Top 25 Best Children's Fantasy Books

The Hobbit (The Lord Of The Rings) Start here

by Tolkien, J.r.r.

Smaug is the classic dragon figure lying under the mountain—a scary creature who keeps the dwarves from their home and who must be defeated.

The Hobbit is one of the most well-loved fantasy novels of all time. Written by J.R.R Tolkien as a bedtime story for his children, The Hobbit is a light-hearted tale, focussing on the exploits of an increasingly adven...

His Dark Materials

by Pullman, Philip

A trilogy of young adult novels where science, theology, and magic are intertwined.

This series is challenging. Not because it's badly written or because there's a complex world to understand, but because it asks the reader to consider their beliefs and question everything they base their principles on....

Peter Pan

by Barrie, J. M.

Another classic book that features a story for all ages and genders. Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up. Peter Pan is one of those stories that stays with you forever; itâs written for a child, but thereâs a message be...

The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (Chronicles Of Narnia) Start here

by Lewis, C. S.

At this point, there's very little to be said about Narnia that hasn't been put better already. But I have to justify this list somehow, so I may as well try. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe has inspired genera...

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket) Start here

by Dahl, Roald

Charlie is a poor yet happy child who lives with his mother, father and four old grandparents in a one-room bungalow on the outskirts of town. He is the kind of boy who dreams of a better life not for himself but rather...

Watership Down: A Novel (Watership Down) Start here

by Adams, Richard

On one level a classic tale of adventure, with anthropomorphized rabbit characters. On another level, it is an epic struggle between tyranny and freedom.

Yes, we're talking about that book about bunnies. No, we haven't lost our minds. Take note: This isn't a children's book, despite it being about fluffy animals. If you've read Watership Down, you'll understand it's on th...

Un Lun Dun

by Miéville, China

This was Mieville’s first foray into YA fantasy and boy was it a good one; he manages to subvert the standard fantasy formula, giving the reader a story that’s both new and completely unexpected in some ways. There is a...

Harry Potter

by Rowling, J. K.

This incredibly popular series is a story of an alternate world, a secret world of wizardy that exists within our own, but seems ever so vast.

Yes, everyone has probably read this. In fact, these these may have been the books that got you started reading fantasy in the first place. These books do make for a good read and as the series progresses, the plot...

Princess Bride

by Elwes, Cary

An awesome movie, but an even better book. It’s a delightful book for children and adults too - a true tale for all ages. What’s specifically awesome about this story is that it gently mocks the traditional fairy tale, y...

Alice In Wonderland (Alice's Adventures In Wonderland) Start here

by Carroll, Lewis

If there is one childrenâs classic your kids should read and only one, than it should be Alice in Wonderland. Itâs a book thatâs influenced an entire generation of pop culture â including movies, video games, books, lang...

A Wrinkle In Time (Time Quintet) Start here

by L'engle, Madeleine

An award winning, YA series of books that present, at least in part, a Christian world-view.

With a foot in both Science Fiction and Fantasy, A Wrinkle in Time is a bridge between reality and fantasy, a meeting place for adult and child readers alike.  Meg leads the adventure with her younger, gifted brother a...

Keys To The Kingdom

by Nix, Garth

Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world -- where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets. This is another thrilling...

The Chronicles Of Prydain (The Chronicles Of Prydain)

by Alexander, Lloyd

Alexander's Wales-inspired epic fantasy offers little in the way of originality when compared to the novels of today. It's a simple tale of Taran, a pig farmer who has always wanted more, and gets more than he's barg...

The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz

by Baum, L. Frank

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Another classic quest story about a young girl who just wants to go home.

A true classic and not at all like the movie. Because of the popularity of the movie, many assume the book and the movie are the same; but this is not so. The book is far superior to the movie and is a thoroughly enterta...

The Neverending Story

by Ende, Michael

The protagonist is a shy and awkward boy with a grand imagination. He becomes a character in a book where he takes on a mission of heroic significance.

The Neverending Story is a perfect example of how badly a film version of a beloved book can go. For people who hadn't read the book, the film was probably enchanting. For everyone else, it's confusing. (Can we please ta...

Howl's Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle) Start here

by Jones, Diana Wynne

A journey of discovery and wonder. This story is part fairy tale, but flips some of the typical conventions—like the main character is an old lady.

Before famous director, Hayao Miyazaki turned Howl's Moving Castle into an animated film, it was an enchanting novel written by Diana Wynn Jones. This novel follows the life a young girl who is destined, as the eldest...

So You Want To Be A Wizard (Young Wizards) Start here

by Duane, Diane

A compelling book that touches on a lot of issues that face kids. It’s also a pretty damn exciting story about two kids learning how to be wizards. It’s a cozy story with some great characters doubling in as some strong...

James And The Giant Peach

by Dahl, Roald

James and the Giant Peach is about a little boy named James, whose parents died, and now lives with his wicked aunts. One day, someone suspicious gives him a bag of green things to make something spectacular, but James a...

Where The Wild Things Are

by Sendak, Maurice

A strong series for kids looking for a bit of adventure fantasy. It’s not deep or particularly complex; it’s not a classic that tries to teach you something grand as you read. But what it is a wild action-packed adventur...

The Weirdstone Of Brisingamen (Tales Of Alderley) Start here

by Garner, Alan

While vacationing with their Mother's ancient nurse in Wales, young Colin and Susan come to learn of the Legend of Alderley, a story of mystery and magic. Obviously, at first it's simply an enjoyable story, an integral p...

Inkheart (Inkworld) Start here

by Funke, Cornelia

A series of books about books…what more could an avid fantasy reader want? In her Inkheart series, Cornelia Funke takes everything that is enchanting about reading, and creates a hard-hitting story about a book binder...