Summary

• Start young readers off with fantasy series that ease them into the genre for a lifelong love of fantasy staples.
• Timeless classics like The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter grow with readers, offering simple beginnings and complex layers.
• Book series like Inkworld and Percy Jackson introduce kids to the magic of reading and fantasy in a captivating way.

Fantasy can 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. Iconic book series such as The Lord of the Rings will 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 palatable for younger readers. If kids (and even adults) start their fantasy journeys with these, they will surely become life-long lovers of the genre.

10 The Chronicles Of Narnia

By C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia is one of the most iconic children's fantasy series and 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 the Narnia series, 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 of The Chronicles of Narnia are all about growing up, so those who fall in love with the series as kids are likely to become lifelong fans.

9 The Time Quintet

By Madelein L'Engle

The Time Quintet, which began with A Wrinkle in Time in 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 Time is pure whimsy, with character names like "Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which" and other such delightfully silly happenings.

Like The Chronicles of Narnia, the Time Quintet was 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 with A Wrinkle in Time is that it also serves as an introduction to the science fiction subgenre.

8 The Inkworld Series

By Cornelia Funke

The Inkworld series is a more contemporary fantasy series but has all the charm of classics like A 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 in Inkspell and Inkdeath when the fantasy world of books becomes the characters' new reality.

The great thing about the Inkworld series 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 makes Inkheart the perfect introduction to not just fantasy but the possibilities of reading in general.

7 Harry Potter

By J.K. Rowling

As one of the best-selling book series of all time, a young reader can't go wrong with Harry 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.

The best part about getting started with the Harry Potter books as 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 in Harry Potter gets more complex, allowing teens and adults to enjoy the darker side of the fantasy genre.

6 His Dark Materials

By Philip Pullman

The His Dark Materials series 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 Com in the United States), was published in 1995, and the following two novels in the trilogy were released shortly after. His Dark Materials features 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 Materials delivers 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 makes Pullman's series a great start for jumping into the more intense social commentaries within the fantasy franchise.

5 Percy Jackson & The Olympians

By Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a five-part fantasy book series that began with The Lightning Thief in 2005 and concluded with The Last Olympian in 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 further Percy Jackson & The Olympian books were published in 2023 and 2024.

The author of the Percy Jackson books, Rick Riordan, was fascinated by Greek mythology as a kid, and his series is sure to appeal to other children who share his ion. 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 new Percy Jackson & the Olympians TV adaptation, there's even more reason for young readers to get started with the books.

4 The Chronicles Of Prydain

By Lloyd Alexander

The Chronicles of Prydain is a series of five novels by Lloyd Alexander. The story started with The Book of Three in 1964 and continued into The Black Cauldron (1965), The Castle of Llyr (1966), Taran Wanderer (1967), and The High King (1968), each of which is a beloved novel in its own right. Together, the Prydain series is the perfect start to high fantasy.

Alexander's books find 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's The Chronicles of Prydain.

3 The Fowl Adventures

By Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl book 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 Hard with fairies." Naturally, this makes The Fowl Adventures an 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.

2 The Borrowers

By Mary Norton

The Borrowers is 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.

The Borrowers books, 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.

1 The Fablehaven Series

By Brandon Mull

The Fablehaven series 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. Fablehaven is 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.