AASL Connect & Collect: Fantasy by AASL

Ranger's Apprentice series, John Flanagan

2026-02-04 14:44:08 UTC

2026-02-11 00:29:27 UTC

2026-02-11 00:29:49 UTC

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

2026-02-11 00:33:37 UTC

Upper HS, first of an incomplete (and maybe never complete) series, but each installment can stand on its own.

The Lock-Eater by Zack Loran Clark

2026-02-11 00:37:10 UTC

So good! A girl is able to open anything that is locked, which she eventually recognizes is a wonderful ability! She wants to go on grand adventures - so when a magic-powered robot shows up and offers her the opportunity to go adventuring, she is thrilled! But the adventure leads her to learn more about herself than she thought - and it will completely change her understanding of who - and what - she is.

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 00:39:08 UTC

2026-02-11 00:44:25 UTC

2026-02-11 00:44:51 UTC

Owl Diaries Series

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 00:45:05 UTC

2026-02-11 00:45:22 UTC

The Sisters Grimm Series

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 00:45:37 UTC

The Dragon Masters Series

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 00:46:31 UTC

Magic Treehouse Series

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 00:47:36 UTC

Artemis Fowl

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 00:51:05 UTC

Sasquatch Escape

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 00:52:35 UTC

2026-02-11 00:52:36 UTC

The Night Librarian

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 00:54:39 UTC

Roald Dahl Books

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 01:02:08 UTC

Warrior Series

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 01:02:37 UTC

2026-02-11 01:04:06 UTC

Harry Potter Series

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 01:04:57 UTC

Mindworks by Neal Shusterman

2026-02-11 01:09:16 UTC

This is a collection of many types of stories. Some are fantasy, some are more sci-fi but lots of things to share and give a taste of different types.

Beanie the Bansheenie

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 01:10:13 UTC

Inferno's Heir by Tiffany Wang

kkrutka1 — 2026-02-11 01:10:53 UTC

The first book in this series. Magic, betrayal, revenge, love- it has it all!

Spirit Animals Series

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 01:11:13 UTC

We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride

kkrutka1 — 2026-02-11 01:12:23 UTC

This book incorporates the fantasy element into real, relevant issues related to difficult family situations, mental health, and friend/love relationships. It is also in-verse, which I really appreciate and enjoy!

Amulet Series

donna_morris — 2026-02-11 01:12:39 UTC

The Luminaries trilogy by Susan Dennard

2026-02-11 01:13:35 UTC

This was my first book by the author but I was immediately hooked. It is a trilogy about a world of magical abilities and different families have different types. Only the main character is trying to get in after her family had her father be called a traitor. The creatures and scenes are all so vivid and the trials to become part of the different groups are scary and so intense!

2026-02-11 01:13:51 UTC

Blood Like Magic duology by Liselle Sambury

2026-02-11 01:15:36 UTC

A wonderful diverse fantasy world with a unique magical world and even has some interesting cultural foods that I really wanted to try after reading about them.

These Violent Delights duology by Chloe Gong

2026-02-11 01:18:14 UTC

Another great diverse book, this one with Asian culture, a Romeo and Juliet type of retelling with gangs in Shanghai and a monster killing people on both sides. It had a spinoff series as well.

The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas

2026-02-11 01:20:40 UTC

An exciting, funny replacement for "kid goes to magic school"!

The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor

2026-02-11 01:21:43 UTC

Historical fiction that's sort of magical realism, deals with some interesting & important issues (sexism, Chinese Exclusion Act, racism), but from a middle grade perspective.

Sci-Fu by Yehudi Mercado

2026-02-11 01:22:55 UTC

An awesome mash-up of sci-fi and fantasy. A kid who wants to be a rapper is accidentally invested with cosmic powers that he needs to use in literal rap battles to stop an evil robot overlord from outer space!

The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert

2026-02-11 01:24:37 UTC

Epic fantasy in an interesting world! Wonderful messages, gorgeous art, some surprisingly dark moments, but great story telling!

The Cobra's Song by Supriya Kelkar

2026-02-11 01:25:46 UTC

Urban fantasy that starts out feeling like it's realistic fiction, but slowly builds up to all-out fantastical action.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee

2026-02-11 01:26:38 UTC

Don't let the title fool you (or your readers) - this is not a romance, it's an urban fantasy action adventure spectacular!

