| Fantasy Books |  | Avi (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Animal Fantasy; Book Theme: Animals "Poppy" by Avi, winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, is a fast-paced and suspense-filled animal fantasy book. Main characters are two talking animals: a deer mouse named Poppy and a great horned owl called Mr. Ocax. The owl claims to be the ruler of the Dimwood Forest and promises to protect the mice headed by Poppy's father Lungwort in exchange for their obedience. After the owl kills Poppy's best friend Ragweed and refuses the request by the Poppy's father to move half of the mice family to a new place, Poppy sets out to find the new home. Along the way, Poppy makes friends with Ereth, a porcupine. In the end, Poppy engages in a fierce battle with the owl. Children in 4th grade through 7th grade will enjoy this award-winning chapter book. |
|  | Suzanne Collins (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Fantasy Books "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins is a fast-paced and suspenseful fantasy book that brings readers to the fascinating Underland, inhabited by fanciful characters such as talking bats called fliers, huge spiders called spinners, giant cockroaches called crawlers, vicious rats called gnawers, and purple-eyed humans. The story starts with 11-year-old Gregor and his 2-year-old sister Boots falling through an air vent in the laundry room of their apartment complex into the Underland. They are found by the cockroaches and taken to the humans in the city of Regalia, where Gregor meets queen Luxa and his grandfather Vikus. Gregor tries to escape, but gets attacked by the rats. The humans rescue him. Vikus thinks Gregor is the Overlander warrior who can help the humans fulfill their prophecy. Gregor initially refuses, but when he hears that his dad is held prisoner by the rats in the Underland, Gregor agrees to join a quest to fight the rats. After many twists and turns, Gregor is happily united with his father. Part of the charm of this chapter book lies in its portrayal of the main character Gregor as a loving and caring big brother who rises to his challenges. Another interesting character is Ripred, a smart and powerful rat who joins the quest as a guide. "Gregor the Overlander" appeals to children in 4th grade through 7th grade. |
|  | George Selden, Garth Williams (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Animal Fantasy The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden and Garth Williams is a charming animal fantasy book about Chester Cricket's adventure in New York City. At the start of this classic children' book, the country cricket arrives at the Times Square subway station by accident. Mario Bellini, whose parents own a newsstand, finds him and lets him stay in the newsstand. The cricket goes on to make friends with the boy, Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat. With interesting characters and an imaginative story, The Cricket in Times Square is a great chapter book for children in 4th grade through 7th grade. |
|  | Robert C. O'Brien, Zena Bernstein (Paperback) Genres: Fiction - Animal Fantasy, Science Fiction "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh" by Robert C. O'Brien, winner of the Newbery Medal, is one of the best children's books of the 20th century. Author Robert O'Brien effectively combines elements of animal fantasy and science fiction in this chapter book and tells a captivating story with believable characters and an interesting plot. A widowed field mouse, Mrs. Frisby, needs to move her family to their summer home quickly before a farm's plow comes, but one of her children gets seriously ill and cannot go out in the cold. She seeks help from the rats of Nimh, highly intelligent rats who live under the rosebush. These animals have been captured by the scientists at the Nimh lab and given injections that have vastly boosted their intelligence. They can read and write. The rat leader Nicodemus tells Mrs. Frisby the story of their escape from Nimh. It turns out one of the escapees is Jonathan Frisby, Mrs. Frisby's late husband. The rats now have a plan to grow their own crop and form a self-sufficient colony in Thorn Valley. "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh" appeals to children in 4th grade through 7th grade. |
|  | Kate DiCamillo, Timothy Basil Ering (Hardcover) Genre: Fiction - Animal Fantasy; Book Theme: Animals The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo, a 2004 Newbery Medal award winner, is one of our favorite animal fantasy books. This chapter book tells interwoven stories of three main characters. It is a tale of Despereaux Tilling, a small mouse who doesn't behave like an ordinary mouse. Despereaux likes to read stories and falls in love with a princess named Pea. The Mouse Council banishes Despereaux to a dark dungeon for breaking the mouse rules of conduct. It is a tale of Chiaroscuro, a rat who lives in the darkness of dungeon but has an unusual interest in light. It is also a tale of Miggery Sow, an abused and slow-witted servant girl who longs to be a princess. After discovering the rat's plot to kidnap the princess, Despereaux bravely comes to the rescue. With a well-paced story and memorable protagonists, The Tale of Despereaux appeals children in 4th grade through 7th grade. It is a good chapter book to read aloud. |
|  | Christopher Paolini (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Fantasy Books Eragon by teen author Christopher Paolini, the first book in the Inheritance Trilogy, tells an engaging tale of dragons, magic and adventure. The main character of this best selling fantasy book is Eragon, a 15-year-old farm boy in Alagaesia. When hunting in the Spine, a mountain range near his home village Carvahall, Eragon finds a blue stone that happens to be a dragon egg. After the egg hatches, Eragon raises the dragon secretly and names her Saphira. The evil Ra'zac sent by the King Galbatorix kills Eragon's uncle and destroys his home. Accompanied by old storyteller Brom, Eragon and his dragon sets out on a treacherous journey full of twists and turns. Toward the end of the story, Eragon the Dragon Rider, his newly made friend Murtagh, and Saphira arrive at Tronjheim, where the rebel force called the Varden is located. A big battle is fought in which Eragon helps defeat the enemies sent by the king. Likable protagonists and an interesting plot make it an entertaining book for both young adults and adults to read. |
|  | Richard Adams (Paperback) Genres: Fiction - Adventure Books, Animal Fantasy; Book Theme: Animals "Watership Down" by Richard Adams, one of the best novels of the 20th century, is a riveting animal fantasy book beloved by young adults and adults alike. A group of rabbits set out on a long journey to find a new home after a small rabbit named Fiver senses great danger to their warren. They go through many adventures before reaching Watership Down. Soon after the rabbits settle down at their home on the down, they go on another dangerous adventure to fetch female rabbits from Efrafa, a warren tightly controlled by a ruthless Chief Rabbit, General Woundwort. Part of the attraction of this classic adventure story stems from its diverse and interesting characters. The talking animals have distinct personalities. Hazel the leader is fair, quick-minded and always looks out for the interests of the group. Bigwig the fighter is strong, brave and willing to stick out for the weak. Fiver the prophet is small and nervous. Woundwort the villain is intelligent, fearless and power-crazy. "Watership Down" also includes several chapters of short tales about El-ahrairah, the "Prince with a Thousand Enemies", who is cunning and clever. |
|  | Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (Hardcover) Genre: Fiction - Fantasy Books; Book Theme: Christmas Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne, the 29th book of the popular Magic Tree House series, is a fast-paced and easy-to-read early chapter book that can serve as a good introduction to the fantasy genre. Jack and Annie, the two characters familiar to the readers of the Magic Tree House series, receive an invitation to spend Christmas in Camelot. After they get there, Morgan le Fay tells the children that there are no Christmas celebrations this year, as Camelot is under the evil spell of Dark Wizard Mordred. The Christmas Knight arrives to inform King Arthur that he needs to send people to the Otherworld to bring back the Water of Memory and Imagination to restore joy to Camelot. Jack and Annie embark on a magical quest that includes three rhymes for clues, a white stag, winged dancers, and fire-breathing Keepers of the Cauldron. Christmas in Camelot appeals to children in second grade and third grade. |
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