12 Adventure-Filled Middle Grade Fantasy Books

One of the best ways to get kids into reading is to introduce them to exciting books that capture their imaginations and leave them wanting more. The twelve works of fantasy listed here do just that. Full of witches, dragons, ancient spells, and more, they're sure to grab the attention of your little ones. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

Exciting Middle-Grade Fantasy: Our 12 Picks

Title Author
1. The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse Brian Farrey
2. Operation Tenley Jennifer Gooch Hummer
3. Elora of Stone Jaime Lee Mann
4. The Taken Inbali Iserles
5. Rules for Thieves Alexandra Ott
6. Dragon Run Patrick Matthews
7. Donny's Inferno P.W. Catanese
8. Of Giants and Ice Shelby Bach
9. Baker's Magic Diane Zahler
10. The Dragon's Eye Kaza Kingsley
11. The Lost Island of Tamarind Nadia Aguiar
12. Book of the Dead Michael Northrop

What is Fantasy?

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that often involves supernatural elements like magic and usually takes place in a fictional universe that is significantly different from reality. Many people group fantasy and science fiction together, but while both are forms of speculative fiction, they are distinct from one another. While sci-fi often attempts to stay grounded in scientific truths, fantasy relies more on imagination and suspension of disbelief. Fantasy's origins are rooted in oral traditions which were eventually written down into books. In modern times, fantasy has expanded into several media, including television, film, and video & tabletop games.

8 Great Fantasy Films Based on Middle Grade Books

  1. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
  2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
  3. The Tale of Despereaux (2008)
  4. Hugo (2011)
  5. The BFG (2016)
  6. Alice in Wonderland (2010)
  7. The Princess Bride (1987)
  8. Percy Jackson & the Olympians (2010)

How to Encourage Kids to Read

A great way to start is to get a bookshelf for your child's room. If they have access to their own collection of books, it'll be easy for them to read at their own pace. And if they're looking at the shelf everyday, reading will always be on their mind. It's also important to give your kids a comfortable place to sit. This can be anything from a rocking chair to a couch to a dedicated reading nook. If they have a space that's just for them, it makes reading time all the more special. As they grow, your young ones will start to read more challenging books with words they don't know. Encourage them to look up unfamiliar terms in the dictionary so they can expand their vocabulary. Finally, if you're having trouble getting your kid interested in books in the first place, try bridging the gap between visual media and literature with graphic novels.

Can A Children's Book Change the World?

In Depth

Dragons, thieves, and royalty abound in these novels where kids are the chosen ones saving the day. Readers young and old will be hooked on these twelve adventure-filled middle grade fantasy books, listed in no particular order.

Starting off the list at #1 is "The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse" by Brian Farrey. No monarch can enter Dreadwillow Carse, a dark bog in the middle of their land, or the entire Monarchy will fall. Everyone around Aon is happy, so she hides her own sadness. She doesn't tell anyone about the sounds coming from the wetland, the ones only she can hear, belonging to something she knows can cure her pain if only she could get to it. Then she meets Princess Jeniah, who helps Aon get inside the carse. But afterward, when Aon doesn't come back out, Jeniah must risk everything to save her.

#2 is "Operation Tenley" by Jennifer Gooch Hummer. Mother Nature would destroy all Elementals, who can create weather, if not for the protection of the Fair Ones. New to the job, Pennie flounders in her attempts to keep teen Elemental Tenley from harm. Now, Tenley is in Mother Nature's gardens, facing grave danger, and the only thing that can save her is her ability to summon the wind. But Pennie's job is to convince her to let go of her powers before Tenley is found and killed.

Mother Nature would destroy all Elementals, who can create weather, if not for the protection of the Fair Ones.

Next up, at #3, is "Elora of Stone" by Jaime Lee Mann. After a witch named Elora was turned to stone, all twins in the kingdom suffered the same fate, in which one of the two disappears or dies. So when twins Ariana and Asher are playing and Asher disappears, his family loses hope and assumes he is dead. Then Ariana learns Asher is alive, and that together they can save their kingdom and remove the curse for good.

