A Thinker in Space

(Books for Readers Young and Old #4)

If you would like a review of what this mini-series is covering, please take a look at the Realistic Fiction/Historical Fiction article (I introduce it here, and give places to find content reviews) and the Science Fiction article. As a quick recap – this is the book list I send home to my MS (Middle School) parents at the beginning of each year, and I felt it would be valuable to post here as well for others to take a look at! This is the lengthiest – Fantasy is one of my favorite genres, and is prolific in young adult literature.

Inkheart Series by Cornelia Funke

Inkheart, Inkspell, Inkdeath

Grade Level: 8^th+

Length: Books are around 500-700 pages

Concept: The main character is able to read characters and objects out of stories into the real world, and people in the real world into novels.

Recommendation: Inkheart is an amazing standalone novel, with a fantastic cast of characters. It is excellent for students who love to read, because the star of the book is a young girl who, well, loves to read! Novels throughout the whole canon of literature, both young adult and classic, are referenced, and each chapter begins with a quote from another work of literature. As the books move forward, they get a bit darker and a bit more violent (think the later Harry Potter novels), so definitely screen them through Common Sense Media or other outlets to make sure they are appropriate for your child!

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Novels 1-7

Grade Level: Books 1-3 – 7^th, Books 4-7 – 8^th+

Length: Books begin short (200-300 pages) and end up very long (500-700 pages)

Concept: A young boy learns he has magical powers, and through seven books, we follow him through seven years of school as he grows closer to the friends around him and faces evils he never imagined.

Recommendation: These novels are a huge point of contention amongst Christians, and have been since the day they became popular. The questions of whether our children should be reading stories that on the surface seem to glorify witches and wizards and sorcery are legitimate questions that need to be asked and considered. However, I believe that as literature, the Harry Potter books are excellent novels, and have a lot to offer. At their core, it is a story about good, evil, and sacrifice, and about normal people thrust in extraordinary circumstances. In the end, however, whether or not these novels are appropriate for your child is something you should decide, and whatever decision you make is completely respected and appreciated. The novels definitely get darker and a bit more violent as you move forward in the seven books, so I would be certain to use Common Sense Media or Pluggedin to make sure that these novels are appropriate for your child.

Fablehaven & Dragon Watch by Brandon Mull

Fablehaven Novels 1-5, Dragonwatch Novels 1-5

Grade Level: 7^th+

Length: Books range from 350-600 pages, increasing each novel.

Concept: Our world overlaps with a fantastical world of creatures that exist but we are not aware of, and they are cared for in “Sanctuaries” where they can thrive.

Recommendation: Fablehaven isn’t talked about very heavily, but I loved it as a child and am always ready to recommend them. The world created in these novels is extremely creative, and the novels are enjoyable romps through a fantastical world. As with other novel series, as they continue they get a bit darker and more mature, but they are honestly rather mild relative to some of the other novels on this list. There are “demons” in this novel, but they are portrayed as evil mythical beasts, and the novel does not make any statements about their world that are anti-biblical.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Novels 1-7

Grade Level: 4^th+

Length: Books range from 200-300 pages

Concept: A fantastical world of magical creatures that intersects with our own world through doorways and passages.

Recommendation: I would be remiss to create a list of young adult novels that are excellent without recommending The Chronicles of Narnia. This is an excellent series full of allegory and exploration of Christian themes through a world full of magical creatures and beings. It is classical fiction that is accessible to young adults and children, and is still some of the best Christian fiction available for young minds.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance

Grade Level: Book 1 – 7^th+,  Books 2-4 – 8^th+

Length: Books range from 500-900 pages

Concept: In a fantasy world, a young farm boy discovers a dragon egg, and learns that the world around him is not quite what it seems.

Recommendation: The first Eragon novel is an excellent book full of twists and turns, and paints a classic Hero’s Journey that is relatable and full of fantasy creatures. It can be read independently from the other three books. However, once you read Eldest, they are all interconnected and end on cliffhangers. They do get progressively darker, as with most young adult series, but the story overall contains quite a bit of excellent character development and is a satisfying story from beginning to end. Eragon should be fine, but I would look up the rest on Common Sense Media so that you can make an accurate decision on whether or not this series is appropriate for your child.

Redwall by Brian Jaques

Redwall is a series, but this is specifically a recommendation for the first novel. The rest of the books are excellent followups, however, and most can stand alone!

Grade Level: 6^th+

Length: Books are 300-400 pages, but are written with small text so they are noticeably longer than they appear.

Concept: A classic fantasy tale, but instead of starring humans, it takes place in a world where animals talk and are the only beings that exist. Think Zootopia but epic fantasy.

Recommendation: Redwall was one of my absolute favorite stories for a long time – it’s an excellent Hero’s Journey full of interesting characters and an exciting quest. They have no objectionable content beyond some normal fantasy violence, and even then it is never graphic. These are excellent fairy tales-made-fantasy, and continue to charm me even as I read them now.