Speculation by Nisi Shawl

2026-02-11 01:28:16 UTC

Historical fiction that has a fantasy element - the main character finds herself in possession of magical glasses, and gains the ability to see ghosts. This leads her to undertake a quest to stop an impending curse from hitting her family.

Hex Allen: and The Clanksmiths by Jasmine Florentine

2026-02-11 01:30:01 UTC

Everyone in the world has magic - except Hex. So she has to come up with ways to get the same effects as magic using things she invents. When she gets the chance to possibly win magical ability, she puts her mind to overcoming all the obstacles in her way. What she (and readers) don't know is that she's using the scientific method, math, and engineering to help her in her daily life. A great story with built in STEM elements!

The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu

2026-02-11 01:31:12 UTC

One twin wants to be her own person, but when she gets her way, she starts to be overcome with sadness, and sees that her sister is falling under a sinister spell.

The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu

2026-02-11 01:32:33 UTC

Girls aren't allowed to have magic, so when Marya accidentally ruins her brother's test for magic school by using her own powers, she is sent off to a special school for "troubled" girls. But the girls are the ones in trouble because of the goings-on at the school!

Frogkisser! by Garth Nix

2026-02-11 01:33:40 UTC

If you've read fairytales, this book is for you - it takes all the stories you know and turns them on their head in the story of a princess who has to save herself and her kingdom.

Bad Unicorn by Platte F. Clark

2026-02-11 01:35:16 UTC

In this urban fantasy, Max becomes the target of a horrible force of evil that sends an assassin to wipe Max out. It's the worst and meanest of all the animals - the dreaded unicorn! A unicorn? A unicorn!

Zia Erases the World by Bree Barton

2026-02-11 01:37:01 UTC

Zia, who suffers from depression, inherits a magical dictionary; if she erases a word from the dictionary, that thing no longer exists in our world - and it never has. So she starts erasing the things that cause her anxiety. But soon, she finds the world is radically changed by some seemingly inconsequential erasures.

The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith

2026-02-11 01:38:29 UTC

Teen twins are the only survivors of a military coup against their family. They go into hiding, and soon find that who they are pretending to be might actually be who they really are. Touching as well as action-packed.

Camp Midnight Volume 1 by Steven T. Seagle

2026-02-11 01:40:34 UTC

Skye is convinced her father's new girlfriend is a monster, especially when said girlfriend changes Skye's summer plans. Instead of getting to spend time with her father, Skye is shipped off to camp. But in the rush to not miss her camp buss, Skye is sent to the wrong camp. She quickly learns she is the only human in a camp full of monsters - and if she can't figure out how to convince them she's monstrous, she may not make it through her stay. Funny, but also has some deep moments about being true to yourself and sticking up for friends.

Spirt Hunters by Ellen Oh

2026-02-11 01:41:52 UTC

When Harper's family moves to a new house, she's less than enthused. But when a spirit starts to take over her younger brother's life, Harper has to figure out how it relates to her own past.

Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner

2026-02-11 01:43:07 UTC

AJ wants to impress the new girl in school, so when he hears she likes vampires, he tries to convince her he is one. His plan works - but unfortunately, the new girl is into vampires because she's a vampire hunter! A fun, goofy story with some interesting twists.

Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk

2026-02-16 10:17:13 UTC

Kid with no friends inherits a magic notebook - anything she draws becomes real. What's a girl to do? But things go hilariously wrong!

Homerooms and Hall Passes by Tom O'Donnell

2026-02-16 10:19:56 UTC

A reversal of the usual tropes - adventurer-kids in a fantasy world play a game about a weird place where kids are forced to go to a place called "school" each day. In game, they have to figure out how to survive dealing with weird problems like "staying awake during class" and "dating drama". When they get sucked into the game, they must figure out how to get out of this strange place and back home!

