Whether you are a tween or you have a tween in your household, you know how hard it can be to find anything for this picky demographic.
When it comes to reading, many tweens either love it or hate it.
It can be difficult to get a tween into reading if they do not show interest on their own.
That does not mean that it is impossible.
Fantasy is one of the best genres for tweens to start reading because it is such a huge genre.
There are so many different stories to tell, and there are countless creatures to discover, magic to learn, and worlds to explore.
Many tweens often enjoy romance, and there is plenty of that in the fantasy genre.
There are also thousands of amazing fantasy novels that have minimal romance or none whatsoever for those who don’t want any romance.
If you are looking for some of the best fantasy books for tweens, then you have come to the right place.
This article will give a brief description of some of the most popular and some lesser-known fantasy books that tweens around the world love.
There is something for everyone in this genre, so keep reading to find your next great read.
Best Popular Fantasy Books for Tweens
As we are well aware, the fantasy genre is huge.
Writers publish thousands of new books in this genre yearly.
Some of the most popular novels of all time are in this genre, and with good reason.
Below you will find some of the most popular fantasy books for tweens.
These are novels or series that just about everyone knows about or has at least heard of.
Most of these books have film or television adaptations.
This is always a good way to get tweens to show interest in a story.
It is a lot of fun to see how screenwriters adapt these stories for film.
These popular books are each a great place to start for tweens looking to get into reading fantasy novels.Â
Harry Potter
Without a doubt, the most popular fantasy series for tweens is Harry Potter.
Most tweens are familiar with this series, and many have seen the films.
The books, however, have so much more depth and detail. You can easily lose yourself in this world.
With over 500 million copies sold worldwide, it is obvious that it is a popular series.
There are seven novels in this series, each with varying lengths and levels of difficulty.
Each novel also adds more depth and excitement to the world.Â
If you are unfamiliar with the Harry Potter series, it is a great choice for fantasy book for tweens because the first novel in the series starts with an 11-year-old boy.
He is a tween himself, making him much more relatable and accessible than novels focused on older teenagers.
Each novel spans one school year at Hogwarts, so the reader can grow up with Harry and his friends as the series progresses.Â
The Harry Potter series follows a young wizard who goes away to a school of witchcraft and wizardry.
He makes friends, learns magic, and faces many obstacles along his way.
There are many mysteries to uncover in this series, as well as many exciting action scenes.
Readers will fall in love with these characters, as well as Hogwarts itself.
There is a reason that it is one of the most popular series ever sold.Â
This series is fairly easy to read, but it does not come off as a children’s series.
There are a large number of characters that the reader meets throughout the series, but it is easy to keep track of the most important characters.
The magic system in this series is simple and straightforward, but it is incredibly exciting and intriguing.
The reader learns more and more about it in each novel.
There is so much to love about this series, and it is definitely a great place for a tween reader to start.Â
Percy Jackson and the OlympiansÂ
Another incredibly popular fantasy series is the Percy Jackson series.
Though a bit shorter and less popular than Harry Potter, it is no less exciting or fun to read.
There are five novels in this series, each of which follows the titular character as he attempts to prevent the Titans from destroying the world.Â
The magic system in this world is a lot of fun to read and learn about.
This series focuses on Greek gods and demigods, and their powers reflect their status.
Percy himself is a demigod and he travels to Camp Half-Blood to train and meet other children like him.
The characters in this series are always surprising and they make for excellent friends throughout the series.
They are so well written that they seem to be real. Readers will not be able to get enough of them.Â
This series is one of the best fantasy books for tweens because it centers around tween-age children.
They grow up throughout the series, and the reader can grow up alongside them.
Even though the author used simple language to write these books, they have progressively more mature themes and interesting storylines.
They are complex enough that they will keep tweens engaged, but not so complicated that they will not be able to keep track of everything that is happening.Â
There are two films based on the first two books in this series, but they are not the best book-to-film adaptations out there.
There is, however, a television adaptation of the series that is currently in production, which may be a great motivator for a tween to start reading this series.Â
Lesser-Known Fantasy Books for Tweens
The novels below may not be as popular or well-known as the ones above, but that does not mean that they are less interesting or exciting.
These are books that have not gained the popularity of the series above, nor do they have any screen adaptations.
Tweens will still be able to get lost in the worlds of these series and enjoy them just as much, if not more, than some of the more popular fantasy series out there.Â
SeraphinaÂ
The Seraphina series is a duology of fantasy books for tweens that focuses on a young musician.
She lives in a world in which dragons can take human form and live their lives amongst the real humans.
Though they have been living in peace for many years, there is still tension and mistrust between the dragons and the humans.
Seraphina is tasked with investigating a murder of a member of the royal family, which reveals many sinister secrets.
As they discover more secrets, Seraphina worries that her own secrets will be revealed.Â
If you think that dragons are overused in the fantasy genre, think again.
The author of this series, Rachel Hartman, has given them new life and a new spark.
Being able to shapeshift and take the form of a human is just the first of many fantastic elements that the reader will discover in this series.
Though it is a short series, it is still packed with magic, mystery, and excitement.
There is not any romance in this series, but there is certainly a lot to keep a tween entertained for hours.Â
FurthermoreÂ
Furthermore is a duology of fantasy books for tweens by Tahereh Mafi.
Tweens who enjoy books or movies such as The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and The Secret Garden will absolutely love this series.
The author takes inspiration from each of these novels.
She can create her own fantastic world that transports the reader away from reality.Â
The Furthermore series follows Alice, a young girl who travels to Furthermore in search of her father.
She travels this mythical world with her friend Oliver, who has a very interesting form of magic at his disposal.
This world is detailed and stunningly beautiful, and it is hard to leave it at the end of each book.
It is a great coming-of-age story about friendship, familial love, and, of course, magic.
Tweens will love all of the wonderful and wacky things that Alice experiences.
Fantasy Books for Tweens: Conclusion
Thank you for reading this article. I hope it helped you identify some great fantasy books for tweens to check out yourself or to share with the tweens in your life.
And if you have some of your own recommendations you want to be featured in this list, leave a message in the comments below!
Lastly, if you want to read more about book recommendations on this website, check out:
