Everyone enjoys reading different kinds of material for different reasons. Some people like poetry, others science fiction, some like their classics or a good biography, and some just like to stick with magazines or newspaper articles.Then there are those who love it all.
One of my favorite genres to read is children’s fantasy. While I have a great appreciation for any kind of written word, children’s fantasy literature has this way of either allowing us to escape the world we live in or nudges us to search for a resemblance of that magic we escaped to in our own surroundings as well. Not to mention it can bring on some hardcore nostalgia. Just because we’re all grown up doesn’t mean we can’t be a part of that! Here are four children’s fantasy series that I’ve re-read as a teenager/young adult and recommend to anyone who’s craving some fantastical adventure.
"Artemis Fowl" – Eoin Colfer
If you enjoy reading books that implement magic into our true modern world, then this series is definitely for you. Artemis Fowl, the series protagonist, is a 12-year-old boy super-genius who also happens to be the heir to his family’s large fortune. He has one of the highest IQs in the world, access to almost unlimited funds, and well, pretty much the means and cunning to get anything he wants. Unfortunately, after his father went missing a few years prior to the series beginning, Artemis decided to take up the responsibilities of his dad’s criminal empire. Pretty intense for a 12-year-old, right?! Just wait. In the midst of his unlawful exploits, ruthless young Artemis is able to piece together the discovery of fairies, magical beings that use a combination of magic and advanced science to run their hidden world beneath our very feet. The great thing about these books is that the plot is so action-packed and well-developed that you’ll breeze through one book and be onto the next one before you know it. Overall if you’re looking for something fast-paced, funny, and science fiction-esque, these books are for you.
"Warriors" - Erin Hunter
These books may have been my all-time favorites back in grade school, and I still love them to this day. Have you ever looked at your pet cat and pondered what’s going on inside its head? Erin Hunter shows us what it would look like if groups of cats had been born into the wild and formed their own societies. Organizing themselves into four separate clans that live in the same area, they have created their own structured government and a set of rules to abide by in order to ensure their survival. They face challenges such as internal power struggles, romantic entanglements, lack of resources, threats from the outside (including humans-aka twolegs), and all out wars against one another. The plot is dramatic, mysterious, and really just down-right awesome.
"Bone" – Jeff Smith
This series is for those who want something a little different. It’s a set of graphic novels, meaning you can read through them pretty fast, and the story is so great you’ll definitely want to. The general plot line centers on 3 bald, white, humanoid-like creatures called “Bones” that get lost while traveling through a dessert and find themselves in a valley that contains humans, fantastical creatures, and other mystical entities. The reason I recommend it to older readers is that even though you can find it in the kids section, many of its themes are relatively dark. The author does a great job of balancing them with a bunch of laugh-out-loud humor, making it both heart-wrenching and hilarious.
"Percy Jackson and the Olympians" – Rick Riordan
Greek mythology fan? As the half- children of the Olympian gods and goddesses, Percy and his friends are entrusted with the task of protecting the earth from their parent’s enemies. In my opinion, the coolest thing about this series is how all the characters can be so relatable and magical at the same time. Every demigod has their own distinct personality that’s similar to someone you probably know in your real life. And they have superpowers gifted from their godly parent. As for the gods and goddesses, Riordan shows us exactly what it would be like if their wills were at play in the 21st century, giving their classic personas a modern twist. No matter what your age, these books are unlikely to disappoint.
