Children's Books to Inspire a Love of FantasyLike this list

25 items

• Ta-da!

  Davis, Kathy Ellen,

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  With a little imagination, anything is possible. Whether you're a fairy with spells that can fix anything to a mighty wizard, Ta-da! captures that simple but empowering brand of play.

• Nobody Likes a Goblin

  Hatke, Ben,

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  An adorable little picture book in which a little goblin sets out to save his friend, Skeleton, after some adventurers raid their home. Adorable illustrations make it a lot easier to root for this story's odd, little underdog.

• How to Find Gold

  Schwarz, Viviane,

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  Going on treasure hunts and adventures is a kind of imaginative play that lots of kids engage with eventually and this story understands that. So, to help new adventurers, this book serves as a silly guide to treasure hunting.

• The Gruffalo

  Donaldson, Julia

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  It's important for all little adventurers to learn that being tough and strong isn't always the answer. Using his brains, a little mouse talks his way out of being eaten by lots of different animals, including the one he thought he made…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Sunflower Sword

  Sperring, Mark

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  Another important lesson to learn is that kindness can be just as effective. Rather than fighting dragons like any other knight would, this story's protagonist saves the village by making friends with the beast.

• Dragonquest

  Baillie, Allan, 1943- ,

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  Kids will love this fantastical take on the concept of "I spy" as they try to spot the dragon that a bumbling knight and you, his squire, are hunting.

• Saint George and the Dragon

  a Golden Legend

  Hodges, Margaret, 1911-2005

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  A classic story that has been told time and again of a knight going off to battle a dragon. Out of all the various versions of this story, though, the tale of Saint George and the Dragon will always be my favorite.

• The Knight and the Dragon

  DePaola, Tomie, 1934-2020

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  Coming as close second, Tomie DePaola's silly, more kid-friendly adaptation of the classic tale will definitely get some giggles out of any young reader as they watch both the knight and dragon prepare for their battle.

• Would You Rather Be a Princess or a Dragon?

  Saltzberg, Barney,

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  Of course, not all dragons need to be fierce, just like not every princess needs to be dainty. There's no reason a princess or dragon can't be both fierce and dainty, pretty and powerful.

• Today I'll Be a Unicorn

  Simpson, Dana, 1977-

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  From the author of the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series comes a wonderful book of imaginative play, detailing just how wonderful it is to be a unicorn.

• The Princess and the Pony

  Beaton, Kate, 1983-

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  A silly and weirdly adorable story of a princess who wants to prove herself as a warrior but learns that being weird and adorable can be a kind of power in of itself.

• Nella the Princess Knight

  Ricci, Christine,

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  Your basic "can do" kids show story for girls, Nella proves that princesses can be both strong and pretty as she balances her royal life with her knightly duties.

• If I Had a Gryphon

  VanSickle, Vikki, 1982-

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  It's not uncommon for kids to lose interest in their average pets but that's why books like If I had a Gryphon might help them keep things in perspective. Fun as a fantasy creature might be, they're known to be pretty high maintenance.

• The Night Knights

  Sterer, Gideon

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  If your kid is scared of the dark or things that go bump in the night, it might be a good idea to help them imagine that a band of noble knights is sworn to them safe as they sleep.

• Over at the Castle

  Ashburn, Boni

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  Read with the same tune as "Over in the Meadow," this book details all the kinds of things, people, and events you might expect to see in a fantastical kingdom full of knights and dragons.

• Journey

  Becker, Aaron, 1974- ,

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  Though Becker's Journey series is entirely wordless, its vibrant illustrations make it that much easier to get lost in this epic adventure about a boy, his crayon, and the places his imagination can take him.

• Come to the Fairies' Ball

  Yolen, Jane

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  Appropriately enough, fairies have always been known to spirit people off to lands of magic and mischief. Whether they're guardians of the seasons or playful forest sprites, fairies are a good way to help kids see the magic in the natural…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies

  Poems and Pictures

  Barker, Cicely Mary

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  To make that natural magic feel for real, Barker's Flower Fairy series works to matter-of-factly catalog the various kinds of fairies that exist.

• An Illustrated Treasury of Grimm's Fairy Tales

  Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel and Many More Classic Stories

  Grimm, Jacob, 1785-1863

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  Of course, nothing inspires a love for the magical and fantastical more than the classic fairy tales kids have grown up on for centuries. To make these stories even more impactful, try using an illustrated edition full of color and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• An Illustrated Treasury of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

  The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea and Many More Classic Stories

  Andersen, H. C. (Hans Christian), 1805-1875,

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  If the grim tales of the Brothers Grimm doesn't speak to you, there is always the works of Hans Christian Andersen which inspired many a Disney movie.