The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown

2026-02-16 10:22:21 UTC

In turn-of-the-century America, conjoined twins are sold to a travelling circus. When a "doctor" sees them, he tells them he can separate them. One twin loves this idea; the other dreads it, but acquiesces. But the "doctor" is not as skilled as he believes, and one twin dies - and ends up haunting the other. Strange, dark, but interesting & ultimately triumpant.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

2026-02-16 10:23:47 UTC

Sort of a Percy Jackson/Hunger Games for the HS set.

Ham Helsing #1: Vampire Hunter by Rich Moyer

2026-02-16 10:24:45 UTC

Fun, goofy, surprisingly dark in places, this is a great graphic novel about figuring out who you are & not believing in stereotypes.

The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor by Shaenon K. Garrity , Christopher J. Baldwin

2026-02-16 10:27:21 UTC

A HS student obsessed with Gothic romances attempts to save a guy she sees drowning, only to find herself transported to a world where the tropes of Gothic romance are real! Unfortunately for her, this world is being consumed by a vast cosmic evil, which is embodied in an evil friar (of course). Funny and weird and guaranteed to send some readers right to Jane Austen!

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

2026-02-16 10:29:33 UTC

What happens to HP after the end of the final book? LGBTQ+ layers add extra dimensions to the story. Better than the source material. Aimed at upper high school.

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

2026-02-16 10:30:47 UTC

Think Percy Jackson, but for African-American folklore. Action-packed!

The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner

2026-02-16 10:32:27 UTC

A girl who is not a actually a person wants to escape her servitude to a terrible master, but in order to do so, she'll have to discover what she truly is. A twisty, turny tale.

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

2026-02-16 10:35:12 UTC

In an urban fantasy world where magic is just another tool, a teen girl tries to keep a home for aging magic users afloat with odd jobs. She finds herself pulled into a quest to kill the world's last dragon. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, and a series finale that is completely unexpected.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

2026-02-16 10:36:24 UTC

This one is short, dark, and captivating. "A thought-provoking and haunting novel about a creature that escapes from an artist's canvas, whose talent is sniffing out monsters in a world that claims they don't exist anymore."

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

2026-02-16 10:38:33 UTC

Ocean's 11, but with teenagers in a magical world in a late 1800s Paris. Fascinating & enthralling, with nothing quite as it seems.

The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz

2026-02-16 10:40:22 UTC

Clementine plans to continue her late father's rein as a Dark Lord, but she finds herself unexpectedly - and extremely reluctantly - making some friends. It really throws a crimp in her style. The story runs slightly more serious than the title suggests, but with plenty of heart.

Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

2026-02-16 10:43:22 UTC

A modern classic, and now a Netflix movie. Nimona decides she's going to be the apprentice to the evil wizard - even though he doesn't want her; she's not one to accept when people tell her "no." She forces the wizard to accelerate his plans in his battle against the monarchy of the kingdom. But as the story unfolds, we find that not everything is as it seems, and sometimes public relations can be more important than the facts of a situation.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

2026-02-16 10:46:36 UTC

A darker Groundhog Day. Teen Jack falls for Kate, but is devastated when she dies unexpectedly. He's thoroughly confused when he finds himself reliving their meeting - he's sure he's losing his mind, but thinking he might have a chance to save her. But actions have consequences. Edge of the seat storytelling that is ultimately uplifting.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

2026-02-16 10:49:24 UTC

In an Africa where magic is real, and its users are reviled, enslaved and killed, a young woman fights for freedom against tyranny. But an unexpected meeting with the prince sent to hunt people like her changes the course of both their lives.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

2026-02-16 10:51:42 UTC

This is the story of the kids who AREN'T the "chosen one" - the kids just trying to live a normal life - or at least avoid death - while great evils and aliens and momentous events take place around them. An enthralling combination of humor and darkness make this one really sing.

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

2026-02-16 10:54:38 UTC

In a world where certain people are magically bonded to different materials, Ceony is horrified to find that she's been apprenticed to a paper magician - she wants to be bonded to metal, not the weakest of all materials. But as she learns to harness her abilities, she discovers that not all is at it seems, and that cleverness is more important than strength.

Bone, Vol. 1: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith

2026-02-16 10:57:37 UTC

A classic graphic novel fantasy series! In a high fantasy world, when three creatures from the land of Bone find themselves lost in the world of humans, they aren't sure what to do. Things take a turn for the worse when they are separated, and find themselves at the center of a hunt by the forces of evil. But they also find themselves with some unexpected allies as they try to navigate an unfamiliar world. Funny and touching and definitely not the typical fantasy story!