Holes by Lois Sachar

Grade Level: 6^th+

Length: ~250 pages

Concept: Stanley Yelnats, through a series of unpredictable, unlucky events, ends up at a work camp for juvenile delinquents, and at the center of a mystery wrapped in history.

Recommendation: Holes is a classic young adult novel, one that I recommend to any student who has not yet experienced it. Sachar is an excellent character writer, and the story and mystery he creates is captivating. The drawback to this novel is that the mystery involved rests around a family curse of bad luck. It is integral to the story, and the curse is confirmed to exist by the author. Otherwise, it is a fantastic, family-friendly novel that has endured for generations!

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

Grade Level: 6^th+

Length: ~400 pages

Concept: A young orphan boy growing up on the streets of Venice finds that there is more to the magic of the city than he anticipated.

Recommendation: This is an excellent and enjoyable tale of mystery, intrigue, and suspense. Without giving too much away, it is a magical tale that takes place in a remarkable setting, and can be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages.

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit

Grade Level: 5^th+

Length: ~150 pages

Concept: Who wouldn’t want to be immortal? That is the question that Winnie Foster must consider when she meets a family that has been blessed with immortality.

Recommendation: This novel is a short but excellent young adult classic, dealing with the drawbacks of the concept of immortality. What child hasn’t fantasized about living forever? This story helps to address that common feeling, and allows them to see firsthand what the concept of immortality truly means.

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

Grade Level: 7^th+

Length: ~400 pages

Concept: A boy finds himself in a fantastical world, and has adventures he never dreamed he would experience.

Recommendation: A unique take on the Narnia-esque “boy from our world enters fantasy world”, this bizarre but fascinating novel takes the reader on an exploration of the imagination. If your child has seen the film based off this novel – it barely scratches the surface of what this book has to offer. There is so much more here than the movie portrays – the movie actually ends almost a third into the book. I highly recommend this novel for a fantastical and whimsical exploration of the blessing of imagination, and the dangers that come with it.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Grade Level: 6^th+

Length: ~240 pages

Concept: A retelling of the Cinderella story starring a girl with a unique gift/curse: she must always tell the truth.

Recommendation: This is a short and easy read, but it is a heartfelt tale about love, family, and growing up.

The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker

Black, Red, White, NOT GREEN

Grade Level: 8^th+

Length: ~400-450 pages

Concept: A man wakes up in a fantasy world every night, and deals with a crisis in our world and in the new world.

Recommendation: This is an excellent story targeted to young adult/adults, and is a faith-based fantasy story. Ted Dekker can be controversial in Christian circles, but these three novels are spiritually grounded and bring up fascinating topics about the world around us. I highly recommend reading the first three books and ignoring the fourth novel – Green. It is problematic for the story, and spiritually problematic as well. The first three novels are a complete story, and Green was an epilogue written years later that was damaging to the original narrative.

The Paradise Trilogy by Ted Dekker

Showdown, Saint, Sinner

Grade Level: 8^th+

Length: ~400-450 pages

Concept: Three very different novels that deal with spiritual warfare and bizarre situations mixing the fantastic with the real world.

Recommendation: This is a bizarre trilogy that is interconnected with The Circle Trilogy (listed above), though it is not necessary to read the Circle in order to appreciate this trilogy. These stories are a bit more violent and disturbing (right off the bat in Showdown), but they are excellent and mysterious, full of secrets that get revealed piece by piece. Sinner is a bit problematic, and makes some frustrating narrative decisions, but is still a solid novel.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Grade Level: 7^th+

Length: ~75 pages

Concept: I would remiss not to mention the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge as he grapples with his own mortality and greed in Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol

Recommendation: The writing is challenging (as it is Dickens), but it is an excellent novel that deserves all of the accolades it has received. It has stood the test of time and spawned innumerable adaptations.

Sisters of the Lost Marsh by Lucy Strange

Grade Level: 7^th+

Length: ~210 pages

Concept: A near-historical fictional piece about life in a time of arranged marriages. It takes place on a farm, and deals with some difficult themes.

Recommendation: This novel has magic in it. It’s subtle and questionable at the beginning, but by the end it is clear that there are characters who are capable of using magic. The concept of witchcraft and the witch trials is touched on, but in the end, this is a world where some people have magical abilities. If this is a concern, then this novel is a skip, but the content is very positive and effectively handled.

Wrinkle in Time Cycle by Madeline L’Engle

Books 1-3

Grade Level: 7^th+

Length: ~200-300 pages

Concept: In a world where space and time travel is possible, the lives of Meg and her siblings are radically changed by the world around them as they explore things beyond their imaginations and fight to save all that is good and true against an unspeakable evil.

Recommendation: This series is excellent, and the first three books are fantastic for young readers. L’Engle has some problematic beliefs tied to her faith, but these stories are excellent and the ways they portray faith are biblically grounded and expertly explored. Book 4 should be screened first before allowing students to read it – it deals with more mature content than the first three.

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Books 1-13

Grade Level: 6^th+

Length: ~150-400 pages

Concept: A tale about three orphans who have continuous and constant misfortune as they are chased by an evil man who seeks to obtain their fortune by any means possible.

Recommendation: Ah, Series of Unfortunate Events. I thought about this series for a long time before putting it on this list, because it has some excellent qualities tied to some problematic elements. These books are dark, but they are targeted towards young audiences. They sometimes feed off morbid curiosity to fuel the content of the novel. Not only that, but nearly every adult character is useless, which is always a problematic element of novels for young readers. However, this series is clever, witty, and has some of the most creative narration I have ever seen. Lemony Snicket (the author’s penname and a character in the story) creates situations that intentionally serve to teach kids complicated vocabulary and literary elements, making them excellent tools in the literature classroom, and the characters grow significantly throughout the course of the novels. One of the major themes, especially as the story goes on, is that life is complicated, and the right thing to do can become difficult to discern when you are in impossibly difficult circumstances. These are enjoyable, easy to read, and narratively clever. But they are worth screening, as they come with quite a bit of baggage. These are also under Fantasy due to the bizarre world that these kids live in that is almost the real world, but has uncanny differences. There are no traditional fantasy elements like magic or other creatures present in this series.

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

Books 1-5

Grade Level: 7^th+

Length: ~200-400 pages

Concept: A fantasy world where the Greek gods are real and are still on Earth, interacting with humans and other fantastical creatures. We see from the perspective of a young boy who is thrown into this world unawares when he learns that he is Poseidon’s son.

Recommendation: A classic young adult series about finding yourself in a world of chaos, Percy Jackson has been highly regarded as one of the best fantasy series written of late. Rick Riordan has gone on to insert political agenda into later novels, but these five remain solid fantasy books. The Greek gods are portrayed as flawed and fallen, but they are present in this series, so if that is a concern it should be considered when looking at these novels.

Kingdom Come

Grade Level: 8^th+

Length: ~200-300 pages

Concept: One of the biggest DC stories and perhaps the one with the most literary significance – Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the like face one of their greatest challenges – young superheroes that are arrogant and brash about their abilities.

Recommendation: Kingdom Come is unlike the rest of the books on this list, as it is a graphic novel. But it is not your traditional comic book. Kingdom Come is a narrative masterpiece, with incredible art and a haunting story. It is not for everyone, but the themes and concepts this story discusses are incredible. I highly recommend this as a read for anyone who is interested in DC comics, superheroes in general, or stories that deal with normal people who have superpowers. There are a few content concerns, including some violence, so it is worth screening.

The Divide by Elizabeth Kay

Grade Level: 5^th+

Length: ~200-300 pages

Concept: A classic tale of worlds colliding – a fantasy world has breached into the real world, and the barrier must be closed.

Recommendation: These are fun and lighthearted stories with interesting characters and engaging fantastical situations.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Books 1-8

Grade Level: 5^th+

Length: 300-500 pages

Concept: A boy, young and brilliant, discovers that fairies exist and attempts one of the biggest heists of his time.

Recommendation: A science-fiction-fantasy meld with strong world building an evolving scope, I cannot recommend Artemis Fowl enough. The star of our novel is a young criminal mastermind who bites off more than he can chew and ends up diving into a whole world of magic and science that he must navigate as he learns what it means to be human. An excellent story about a gifted child learning how to navigate the world around him.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Book 1

Grade Level: 6^th+

Length: ~400 pages

Concept: A retelling of Peter Pan with a whole new world around him, set in the English past.

Recommendation: Peter and the Starcatchers is an excellent story that is an original and interesting take on a traditional fairytale. There are three books total, but the second book falls into the “young people disobey explicit orders from adults but it turns out that their irresponsible decisions saved the day so yay!” trap, which I am personally not fond of. So the sequels are harder to recommend, but this first book is fantastic!

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman by Brian Jaques

Books 1-3+

Grade Level: 6^th+

Length: ~400-500 pages

Concept: An excellent series starring a young boy and his dog who were given the gift of immortality in a world of ships and pirates.

Recommendation: These are a lot of fun, and are fascinating explorations of the concept of immortality. I highly recommend them!

The Passages Series by Paul McCusker

Books 1-6+

Grade Level: 5^th+

Length: ~200-300 pages

Concept: From the people that produce Adventures in Odyssey comes a series of stories based on the “Passages” stories of AIO. No knowledge of the show is needed to appreciate these books – they are retelling of Bible stories in a fantasy world called Merris.

Recommendation: Focus on the Family is an excellent company, and their novels surrounding the Adventures in Odyssey series are consistently excellent. I highly recommend checking out the radio drama – Adventures in Odyssey is an excellent and consistently high-quality set of stories produced by Focus on the Family that take place in a small town called Odyssey. There are over 900 stories, and they intertwine and deal with themes from classroom squabbles to challenging political topics. These novels are excellent and consistent, and certainly worth reading – even as an adult, I have enjoyed these books. Paul McCusker is an excellent author.

Related Reading