Fantasy and Magic

With dragons, witches, supernatural powers, and magic spells and potions within their chapters, these books will whisk you away to strange lands and introduce you to enchanting characters. As part of its Lifelong Literacy campaign, the Library of Congress invites you to take a literary journey of a lifetime.

“Ella Enchanted” by Gail Carson Levine
At her birth, Ella of Frell was the unfortunate recipient of a foolish fairy's gift—the “gift” of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot for a day and a half, or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse once and for all.

• Newbery Honor (1998)
• Watch the author at the 2007 National Book Festival
• Listen to the radio ad

“The Moorchild” by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Half Moorfolk and half human, and unable to shape-shift or disappear at will, Moql threatens the safety of the Band. So the Folk banish her and send her to live among humans as a changeling. As she grows up, memories from her forgotten past with the Folk slowly emerge. But so do emotions from her human side, and she begins to realize the terrible wrong the Folk have done to the humans she calls Da and Mumma. She is determined to restore their child to them, even if it means a dangerous return to the world that has already rejected her once.

• Newbery Honor Book (1997)

“Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle” by Betty MacDonald
Problems such as bullying, daydreaming and crying are magically cured by one of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's magic remedies. The magic of powders and pills sneaked into children's foods or sprinkled on their hair miraculously transforms the peskiest youngsters.

“Dragon Rider” by Cornelia Funke
Brave young dragon Firedrake embarks upon a dangerous journey to the Rim of Heaven in the Himalayas—a magical place where silver dragons can rest easy, free from the threat of destruction by mankind and their only hope of sanctuary. Firedrake is joined on his quest by Ben, an orphaned boy, and Sorrell—a wise-cracking fairy.

• Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award Nominee (2007); Beehive Award (Utah) (2006)

“Inkheart” by Cornelia Funke
Meggie lives a quiet life alone with her father, a book-binder. But her father has a deep secret—he posseses an extraordinary magical power. One day a mysterious stranger arrives who seems linked to her father's past. Who is this sinister character and what does he want? Suddenly Meggie is involved in a breathless game of escape and intrigue as her father's life is put in danger. Will she be able to save him in time?

“Inkspell” by Cornelia Funke
Fourteen-year-old Meggie is back at home after the intrigue and adventure she encountered in “Inkheart.” In this second episode, the calm of her life is shattered when Farid, protégé of the fire-eater, Dustfinger, begs her to use her magical ability and read him into Dustfingers story. Meggie longs to see the enchanted world she has only encountered through the pages of a book and travels with Farid into the story. Events quickly spin out of control.

• Book Sense Book of the Year (2006)

“The Children of the Red King” (series) by Jenny Nimmo
Also know as the “Charlie Bone” series, the books feature a 12-year-old boy endowed with supernatural talents to converse and "visit" people contained within photographs or paintings. As a result of his powers, Charlie is sent to Bloor's Academy, a boarding school for those endowed with magical, artistic, dramatic or musical talents. While he makes enemies among the owners, he also makes a significant number of friends who assist in his attempts to preserve the good.

“Harry Potter” (series) by J.K. Rowling
This series of seven books chronicle the adventures of the eponymous adolescent wizard Harry Potter, together with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his best friends. Mostly set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, an academy for young wizards and witches, the central story arc concerns Harry's struggle against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry's parents in his quest to conquer the wizarding world.

• Parenting Magazine Book of the Year (1998); Nickelodeon's Kid’s Choice Awards Book of the Year (2006); Bram Stoker Award (1999, 2000, 2003)

“Inheritance Cycle” by Christopher Paolini
Set in the fictional world of Alagaësia, the novels focus on a teenaged boy named Eragon and his dragon Saphira as he learns he is a Dragon Rider, a legendary group who governed the land in times past. King Galbatorix, who destroyed the previous order (the Dragon Riders) and claimed the crown, sends his assassins to capture the boy and his dragon, thus initiating their journey.

• Quill Book Award (2006); Book Sense Book of the Year (2006)

“The Magician Trilogy” by Jenny Nimmo
The books, set in 20th-century Wales, revolve around a boy named Gwyn. His grandmother gives him five odd gifts for his ninth birthday. They take him on a quest to discover whether he is a magician like his Celtic ancestors, and help him to unravel the mystery of his sister Bethan's mysterious disappearance.

• Nestle’s Smarties Prize (1986)

“Septimus Heap” (series) by Angie Sage
Who is Septimus Heap? A lost child? An ordinary hero? A powerful wizard? This enthralling series leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters and magical charms, potions and spells.

“Ologies” (series) by various authors
This series of fictional encyclopedias include titles such as “Dragonology,” “Wizardology” and “Pirateology” as told through the first-person accounts of the fictional experts, like Merlin and dragonologist Dr. Ernest Drake.

• British Book Award for Design and Production (2005)

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” (series) by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson finds out that he is the son of the Sea God, Poseidon. He discovers that the Olympians still exist. Friends, monsters, dysfunctional gods and the romantic stirrings of all things natural and mythological are encountered.

• Child Magazine Best Book of the Year (2005, 2006); Beehive Award Winner (Utah) (2007)

“The Sisters Grimm” (series) by Michael Buckley
“The Sisters Grimm” is a fantasy novel series that centers on Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, descendants of the Brothers Grimm. The story mainly revolves around the idea that many famous authors (including L. Frank Baum, Hans Christian Andersen, William Shakespeare and the Brothers Grimm) were not merely writing fiction, they were actually recording a history of magical phenomena.

• Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award (2007)

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