Young Adult and Children’s Fantasy Adventure Books

This list focuses on Fantasy, Adventure, Young Adult, and Children’s books that blend accessible storytelling with immersive, secondary-world wonder. Every title here delivers clear stakes, tangible magic, and a strong sense of journey, tuned to readers who are ready to move beyond early chapter books but still want approachable prose and age-appropriate themes. This collection is for young readers who crave portal doors, perilous quests, and found companions, as well as adults seeking thoughtful fantasy to share or discuss with kids and teens. Expect coming-of-age arcs, moral choices framed through magic, and adventures that balance danger with hope. These books are ideal for classroom libraries, family read-alouds, or independent readers ready to explore expansive fantasy worlds without leaving younger audiences behind.

Curated by Fabled Tome

54 Books in list
Apr 13, 2026 Last updated
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49 Sandry's Book

Sandry's Book

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Rated 4.04 out of 5 stars, based on 45,198 reviews.

Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce introduces four young mages whose unusual talents set them apart from the world around them. Noble-born Sandry, whose magic works through thread and light, is taken to Winding Circle, a temple community where she is pla…

Book 1 of Circle of Magic series

Fantasy Adventure Magic High Fantasy Young Adult Childrens Coming Of Age Female Protagonist Strong Female Lead
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50 Akata Witch

Akata Witch

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Rated 4.03 out of 5 stars, based on 38,700 reviews.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor follows twelve-year-old Sunny, an American-born girl living in Aba, Nigeria, who struggles with albinism, bullying at school, and feeling out of place. Her life changes when she befriends Orlu and Chichi and discovers sh…

Book 1 of The Nsibidi Scripts series

Fantasy Adventure Magic Urban Fantasy Young Adult Childrens Witches Coming Of Age Strong Protagonist Female Protagonist
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51 The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass

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Rated 4.03 out of 5 stars, based on 1,628,061 reviews.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman follows Lyra Belacqua, a sharp and headstrong girl growing up in an alternate Oxford where science, theology, and magic intersect. When children begin disappearing, including her friend Roger, Lyra travels to the…

Book 1 of His Dark Materials series

Fantasy Adventure Magic Science Fiction Young Adult War Classics Childrens Witches Strong Protagonist Female Protagonist Steampunk
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52 Ella Enchanted

Ella Enchanted

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Rated 4.02 out of 5 stars, based on 425,242 reviews.

In Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine reimagines the Cinderella story as a young adult fantasy about autonomy, courage, and choice. Cursed at birth by the fairy Lucinda to obey any direct command, Ella grows into a sharp-witted, strong-willed girl de…

Book 1 of Ella Enchanted series

Fantasy Adventure Magic Romance Young Adult Classics Childrens Female Protagonist Heroic Fantasy Fairy Tales Strong Female Lead
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53 Dragon Rider

Dragon Rider

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Rated 4.01 out of 5 stars, based on 85,881 reviews.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke follows Firedrake, a young dragon who sets out to locate a hidden refuge where silver dragons might finally be safe. Joined by Sorrel, a wary brownie, and Ben, a human boy without a family, he crosses oceans and remote…

Book 1 of Dragon Rider series

Fantasy Adventure Magic Science Fiction Dragons Epic Fantasy Monsters Young Adult Childrens Strong Protagonist Male Protagonist Heroic Fantasy
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54 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

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Rated 4.00 out of 5 stars, based on 517,386 reviews.

In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum and illustrator W. W. Denslow introduce Dorothy, a Kansas farm girl swept by a tornado into a vividly imagined magical land. Guided by the Good Witch of the North, she follows the yellow brick road toward…

Book 1 of Oz series

Fantasy Adventure Magic Young Adult Classics Childrens Witches Portal Fantasy Non-human Protagonist Female Protagonist
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