#4 is "The Taken" by Inbali Iserles. Life is dangerous for a fox living just outside of human territory, but luckily, these animals have magic on their side. When Isla's den is set on fire and surrounded by strange foxes, she flees to the world of humans, which is full of confusion and danger. Life on her own is treacherous, and Isla is only beginning to learn the ancient power of foxcraft. Mastering it will be her key to survival.

Taking spot #5 is "Rules for Thieves" by Alexandra Ott. After escaping her orphanage, Alli comes into conflict with the city's Protectors, who deliver a curse that will kill her, and the cure is more expensive than she could ever hope to afford. Then she meets Beck, who tells her that the stories she's heard about the Thieves Guild are true. Alli takes a trial assignment in hopes of making money and maybe finding somewhere to belong. But when a mistake threatens others' lives, she must choose how far she's willing to go to save her own.

Alli takes a trial assignment in hopes of making money and maybe finding somewhere to belong.

#6 is "Dragon Run" by Patrick Matthews. Every kid must take a test and be ranked according to how much power they have to offer their dragon rulers. Al thinks he will excel on his Testing Day, just like his father. Instead, he ends up with a rank zero tattoo, meaning he is a failure and a threat. Al's only choice is to run away from his life, his family, and the men who kill zeroes like him. At first, all he has is a single sword for protection. But when he meets other zeroes, he learns that things are different than they seem. He might have more power than he thinks.

At #7 is "Donny's Inferno" by P.W. Catanese. Donny would have been burned alive if Angela hadn't saved him. However, he isn't getting this second chance for free. Angela is from an underworld that has been through a revolution, where cursed individuals are now reformed rather than endlessly punished. In order to keep it that way, she needs a human's help. The Merciless, who used to work as evil guards, have a plan to take back their old power, and if they succeed, souls will be destroyed.

#8 is "Of Giants and Ice," written by Shelby Bach and illustrated by Cory Loftis. Rory is used to being recognized. After all, her mom is an actress, and her dad is a director. But no one from her new school has heard of her, and that's not even the strangest thing about the place. On her first day, she has a run-in with a dragon and is informed by her classmates that the stories she's read in books are actually real. This is the first installment of the "Ever Afters" series, modern day fairy tales involving classic characters.

Rory is used to being recognized.

Next, at #9, is "Baker's Magic" by Diane Zahler. When Bee, an orphan, swipes food from a bakery, she is kindly given an opportunity to work there. Through baking, she discovers new magical powers she didn't know she had, and meets a friend in need of help. Bee underestimates herself when she thinks she won't be of much assistance. Soon, she has a chance to become a hero by rescuing her entire kingdom.

#10 is "The Dragon's Eye" by Kaza Kingsley. Erec's mom does her best to take care of him and his five adopted siblings on her own, but their new apartment has so little space that Erec's bed is in the laundry room. His life is made more difficult by a force within him that's taking over his life and making him do strange things. But when his mother disappears, his search for her leads him to a mysterious, secret world of magic that is in immense danger. Erec must save it, and his mother, before it's too late.

#11 is "The Lost Island of Tamarind" by Nadia Aguiar. After spending her whole life at sea, Maya yearns for a normal life. She's lonely, with only her parents and two younger siblings to keep her company, and she wants to go to school and meet new people. Then a storm tosses Maya's parents overboard, and she and her siblings must fend for themselves. They arrive on the island of Tamarind, a land at war. Here there are pirates and flying fish, and the kids must be careful not to be kidnapped by a wicked enchantress.

After spending her whole life at sea, Maya yearns for a normal life.

Last but not least, at #12 is "Book of the Dead" by Michael Northrop. Alex suffers from a mysterious terminal illness, and doctors have told his mother that there's no hope of saving him. In a last-ditch effort, she uses the Lost Spells from the Egyptian Book of the Dead. It works, and Alex is saved, but he isn't the only one affected. Five sinister Death Walkers are causing chaos and tragedy around the world, and Alex's mom is nowhere to be found. Alex will have to risk it all to get her back.