Summary
Fantasycan be a tricky genre, especially for young readers, but some excellent book series are perfectly equipped to get kids started. Children are often naturally drawn to the worlds of fantasy, but many of the most popular series may be a little out of reach for those just getting started. If young readers instead start with series that ease them into the tropes and archetypes of the genre, then they will be better prepared to explore fantasy staples as their reading and comprehension skills improve.
Fantasy continues to be all the rage in the worlds of literature, movies, and TV, making now as good a time as any to get started. Iconicbook series such asThe Lord of the Ringswill most certainly always remain prominent, but J.R.R. Tolkien’s books are often a little too advanced for young readers. Thankfully,dozens of authors over the years have taken the same concepts present in mature fantasy series and turned them into something palatablefor younger readers. If kids (and even adults) start their fantasy journeys with these, they will surely become life-long lovers of the genre.
10 Fantasy Book Series That Never Get Old
Some fantasy book series can be read over and over and still feel just as magical as the first time around, allowing them to stand the test of time.
10The Chronicles Of Narnia
By C.S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narniais one of the most iconic children’s fantasy seriesand for a very good reason. Author C.S. Lewis did a phenomenal job building a world that speaks directly to children’s imaginations, and each installment in the seven-novel series dives a little further into the magic.It’s the perfect introduction to high fantasy, with epic battles, a touch of dark magic, and the marvelous triumph of good over evil.
Lewis published his first book in theNarniaseries,The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in 1950, so the language used will certainly feel old to modern young readers. However, the story itself is timeless. The themes ofThe Chronicles of Narniaare all about growing up, so those who fall in love with the series as kids are likely to become lifelong fans.
9The Time Quintet
By Madelein L’Engle
The Time Quintet, which began withA Wrinkle in Timein 1959, is another fantasy book series with the perfect tone for young readers. The story follows a pair of siblings (and their friend) who set out to save their father from evil forces.A Wrinkle in Timeis pure whimsy, with character names like “Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which” and other such delightfully silly happenings.
LikeThe Chronicles of Narnia, theTime Quintetwas written half a century ago, and the language may be tricky for some young readers to understand. However, a great benefit for kids starting their fantasy journey withA Wrinkle in Timeis thatit also serves as an introduction to the science fiction subgenre.
8The Inkworld Series
By Cornelia Funke
TheInkworldseries is a more contemporary fantasy series but has all the charm of classics likeA Wrinkles in Time. Written by German author Cornelia Funke, the first book,Inheart, introduces the protagonist and her father, who have the ability to bring characters out of books simply by reading them aloud. Their abilities expand as the story continues inInkspellandInkdeathwhen the fantasy world of books becomes the characters' new reality.
The great thing about theInkworldseries is that it instills a beautiful love for books and literature in its readers. Funke makes reading a book sound like eating a delectable meal, and the character’s adoration for the written word and the magic bound between the pages is contagious. This makesInkheartthe perfect introduction to not just fantasy but the possibilities of reading in general.
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Disney+’s Percy Jackson & The Olympians TV show has done exceedingly well, giving hope to 10 great YA book series that they could be adapted next.
7Harry Potter
By J.K. Rowling
As one of the best-selling book series of all time, a young reader can’t go wrong withHarry Potter. The series, which contains seven books, has been massively popular since the first installment,Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,was published in 1997, and the franchise as a whole has only further engrained itself in pop culture. Now, there are movies, stage productions, and video games to make diving into this series even more worth it.
The best part about getting started with the Harry Potter books as a kid is that the series grows with its readers.
Thebest part about getting started with theHarry Potterbooksas a kid is that the series grows with its readers. The series' first couple of books are far simpler and lighthearted, perfect for kids between 9 and 12. From there, the story inHarry Pottergets more complex, allowing teens and adults to enjoy the darker side of the fantasy genre.
6His Dark Materials
By Philip Pullman
TheHis Dark Materialsseries is set in a fantasy parallel universe and follows a young girl on a journey to save her missing best friend. The first book,Northern Lights(The Golden Compassin the United States),was published in 1995, and the following two novels in the trilogy were released shortly after.His Dark Materialsfeatures many classic fantasy staples, such as witches and parallel universes, but it also has some unique qualities (like the iconic armored polar bears).
