Children of the Lamp, by P.B. Kerr
Age: 9+
Rating: 3 Stars
Starting with The Akhenaten Adventure, when twelve-year-old twins Philippa and John discover that they are descended from a long line of djinn, their Uncle Nimrod starts to teach them about their extraordinary powers.
Underland Chronicles, by Suzanne Collins
Age: 9+
Rating: 5 Stars
When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving humans, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy. One of the best fantasy series for Potter fans, it starts with Gregor the Overlander.
Great Fantasy Singles
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, by Michael Scott
Age: 10+
Rating: 4 Stars
Just out this May, this story about twins, magic, a prophesy, and a San Francisco bookstore is nonstop fun.
The Great Good Thing, by Roderick Townley
Age: 8+
Rating: 4 Stars
Twelve-year-old Princess Sylvie’s storybook kingdom really is a storybook. Nothing ever changes, even the characters’ mad scramble to reach their places whenever the book is opened, until Sylvie discovers she can enter new worlds with the Reader, and find new adventures.
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Age: 11+
Rating: 5 Stars
This series gave birth to the modern fantasy genre. Ages 11+ will love this Lord of the Rings prequel, and teens will be enthralled with the darker trilogy, especially if they’ve seen the award-winning movies.
For Younger Fantasy Fans
While their older siblings are reading Harry Potter, younger children for whom that series is too hard might enjoy reading these fantasies or hearing them read aloud.
The Magic Treehouse Series, by Mary Pope Osborne
Age: 4+
Rating: 2-3 Stars
A brother and sister have a tree house that can fly and travel through time. The first book, Dinosaurs before Dark, takes them to prehistoric times.
The Spiderwick Chronicles, by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Age: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
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. Series for younger readers begins with Field Guide.
