77 books like The Horse and His Boy

I was quickly captivated by the story of Princess Ani and her magical gift of animal speak. I related to her insecurity of being an outcast, feeling different, and finding refuge within the natural world. Her fast-paced story engages with both colorful and menacing characters as she confronts parental conflict, loss, betrayal, and true love.

Inspirational to read as she faced these challenging obstacles and evolved into self-acceptance, realizing that her differences and gifts were actually her greatest allies. This story explores bonds to animals and nature, parental conflict, betrayal, determination, insecurities around being different, acceptance, and listening to one’s inner voice.

Like many others, this was my first love as a fantasy reader, and I don’t mind confessing that, even as an adult, I tend to enjoy it meaningfully more than its companion, Lord of the Rings, despite my significant affection for that work.

I believe, with the possible exception of The Gunslinger, that I’ve re-read this book more than any other in my life, always taking something new and exciting, or at the very least interesting, from it with each passing decade. I think that says more than I ever could about its impact, its staying power, and the potent seeds it was able to plant in my mind during my youth.

If you’ve wandered through kid’s fantasy for long, you’ve probably encountered The Black Cauldron. It’s a great book and well worth your time! That said, my favorite of the entire series is book four, Taran Wanderer. The other books in the series tell epic tales with huge stakes. This one, though, is all about Taran trying to figure out who he is and if he’s worth anything. He sets out on a quest, and his answer at the end shook me when I read it in… sixth grade? I might have been younger yet! I highly, highly recommend this book to kids trying to find themselves!

I love all the twists and turns this book takes as Harry learns more about his family history and himself. It is a heroic story arc in which Harry finds the strength to face the evil forces that killed his mother and father and are now after him.

I appreciate how brave Harry is, how he does not worry about omens of death and “You-Know-Who” but goes after the escaped convict from Azkaban, Sirius Black, who is an evil sorcerer like no other. Aside from all the great characters, some amazing creatures and magical time travel bring about some unknown truths that change everything.

There are a lot of fantastic iterations of dragon books out there, and this is one of the best. Dragons in this story have the ability to shapeshift into humans—not the other way around—and do so with great disgruntlement. But our story focuses on a distinctly human girl, Tess, whose troublemaking nature has alienated her from family and friends alike. When her family attempts to force her into a life she doesn’t want, Tess sets out on the adventure of a lifetime with her dragon friend to rediscover herself, and maybe find a little magic along the way.

This book is a healing journey in the guise of a fantastical adventure that will leave you feeling lighter for the trip.

I boarded a plane in Los Angeles the day after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows released.

Before we were airborne, I opened the pages to the epic conclusion of the HP series. When I glanced to my left and right, I realized the passengers in my row were all doing the same.

What struck me in that moment was how Harry Potter transcended from a series for young adults to one for YA fans of all ages—a remarkable feat by one of the greatest YA storytellers in history.

If you haven’t read the books but have seen the films, I would highly recommend diving into the HP series as you will not be disappointed.

So many themes are woven throughout Deathly Hallows rooted in the value of love and friendship from all ages.

A list of fantasy adventure books filled with fun, magic, and hope would hardly be complete without one entry from The Chronicles of Narnia. And though it’s hard to pick just one, I think we have to go with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

When Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace are swept away into the magical world of Narnia to sail with king Caspian and his ragtag crew across the sea, there is no shortage of adventure. They face many challenges along the way, including the incessant whining of Eustace.

Our protagonists never give up, even in the face of difficult bouts with sea serpents, wizard’s tricks, and dragon curses. And at the end of their journey, they grow into the heroes they were meant to be.

The Last Battle stopped me in my tracks growing up. I was the kid who sat in church and flinched when the music minister joyfully proclaimed we would all sing forever when we reached heaven’s shores. I flinched because I wanted to fly. I wanted to climb mountains. I wanted Jesus to show me stars flung out where I couldn’t possibly go now.

My attention span was not built for singing eternally.

So when I first read The Last Battle, I’m pretty sure I cried with relief. I decided that if C.S. Lewis could imagine a heaven like that, then surely God would come up with something even better (no matter what the music guy said).

One of the most popular children’s book series of the twentieth century, all of the books in the series feature the author speaking directly to the reader, detailing past events, reminding the reader of personality traits of the characters, and providing the reader with background details about the world the reader finds themselves in.

More so than the other books on the list, it’s clear the voice is that of C.S. Lewis though, rather than a seemingly separate narrator.

I recommend this book because it absolutely captivated and catapulted me into a land of wonder, mystery, and epic fantasy. All the creatures and Christian allegory throughout the book were amazing, and it was heart-stopping to see the sacrifices made but the hope that shined through. It is classic storytelling at its finest, and I cannot recommend it enough!