His Dark Materialsdelivers spectacular action and mystery, but the philosophical and social parallels are a significant draw of the series. It’s the kind of series that poses a lot of important questions to ponder but in a way that isn’t too demanding of young readers. This makesPullman’s series a great start for jumping into the more intense social commentaries within the fantasy franchise.
5Percy Jackson & The Olympians
By Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson & the Olympiansis a five-part fantasy book seriesthat began withThe Lightning Thiefin 2005 and concluded withThe Last Olympianin 2009.The story is set in our world but incorporates Greek gods, with the protagonist himself being a demigod who must stop Kronos and the Titans from destroying the world.
Two furtherPercy Jackson & The Olympianbooks were published in 2023 and 2024.
The author of thePercy Jacksonbooks, Rick Riordan, was fascinated by Greek mythology as a kid, and his series is sure to appeal to other children who share his passion. The contemporary setting, paired with the characters of history and legends, gives this series a unique quality that has continued to appeal to audiences of all ages. With a brand newPercy Jackson & the OlympiansTV adaptation, there’s even more reason for young readers to get started with the books.
4The Chronicles Of Prydain
By Lloyd Alexander
The Chronicles of Prydainis a series of five novels by Lloyd Alexander. The story started withThe Book of Threein 1964 and continued intoThe Black Cauldron(1965),The Castle of Llyr(1966),Taran Wanderer(1967),andThe High King(1968), each of which is a beloved novel in its own right. Together, thePrydainseries is the perfect start to high fantasy.
Alexander’s booksfind the perfect balance between silly, fantasy whimsy and eerie darkness. The story’s roots are in Welsh mythology, with a protagonist who often finds help from strange friends, like a clairvoyant pig, a bard named Fflewddur Fflam, and a variety of others. This is all pure fun, but the undead army conjured by the evil Arawn brings in that delectable darkness that young readers (and old ones) often find so appealing.
Disney’s 1985 movie,The Black Cauldron, is based on Alexander’sThe Chronicles of Prydain.
3The Fowl Adventures
By Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer’sArtemis Fowlbook series is quite long, with eight novels making up the first cycle, published between 2001 and 2012, and three making up the second (2019-2021). It’s a fantasy series of pure action, with Colfer himself describing the books as “Die Hardwith fairies.“Naturally, this makesThe Fowl Adventuresan easy favorite for young readers.
It’s like a cop-drama meets high fantasy, and while screen adaptations haven’t gone well, the book series itself offers a great deal to love.
The titular character, Artemis Fowl, is first presented as a villain, but as the story goes on, he becomes more like an anti-hero, assisting in saving the world alongside enemies-to-lover Holly Short, the elf captain of the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance force. It’s like a cop-drama meets high fantasy, and while screen adaptations haven’t gone well, the book series itself offers a great deal to love.
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Disney failed with 2020’s Artemis Fowl movie, but this upset only proves that the young adult book series deserves a rebooted TV adaptation instead.
2The Borrowers
By Mary Norton
The Borrowersis a fantasy book series by Mary Norton. It follows a family of tiny people who live in the walls of the big people. The sprite-like beings “borrow” food and supplies from the big people to live, and throughout the five novels, they face a variety of misadventures, from rodents to inhospitable humans.
TheBorrowersbooks, published between 1952 and 1982, are easy to read, making them perfect starters for those who aren’t quite ready to independently read the other series on this list. The characters are lovable, and the stories are full of imagination, inspiring young fans to leave bits and bobs around the house that their own little Borrowers can use.
1The Fablehaven Series
By Brandon Mull
TheFablehavenseries includes five novels by author Brandon Mull, published between 2006 and 2010. The story follows a pair of young siblings who go to stay with their grandparents while their parents are out of town. They ultimately discover that the mysterious home is a reserve for magical creatures, which is only visible to the protagonists once they complete a puzzle and drink some magical milk.
Fablehaven’s characters face various challenges in their efforts to protect the reserve, all of which fall in classic fantasy fashion. Witches, demons, plagues, and an evil society are exciting threats to the fairies, nymphs, unicorns, satyrs, and other magical beings that call the place home.Fablehavenis just the thing to make young readers fall in love with the typical creatures of the the fantasy genre, both whimsically good and fantastically evil.
