Fantasy books for 9+

Some of our favourite contemporary fantasy titles for readers aged 9+ to enjoy

Fantasy books can transport you to completely new worlds, filled with magic, mythical creatures, heroism and adventure.

The fantastical elements of these books encourage children to think creatively – to imagine themselves beyond the confines of reality. They also allow readers to explore real-life issues through unusual perspectives and allegory.

These are some of our favourite contemporary fantasy titles for readers aged 9+ to enjoy.

  • Cogheart

    by Peter Bunzl, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander 

    2016 6 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy
    • Historical
    • Science fiction

    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.

  • The Wizards of Once

    by Cressida Cowell 

    2017 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Chapter books
    • Fantasy

    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. 

  • I Am Wolf

    by Alastair Chisholm 

    2024 9 to 12+ years 

    • Adventure
    • Science fiction
    • Dystopia
    • Disability

    pacy dystopian page-turner.

  • Pirates of Darksea

    by Catherine Doyle 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy

    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.  

  • Rune: The Tale of a Thousand Faces

    by Carlos Sánchez 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy
    • Funny
    • Graphic novels
    • Deafness

    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. 

  • Ember Spark and the Thunder of Dragons

    illustrated by Kristina Kister 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy

    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 and the Spirit Bird

    2019 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Around the world

    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. 

  • Evenfall: The Golden Linnet

    by Alexander Armstrong, illustrated by Tom Roberts 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Coming-of-age
    • Fantasy

    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.  

  • The Colour of Revenge

    by Cornelia Funke 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy

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

  • Monkey King and the World of Myths: The Monster and the Maze

    by Maple Lam 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Funny
    • Graphic novels
    • Myths and legends

    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 and the Night Brothers

    by B B Alston 

    2021 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy

    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. 

  • Relic Hamilton

    by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Hyun Song We 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy

    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. 

  • Starspill

    by Catherine Fisher 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Chapter books
    • Fantasy
    • Dystopia

    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.  

  • The Last Dragon

    by Polly Ho-Yen, illustrated by Charis Loke 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Chapter books

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

  • Aya and the Star Chaser

    by Radiya Hafiza, illustrated by Kaley McKean 

    2024 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Around the world
    • Coming-of-age
    • Fantasy
    • Myths and legends

    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. 

  • Wolf Brother

    by Michelle Paver 

    2014 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Around the world
    • Classics
    • Coming-of-age
    • Fantasy
    • Myths and legends

    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.

  • In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen

    by Kiran Millwood Hargrave 

    2023 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy
    • Myths and legends

    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.

  • Impossible Creatures

    by Katherine Rundell, illustrated by Tomislav Tomic 

    2023 12+ years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy
    • Myths and legends

    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.

  • Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

    by A. F. Steadman 

    2022 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Chapter books
    • Fantasy
    • Dystopia

    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.

  • Nura and the Immortal Palace

    2022 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy

    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. 

  • Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

    by Rick Riordan 

    2013 9 to 12 years 

    • Adventure
    • Chapter books
    • Fantasy
    • Funny
    • ADHD
    • Disability
    • Dyslexia

    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.

  • Howl’s Moving Castle

    by Diana Wynne Jones 

    2009 9 to 12+ years 

    • Adventure
    • Classics
    • Fantasy

    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.

  • The Girl Who Drank the Moon

    2017 9 to 12+ years 

    • Around the world
    • Fantasy

    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. 

  • Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters

    by Ciannon Smart 

    2023 12+ years 

    • Adventure
    • Coming-of-age
    • Fantasy

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