The best fantasy books that feature childlike mischief and frights that’ll make you pull the bedcovers up a little closer

The fragrance of exotic spice, dreamy Moroccan evenings rife with jasmine, and whispers of dark magic leap from the pages of this little-known fairy tale classic I latched onto as a kid. A young boy must save his beleaguered household from the mischievous plots of wicked djinn, helped by a kind and marvelously magical desert fox in disguise. This evocative tale is breathtaking for readers of all ages—a fantasy feast for the senses, embellished with illustrations by the great Fritz Eichenberg. A “best-kept secret” treasure that I still read once a year!

The stark simplicity of this work knocked my socks off when I picked it up years ago. Rarely has a fairy tale struck such a perfect balance between the terrifying and the whimsical, the emotional and the macabre. Neil Gaiman’s masterpiece, in my opinion, rules the literary pantheon due to its ability to make the idea of parallel worlds horrifyingly outlandish yet believable, and for introducing a young heroine as compelling and as memorable as any in the genre. 

I was as surprised as anyone when hardcore horror master Clive Barker painted such a magical panorama in this harrowing story suited for almost all ages. In a house haunted by imprisoned spirits and managed by a mysterious man eager to fulfill the dreams of visiting children, young Harvey Swick knows that every marvel comes at a sinister cost, and it’s up to him to rise to the challenge and outwit the forces trying to take him captive. The full impact of Barker’s twisted imagination is on display in this oft-forgotten classic, structured with page-turning verve for fans of contemporary dark fairy-tale adventure.

Not technically a fairy tale, this surrealist classic nevertheless reads as if a haze of magic might as well be wafting the prose directly into the reader’s mind. The story about a passel of spirited children orphaned by a hurricane and kidnapped by bawdy Caribbean pirates remains shocking and yet deliciously lyrical in its cheeky exploration of human nature and childhood resilience. I read it and am reminded of the often frightening fluidity of human behavior under unexpected influences. 

Who could resist a trio of country witches leaving the comfort of their cottages just because one of them inherits a new job as a fairy godmother and her companions insist upon tagging along to supervise? Off to the big city they fly, unaware of the hilarious and spooky perils that await them along the way… or the powerful enchantress eager to seal their doom when they arrive. I think it’s Terry Pratchett’s best tale from his “witches series,” and the unforgettable excursion by Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick will charm the pumpkins out of readers for a lifetime.