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

2026-02-16 11:00:29 UTC

Stroud writes great dark fantasy YA - full of action, adventure, humor, and chills. In this urban fantasy series, teens are the only one who can see the spirits that haunt London, killing those they touch. Three outsiders band together to form an independent spirit hunting agency, outside the purview of the large organizations that threaten to take their livelihood - or even their lives.

The Mechanical by Ian Tregillis

2026-02-16 11:03:54 UTC

A fantasy-horror book about an 1800s world where magic is a commodity and a weapon, where magically created mechanical men serve the rich. When one of these "clakkers" has an accident that lets it start to move beyond its constraints, it finds itself trying to stay free, even as its pursued for reprogramming - or destruction. But its quest for freedom brings it to learn of the origins of clakkers. And what it learns will change things forever.

Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith and Boullet

2026-02-16 11:06:33 UTC

Gorgeous art illustrates this amazingly accurate and hilarious retelling of the story of Beowulf, in which children try to fend off the fun-ending ways of adults, and only the legendary Bea can save playtime. Cute, but also an outstanding story on its own, and a stunning companion for the original text!

The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas

2026-02-16 11:09:41 UTC

Yes, it's THAT Angie Thomas, writing middle grades urban fantasy! Fun, action-packed, and magic-filled, this is the awesome first installment of a series destined to be a classic. Nic desperately wants her father to teach her to be a Manifestor like he is, but before she can, she's pulled into an quest to save her father from imprisonment for a crime she sure he couldn't have committed.

The Girl from the Sea by Lee Knox Ostertag

2026-02-16 11:12:57 UTC

In this graphic novel, Morgan can't wait to go to college so she can leave her small island town behind; she's sure that once she's away from the place where everyone knows her, she can finally be herself. But when she befriends a strange girl who saves Morgan from drowning, Morgan finds herself less and less able to hide who she really is. And she's terrified that if her friends and family find out she might like girls instead of boys, they'll shun her. A sweet, touching, heart-breaking, ultimately uplifting story about being true to yourself.

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

2026-02-16 11:15:24 UTC

More of a magical realism story - Evie is done with love, having been dumped. And when she finds a book that gives her the ability to see the end of any relationship, it reconfirms her wish to stay as far from love as possible. So when she meets an incredibly handsome, charming boy, she tells herself she's not interested. But sometimes our feelings override our logic. Can Evie avoid heartbreak? Or are all relationships doomed from the start?

Snapdragon by Kat Leyh

2026-02-16 11:17:51 UTC

Snap is sure the witch on the edge of town has killed her dog. When brave Snap confronts her, she learns that the "witch" is a kindly old woman who has saved her dog after he was hit by a car. Fascinated by the old woman's work in taxidermy, Snap apprentices with her, learning about the beauty of the natural world. But it may just be that her teacher has more secrets than she's willing to share. A great story with a fun twist!

Princeless 1: Save Yourself by Jeremy Whitley & M. Goodwin

2026-02-16 11:19:35 UTC

Princess Adrienne is tired of waiting to be saved, so she befriends the dragon her family hired to hold her hostage, gets some armor from apprentice metalworker Bedelia, and the three head out to save Adrienne's sisters.

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

2026-02-16 11:24:12 UTC

This non-stop story is filled with humor, magic, science fiction, and love! Sal loves stage magic, and is thrilled to attend the best performing arts school around - except he accidentally gets on the bad side of both the school's biggest bully and Gabi, the school's most popular student, on Day One. Making matters worse, Sal MAY have used some of his actual, real, no-fooling magic to show up the bully - but he can't ever reveal his abilities. This gets harder and harder as the incredibly smart and observant Gabi starts to get suspicious. This story is all about how love is the strongest force in the universe, and how that love comes in a broad array of types.

The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu

2026-02-16 11:25:50 UTC

When twins move to a new town, one wants to be her own person. This rift between the sisters leads to some dark places, made worse when magic comes to claim one of the girls. This is a great story dealing with depression and anxiety in a touching and ultimately positive way.