King and Queen's son who had been stolen as an infant. 1998

Redwall by Brian Jacques
When the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes, Matthias, a young mouse, determines to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which, he is convinced, will help Redwall's inhabitants destroy the enemy. Redwall Series. 1986

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A journey through a land where Milo learns the importance of words and numbers and finds a cure for his boredom. 1961

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her. 1997

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter. Chronicles of Narnia series. 1950

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives. 1993

The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit
Four English children find a wonderful world of magic through an enchanted wishing ring. Books of wonder series. 1992

WITCHES AND WIZARDS

Midnight Magic by Avi
In Italy in 1491, Mangus the magician and his apprentice are summoned to the castle of Duke Claudio to determine if his daughter is indeed being haunted by a ghost. 1999

The Anybodies by Julianna Baggott
After learning that she is not the biological daughter of boring Mr. and Mrs. Drudger, Fern embarks on magical adventures with her real father and finally finds "a place that feels like home." 2004

Doctor Illuminatus by Martin Booth
Pip and her twin brother, Tim, awaken an alchemist's son from a centuries-long slumber when their family moves to an old English country estate, and he enlists them in the fight against an evil alchemist who seeks to create a homunculus. 2004

The Witches by Roald Dahl
A young boy and his Norwegian grandmother, who is an expert on witches, together foil a witches’ plot to destroy the world's children by turning them into mice. 1983

Half Magic by Edward Eager
Faced with a dull summer in the city, Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha suddenly find themselves involved in a series of extraordinary adventures after Jane discovers an ordinary-looking coin that seems to grant wishes. 1954

Wise Child by Monica Furlong
Abandoned by both her parents, nine-year-old Wise Child goes to live with the witch woman Juniper, who begins to train her in the ways of herbs and magic. 1987
Otto and the Flying Twins: the First Book of the Karmidee by Charlotte Haptie
Young Otto comes to the rescue when he discovers that his family and city are the last remnants of an ancient magical world now under threat from the Normal Police. 2004

Which Witch by Eva Ibbotson
Deciding that he must sire a child to carry on his tradition of Loathing Light and Blighting the Beautiful, the Great Wizard Arriman announces a competition among the witches of Todcaster, one of whom will marry him. 1999

The Akhenaten Adventure by P. B. Kerr
When twelve-year-old twins Philippa and John discover that they are descended from a long line of djinn, their mother sends them away to their Uncle Nimrod, who takes them to Cairo where he starts to teach them about their extraordinary powers. Children of the lamp series. 2004

W.I.T.C.H. series by Elizabeth Lenhard
When Will moves to Heatherfield, she is thankful when she meets Taranee, another new girl. Together they make friends with Irma, Cornelia, and Hay Lin. But this friendship is not accidental -- the girls are joined together by a stronger force. Their magical transformation is unbelievable -- and undeniable. Together the five must begin to discover their enchanting powers, and find out their destiny.
The Accidental Witch by Anne Mazer
Ten-year-old Phoebe is thrilled when she accidentally becomes a novice witch but soon wonders if she will ever develop and control her powers. 1995

TALES OF FRIENDSHIP

The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson
When two boys stay with an eccentric relative at his mansion in rural Vermont, they discover an old-fashioned board game that draws them into a mysterious adventure. 2004

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville
Small for his age but artistically talented, twelve-year-old Jeremy Thatcher unknowingly buys a dragon’s egg. Magic Shop Book Series. 1991

Not Just a Witch by Eva Ibbotson
Wanting to be more than just an ordinary witch, Heckie, whose specialty is changing people into animals, settles in a small town determined to use her powers for good purposes. 2003

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government. 1962

Knights of the Kitchen Table by Jon Scieska
Joe receives a magic book for his birthday present from his uncle. Joe, Fred and Sam are transported to a time when evil knights, fire-breathing dragons and vile-smelling giants roamed the land. Time Warp Trio series. 1991

SCHOOL STORIES

The Secrets of Droon series by Tony Abbott
Underneath the steps leading down to Eric's basement is a hidden storage space. It's dusty and old -- nothing special at all. But when Eric, Julie, and Neal all huddle inside the gray room together, something unbelievable happens. A glittering light and then a rainbow-colored staircase appear. And as the kids take their very first step down into the mysterious land of Droon, they know that only magic and adventure await them!
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security. 1988

The New Kid at School by Kate McMullan
Wiglaf is off to Dragon Slayers' Academy and in for a first day of school he will never forget. Dragon Slayers Academy series. 1997

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
Charlie's life with his widowed mother and two grandmothers undergoes a dramatic change when he discovers that he can hear people in photographs talking. Children of the Red King series. 2002

Wizard at Work: A Novel in Stories by Vivian Vande Velde
A young wizard, who runs a school to teach wizards, looks forward to a quiet summer off but is drawn into adventures with princesses, unicorns, and ghosts instead. 2003

ORPHANS ONLY

The Secret of Castle Cant: Being an Account of the Remarkable Adventures of Lucy Wickwright, Maidservant and Spy by K.P. Bath
When twelve-toed orphan Lucy Wickwright is brought to Castle Cant to be serving girl to the Baron's daughter, the Adorable & Honorable Pauline, she becomes involved with revolutionaries and uncovers surprising palace intrigues. 2004

Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism By Georgia Byng
Unlucky and unloved, Molly Moon, living in a dreary orphanage in a small English town, discovers a hidden talent for hypnotism and hypnotizes her way to stardom in New York City. 2002

Dial-A-Ghost by Eva Ibbotson
A family of nice ghosts protects a British orphan from the diabolical plans of his evil guardians. 2001

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Lame and suddenly orphaned, Kira is mysteriously removed from her squalid village to live in the palatial Council Edifice, where she is expected to use her gifts as a weaver to do the bidding of the all-powerful Guardians. 2000

Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket
This series tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children, who despite being clever and charming lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first book, when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing onto the last page of this distressing story, disaster lurks at their heels.

Researched and compiled by F. Stein