Fantasy books for 9+

This ambitious debut is set in 1896, but in an alternative history – almost steampunk – with clockwork servants, silver airships and mechanical animals. Expect thrills and mystery, but also some deep messages about what it is to live and be happy.

Wish is a girl from a warrior tribe and Xar is a boy from a wizard tribe, living in a world loosely based on Ancient Britain at the beginning of the Iron Age, but where magic is real. A fabulously imaginative, funny and unpredictable adventure. 

A pacy dystopian page-turner.

When Max answers the call to join Captain O’Malley’s pirate ship instead of his brother, who’s ill, it’s the start of a rip-roaring fantastical adventure. A page-turner that will have children gripped and moved.  

Chiri and Dai discover a hidden world filled with secrets and magic. After discovering their own hidden powers, the pair team up with a band of unlikely heroes to take on the sinister Shadow King. 

A cracking fantasy adventure featuring devious baddies, a golden flying bathtub, a host of magical creatures, a conspiratorial teacher, a heartbroken baby dragon and even an encounter with the Loch Ness Monster. 

Asha’s quest across India to find her father brings her into danger before love, faith and friendship finally provide a happy ending. A warm, comforting story that tackles some dark subjects with a constantly reassuring tone. 

Sam must battle against the forces of evil to discover his true power as the destined leader of a secret society of storytellers in this riveting, magical adventure.  

Return to the magical world of Inkheart as Dustfinger and his allies struggle against the nefarious motives of a resurgent Orpheus. A brilliantly written and layered fantasy story for new and old fans alike. 

Sun Wukong, legendary monkey king and warrior, faces an ancient evil which threatens the world. Join him on a wild and comical adventure as he battles the monsters of ancient Greece. 

Amari is a scholarship student at a supernatural summer school, investigating magical crimes as she tries to solve the mystery of her brother’s disappearance. 

When history obsessed 12-year-old Relic Hamilton accidentally unleashes an evil genie, he is whisked away on a time travelling, action-filledadventure to hunt it down alongside a secret society of tech-savvy genie hunters. 

When the Wolf swallowed the sun, the world was plunged into darkness. Best friends Zac and Alys embark on a dangerous quest to banish the damp, grey fog which permeates their town of Starspill. A compelling fantasy adventure, set in a magical realm of shadows, fear and mistrust.  

An encounter with a real-life dragon in Milton Keynes helps 12-year-old Yara learn who she is.  

Mixing Bengali folklore with elements from classic fairytales, this coming-of-age fantasy revolves around a falling star, a young girl with spectacular gifts and a power-hungry witch. 

Twelve-year-old Torak sees his father murdered by a terrible demon in the form of a bear. With his dying breath, Torak’s father tells his son that he is the only one who can stop it.

When Ysolde’s sister is kidnapped, to get her back Ysolde strikes an impossible bargain with the terrifying Wolf Queen. An immersive, fairytale-like adventure that is an immensely enjoyable read.

Katherine Rundell has created an incredibly real-feeling magical world and story to rival classics like Narnia, with writing that sweeps you up and main characters who are simultaneously humanly flawed yet inherently pure and good.

This compelling fantasy adventure, the first in an epic series, is a gripping read. With imaginative characters and an exhilarating plot, readers are transported to a convincing world of fortified forests, spectacular treehouses and ferocious unicorns. Friendship, loyalty and teamwork are at the heart of this novel, which also sensitively explores topics of grief, bereavement and depression.

A thrilling, magical adventure following a girl’s journey from modern Pakistan into the enchanted land of the jinn. It highlights how hard life is for many children in the world, in an engaging, age-appropriate way. 

In this leftfield comic fantasy novel, 12-year-old Percy Jackson discovers that the Greek gods of Olympus are alive and living in modern-day New York.

Sophie Hatter is cursed with an old body by the Witch of the Waste and the spell can only be broken by the dreaded Wizard Howl who lives in his moving castle and likes to eat the souls of young girls.

When babies are left in the forest as an offering, the witch Xan protects them and feeds them on starlight. But one day, Xan feeds a baby the moon by mistake – and fills her with a dangerous amount of magic. A thoughtful book about belonging and fear. 

A complex and sinuous fantasy adventure set in a world of monsters where being bad isn’t just good, it’s compulsory.