I know there have been questions like this, but any good fantasy books?

Question

I've read the majority of the popular fantasy novels for people my age, plus, I'm trying to help a fantasy loving 5th grader find some books, and I'm running out of titles. Just so you know, I've read most books by Garth Nix, Scott Westerfeld, Jenny Nimmo, Elizabeth Kay, Mary Hoffman, C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling of course, all of the Redwall books, and the Wind on Fire Trilogy...The City of Ember and all those books, well, I'll just see what you come up with okay?

I probably should have also mentioned I've read Tolkien, The Dark materials Trilogy, and the Bartimaeus Trilogy. There's still time to answer my question, thanks so much for the help you've given already!

Answer 1

Anything by Tamora Pierce is a lot of fun, Anne McCaffery's DragonSong series is a good starter (though it's a sci fi/fantasy crossover), Phillip Pullman is very popular. The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby is one I just read and loved. Also the City of Ember and People of the Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau were two books I enjoyed. Kate DeCamillo (Newbery Author) has the Tale of Desperaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane that are quick and lovely fantasy reads.

Those are some I personally would suggest, but here are few resources to help (I hope)!

http://www.genrefluent.com/TitleIndex.htm
http://www.wtmlib.com/ya/ya_fantasy.htm (more for teens, but there's some good books here)
http://www.carmel.lib.in.us/ya/yabooklink.cfm?id=199
http://www.sfsite.com/vault/worth19.htm
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/

Happy Hunting and Happy Reading!

Answer 2

Definitely try Tamora Pierce. Some of the early Discworld books by Terry Pratchett might be good, especially the Watch and Rincewind threads which tend to be less political/allegorical. Guards, Guards; Men at Arms, and The Last Continent spring to mind. Madeline L'Engle might go over well. Start with A Wrinkle In Time.

You might be interested in Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy, which is one of the most original pieces of fantasy writing I've come across in a long time. But it's definitely not for 5th graders.

Answer 3

Try Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series.The books I liked in the series are Exile's honor,Exile's valor,Take a thief.

The following is a review of exile's honor.

We see how Alberich, once a trusted and talented young captain in the Karse army, was given a magifnicent white stallion as a prize. We learn how his curious and unpredictable talent for precognition both saved the lives of others and doomed him to execution on charges of witchcraft. At the last moment, his horse saved him, and brought him across the border to Valdemar, and Alberich's life was changed forever.
Chosen as a Herald by the magical Companion (blue-eyed white horses with telepathy and some veeeeeeery interesting secrets, and a direct line to the Powers That Be), Alberich was forced to make some very hard decisions involving honor, loyalty, life, and death. Ultimately, he chose to stay in Valdemar, but that was only the beginning. The first part of this book concerns his introduction to the ways of Valdemar, a land quite different from the country of his birth.

Mercedes Lackey's Take a Thief is the tale of Skif, a young orphan reminiscent of Oliver Twist, making his way in the knock-and-tumble neighborhood between two of Haven's outermost walls. Skif is intelligent, good-hearted and creative enough to forage up three meals a day in a place where food is scarce and kindness almost unheard of. After a chain of events leave him homeless, Skif lands in the lair of Bazie, an Faginish ex-mercenary who trains thieves...until he is "Chosen" by one of Valdemar's magical horses and becomes a Herald serving the Queen.

Dragonjousters series(joust,alta,sanctuary) by Mercedes Lackey.The setting is ancient Egypt.Hunger, anger, and hatred are constants for young Vetch, rendered a brutally mistreated and overworked serf by the Tian conquest of his homeland. But everything improves when a Tian jouster requisitions Vetch to become the first serf ever to be a dragon boy. His training is intense, and his duty clear-cut: to tend his jouster, Ari, and his dragon, Kashet. He discovers that, because Ari himself had hatched Kashet, the dragon is different from others that have been captured live in the wild and must be drugged to be made tractable. Vetch finds he really likes and understands dragons, and soon he becomes the best dragon boy of all. He still harbors anger, however, toward the Tian invasion. Could he, perhaps, hatch a dragon, and then escape to help his people?

Answer 4

Since you've read stuff by C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, and Brian Jacques(Redwall) you might like Robert Jordan. He writes fantasy. The fifth grader your trying to find stuff for will probably like it too.

Answer 5

Hi there. I have a new medieval fantasy book out that you might like. It has received excellent reviews in the national media and is being considered for a movie deal. The title is THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY. It's 445 pages of action, adventure, magic, mystery and mayhem. If you like Conan style books, you'll like this one.

In fact, if you'd like to try it out, I'll send you a FREE, 4 chapter eBook demo if you will email me at [e-mail]. That way, you and your 5th grader can see how much you like the story without spending a dime. Fair enough?

Good luck, whatever you decide to read!

Jon F. Baxley
THE SCYTHIAN STONE
THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY
THE REGENTS OF RHUM (coming, fall '07)

Answer 6

I assume you've read Tolkein, but how about Lloyd Alexander, Vivian Vande Velde, Cate Tiernan, Isobel Bird, Lois Lowry, Lois Duncan, Celia Rees, or K. A. Applegate?

Answer 7

"The Dark is Rising cycle is composed of five books: Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree. Of the five, The Dark is Rising was a Newbery Honor Book, and The Grey King actually won the Newbery Medal, one of the most prestigious awards in children's literature. "

http://www.greenmanreview.com/dark_is_rising.html

Answer 8

I suggest J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit for starters, and Philip Pullman;s "His Dark Materials" books

Answer 9

The Inheritance Trilogy (Christopher Paolini), The Named (Alison Croggon) are both amazing. Just go to the library or something if you need more.

Answer 10

Kudos to you on helping younger readers! I just wanted to add that it's never to young to start them on history, just find historical fun reads that coincides with the fantasy themes. Castle architecture, church architecture, the crusades, monks, rennaissance, Kings and queens, heraldry even....these are just a few topics that might broaden the youngsters intellectual thirst.
Good luck and happy reading!