Classic Fantasy Books for Young Adults

Fantasy has a long and beautiful history. There are many wonderful classics that span the past hundred years. The first Fantasy book (for any age) is The Princess and the Goblin and the genre of young adult and childrens fantasy officially began with the writings a few decades after this with Edith Nesbit.

 

 

The Earliest Classics

 

The Princess and the GoblinThe Princess and the Goblin (1872)tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home. Macdonald's pioneering use of fantasy as a literary medium had a great influence on Lewis Carroll, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L'Engle, all great admirers of his work, which has remained popular to this day. "I write, not for children," he wrote, "but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five."

 

 

Five Children and It Five Children and It (Puffin Classics - the Essential Collection) (1902)The genre of Child Fantasy is generally credited with being created by Edith Nesbit who wrote about forty books for children in the late 19th early 20th Century. She also collaborated on twenty more. Some of her works have been adapted into movies and Television shows and some of her more popular works include Five Children and It where five children meet a sand fairy who is compelled to grant them one wish every day.

Some of her other Childrens Fantasy books include:

  • The Story of the Treasure Seekers (1898)
  • The Wouldbegoods (1899)
  • The Phoenix and the Carpet (1904)
  • The New Treasure Seekers (1904)
  • The Story of the Amulet (1905)
  • Edith Nesbit Books at Amazon.com

 

A Princess of Mars

A Princess of Mars (Dover Value Editions)

In this landmark, Civil War veteran John Carter is transported to a dying planet, where he must face giant green barbarians to rescue a Martian princess. Burroughs, best known as the creator of Tarzan , published this novel in 1911 and introduced a new style of writing that combined the genres of fantasy, adventure, and science fiction -Edgar Rice Burroughs was a prolific author who created a series of amazing worlds and characters that transcended fantasy, science fiction and more.

 

The wind in the willowsThe Wind in the Willows

Mole, Water Rat, Badger, and the mischievous Toad live a quiet life on banks of the River Thames with the rest of their animal friends. But Toad tends to get into trouble, and his passion for cars eventually results in his being caught and kept a helpless prisoner in the remotest dungeon of the best-guarded castle in all the land. Dressed as a washerwoman-and with some help from his friends-Toad manages to escape the castle and begins his journey home to Toad Hall. Originally published in 1908, this magnificent new edition of Kenneth Grahame's charming tale brings the animals' adventures to life and is accompanied by more than 70 new illustrations from award-winning artist Robert Ingpen. Fans of all ages will enjoy reliving-or reading for the first time-this heartwarming story of friendship.

 

The reluctant dragonThe Reluctant Dragon

This delightful story tells the tale of a boy who meets a kindly dragon on the edge of town. The boy and the dragon become friends and start spending a lot of time together. Then the people of the town find out about the dragon and send for St. George. The boy meets with St. George and takes him to meet the dragon. All three soon become friends and find themselves in a quandry. George doesn't want to kill the dragon and the dragon has no desire to kill George. A plan is hatched and at the end of the story everyone lives happily.

It's really great reading this to younger children. It's got a great message about not prejudging others. It also shows how people can sometimes get everything they want, without anyone having to get hurt by it. That doesn't happen often, but it's nice to be reminded now and again that it can.

 

 

 

Some of the Modern Must read Classics that will thrill young adults and children

 

The Hobbit

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien - This is a wonderful introductory work to the genre of childrens fantasy books. And it is also an engrossing novel for adults to read - with the added bonus of being able to move on to the Lord of the Rings books when done.

 

 

A Boy Wizard in Children's Fantasy

Ursula K. LeGuin Write a series of books entitled "The Earthsea Trilogy" about a boy with special powers who goes off to wizard school. This sounds very much like the theme of Harry Potter but these books are very different. They take place in another time and land called Earthsea and they are a spectaculary beautiful series of award winning books. If your child likes Harry Potter he or she will surely like these books. They were written in the 60's but are still fresh and wonderful. The First book in the series: A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)

 

The Sword in the Stone

This is a 1938 classic telling of King Arthur, the knights of the round table and Merlyn. It is the first book in a tetralogy based on the life of king Arthur called The Once and Future King.

 

 

A Wrinkle in Time - A wonderful book that is a mix of fantasy, science fiction, about three children who must rescue their father. This is an award winning childrens book. I have read it over and over during the course of my lifetime.

 

Where the Wild Things Are

Amazon.com Review
Where the Wild Things Are is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. If you disagree, then it's been too long since you've attended a wild rumpus. Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper. Fortuitously, a forest grows in his room, allowing his wild rampage to continue unimpaired. Sendak's color illustrations (perhaps his finest) are beautiful, and each turn of the page brings the discovery of a new wonder.

The wild things--with their mismatched parts and giant eyes--manage somehow to be scary-looking without ever really being scary; at times they're downright hilarious. Sendak's defiantly run-on sentences--one of his trademarks--lend the perfect touch of stream of consciousness to the tale, which floats between the land of dreams and a child's imagination.

 

Some contemporary Classics

 

Dragonsong By Anne McCaffrey The First book in the Harper Hall Trilogy of books. McCaffrey is also the author of the very famous DragonRiders of Pern Series which is aimed at an older audience.

 

Another Very Popular series of Childrens Fantasy Books is the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques

Redwall (Redwall, Book 1) This is the first book in the series and there are many books! Anthropomorphism is the key here. All of the various characters are animals that inhabit Redwall Abbey or its environs. The first book shown here has a mouse for a hero. Simply wonderful and charming.

Brian Jacques books At Amazon.com ------- Or
An Amazon Guide to Redwall, listed in recommended reading order

If you are looking for something quite different and unique you might want to consider this masterpiece of fantasy. It is one of the best works ever written and it stands alone. There is no series or further books. The Last Unicorn: (40th Anniversary Edition)