Grade Level: 7-12

Publication Year: 2023

Goodreads Rating: 4.13/5

Link to Goodreads Reviews

Book Summary

Imagine a world where anyone can create a life-destroying curse and only one person can unravel them. Kellen can unravel curses, but this does not protect him from becoming cursed. With his best friend and closest ally, Nettle, Kellen needs to remove the hex or risk unraveling everything and everyone. (423 pages)

Why this Book

This dark fantasy will make you think about your power and finding your peace. It's a thought-provoking book with likable characters.

Links for Borrowing

• Book

• eBook

Grade Level: 7-12

Publication Year: 2019

Goodreads Rating: 4.06/5

Link to Goodreads Reviews

Book Summary

Growing up surrounded by tools of sorcery and as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elizabeth knows how dangerous sorcerers are.  She dreams of becoming a warden to protect the kingdom from the powers of sorcerers, but an act of sabotage implicates her in the release of the library’s most dangerous grimoire.  With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, she becomes entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy that could mean the end of everything. (456 pages)

Award Winner: YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (2020)

Why this Book

This book is set in a whimsical land, full of magic and adventure. Reviews for this book describe it as a cozy, cute romance with likable characters. It's also been compared to Howl's Moving Castle with its flawed but endearing characters, romance, and whimsical setting.

Links for Borrowing

• Book

• eBook

• Audiobook Download

Grade Level: 9-12

Publication Year: 2023

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Link to Goodreads Reviews

Book Summary

A transmasculine non-binary teen pirate named Mar hides their ability to manipulate fire and ice.  When el Diablo comes to collect payment on a bargain made by their father, Mar ends up being the sole survivor on the ship.  To save their father from el Diablo, Mar teams up with unlikely allies and finds the courage to use their magic. (368 pages)

Award Winner: International Latino Book Awards, Juvenile Categories (2023)

Why This Book

Like One Piece, this book takes place in a world full of pirates, adventure, and magic.  The reviews describe the book as immersive, vibrant, and magical.

Links for Borrowing

• Book

• eBook

• Audiobook Download

Grade Level: 10-12

Publication Year: 2017

Goodreads Rating: 4.4/5

Link to Goodreads Reviews

Book Summary

At Grace Field House orphanage, the children live a comfortable life with good food, clean clothes, and a perfect environment for learning.  But the outside world is forbidden, and everything is not it seems. One day, Emma and Norman, some of the brightest kids at the orphanage discover the truth of the outside world. (189 pages)

Award Winner: School Library Journal Best Nonfiction Books (2018) & YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens (2018)

Why this Book

This is the first book of a manga series, similar to Tokyo Ghoul.  It's an unexpected story, full of twists has left readers wanting more. 

Links for Borrowing

• Book

Grade Level: 7-12

Publication Year: 2010

Goodreads Rating: 3.96/5

Link to Goodreads Reviews

Book Summary

A big lug and aspiring poet who writes paeans to the sea-faring life is whisked away on a clipper bound for Hong Kong. But he soon discovers that the sailor's life is a bit rougher than his nautical fantasies. While writing poetry about pirates, bad food, unceremonial funerals, foreign ports, and unexpected epiphanies, he is also battling pirates, surviving a gunshot, and learning about life and love. (104 pages)

Award Winner: Booklist Editor's Choice, Books for Youth (2010, Older Readers Category) & YALSA Great Graphic Novels, Novels for Teen (2010)

Why this Book

Every page of this graphic novel is a single panel of stunning illustrations that are described as being a maritime ballad, which will hopefully bring you into a pirating world similar to One Piece. There is also a melancholy tone throughout the book.

Links for Borrowing

• Book

• eBook

Grade Level: 9-12

Publication Year: 2023

Goodreads Rating: 3.86/5

Link to Goodreads Reviews

Book Summary

Japanese myth and legend of a catfish that rolls under the islands of Japan which results in the land rising and falling. Sora hates the catfish. The rolling of the catfish cracked time itself, destroyed Sora's home, and took her mother. Living in a place where time shifts, Sora and her father recruit help to explore these spaces and search for her mother. But when Sora's father disappears, she is forced to venture further into uncharted spaces. (432 pages)

Why this Book

This book has magic, and romance, and a tragic main character.

Links for Borrowing

• Book

Grade Level: 4-8

Publication Year: 2011

Goodreads Rating: 4.11/5

Link to Goodreads Reviews

Book Summary

An eleven-year-old princess named Celie lives in a magical castle that adds rooms, stairways, or secret passages almost every Tuesday. One day, her parents are ambushed while traveling. Celie is the castle's favourite and has secret knowledge of its twists and turns. It's up to her to protect their home and save the kingdom. (225 pages)

Why this Book

Like Howl's Moving Castle, this book takes place in a world with beautifully written ever-changing scenery which captivates readers. This fantastical story is centered around the main character's frustration, desire for change, and growth which makes it relatable to young readers.

Links for Borrowing

• Book

• eBook

• Audiobook Download

Grade Level: 9-12

Publication Year: 2018

Goodreads Rating: 4.11/5

Link to Goodreads Reviews

Book Summary

When Zelie was young, her world was full of magic. The magi could ignite flames, beckon waves, and summon souls. But one day, a ruthless king killed all the maji, including Zelie's mother. With her brother and a fugitive princess, Zelie goes on a journey to defeat the crown prince and restore her people's magic. But the work is full of dangers and Zelie herself, struggles to control her powers and feelings for the enemy. (544 pages)

Award Winner: ALA Notable Children's Books, Older Reader Category (2018), Children's Africana Book Awards, Older Reader (2018), Goodreads Choice Awards (2018) and 7 more...

Why this Book

This acclaimed and multiple award-winning book beautifully describes a magical world that surrounds a strong (yet tragic) main character, Zelie.

Links for Borrowing

• Book

• eBook

• Audiobook CD

• Audiobook Download