Ten New Children’s Books That Promise Page-Turning Adventures

Fantasy fiction isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I know this because I write fantasy novels for children. Lots of people will tell me (very kindly!) that they liked my books even though they don’t really like fantasy in general. Others cut to the chase and say that they don’t read fantasy fiction at all. And I get it; I really do! Not all books are for all readers, and honestly, there are plenty of fantasy novels that aren’t my favorites, either. But whenever a reader tells me that they don’t like fantasy, I hear a challenge: Fantasy and speculative fiction can come in so many varied, wonderful forms that I’m sure I’ll be able to find something that reader will love.

This month, most of the new books for young people that caught my eye were fantastical or speculative in some way, so I’m extending my challenge to all of you by recommending a list of mostly fantasy-adjacent books that I think will appeal to lots of different readers, even those who aren’t sure they like fantasy. Do you like to laugh? Do you like surprises and page-turning adventures? Do you like fairy tales, scrappy British schoolchildren, impossible trains, blue herons, evil substitute teachers, or mustachioed raccoons? You’ll find them all here, ready to take you and your young readers on your own fantastic journeys.

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Suzanne Kaufman, Blue
(Little, Brown, June 3)
Recommended for ages 4-8

Even stories for the very youngest readers hold enchantments of their own. I’m particularly fond of the gentle magic of Blue, in which the line between imagination and impossibility is appealingly blurred when a child ventures down to the seashore and encounters a blue heron. At first, child and bird regard each other silently, but soon they’re splashing in the waves, racing down the beach, and even soaring together through a night sky lit by shooting stars. Kaufman’s evocative art and open-ended text leave plenty of room for kids to imagine their own wonderful impossibilities.

Elayne Crain, There’s Something Odd About the Babysitter
Illustrated by John Ledda
(Feiwel & Friends, June 3)
Recommended for ages 4-8

Freddie has never met a babysitter he’s actually liked, so when his parents go out for the evening, he’s skeptical of the new caregiver they’ve hired. But this babysitter is a little bit…different. They screech and hiss. They prepare literal garbage for dinner. Their false moustache flies into the air and lands on Freddie’s head. Is the babysitter actually three raccoons in a trench coat? Yes, they certainly are. But this fact makes no difference to kind-hearted Freddie, who offers to help the babysitter improve their child-rearing skills. Told through deadpan text and very funny illustrations, There’s Something Odd About the Babysitter gives young readers a sweet and silly taste of the fantastic.

Corey Ann Haydu, Zoomi & Zoe and the Tricky Turnaround (Zoomi & Zoe #1)
Illustrated by Anne Appert
(Quirk Books, June 3)
Recommended for ages 4-8

Zoomi, a furry rhino-esque creature, is distraught: Her best friend, Moo, is moving away. Who will slip down the rainbow mud slide and go on dinosaur rides with her now? Zoomi reassures herself by remembering that when times are tough, she can expect a Happy Helpful Human to come to her magical world and be her new best friend. But when the human, Zoe, arrives, she doesn’t seem all that Helpful or Happy. (Even tuba music doesn’t make her feel better!) Zoe is missing her own friend who’s moved away, and she’s not sure that she and Zoomi have much in common. This whimsical chapter book shines with good humor, vibrant artwork, and empathy for young readers and their emotional ups and downs. A second Zoomi & Zoe book publishes later this summer.

Leah Cypess, Future Me Saves the World (and Ruins My Life)
Illustrated by Wes Molebash
(Aladdin, June 3)
Recommended for ages 8-12

Can you imagine anything cooler—or, possibly, more horrifying—than getting routine visits from your future self? This is ten-year-old Ethan Koslov’s reality, and he’s not so sure he likes it. Thirty-nine-year-old Future Ethan has some weird ideas about fashion, and he cares a lot about things like politics and sodium. But Future Ethan is also convinced that ten-year-old Ethan can save the world by being really nice to his substitute teacher, which will prevent the teacher from quitting her job and eventually becoming an evil dictator. Is ten-year-old Ethan up to the challenge of convincing his classmates to be nice to a sub? This funny illustrated middle grade novel is a great example of speculative fiction that will appeal to lots of different readers.

Jessie Burton, Hidden Treasure
(Bloomsbury, June 24)
Recommended for ages 8-12

Best known for her novels for adults, Jessie Burton delivers a classic-feeling middle grade tale about two kids in 1918 London who find real magic in their everyday world. Twelve-year-old Bo is a mudlark, looking through the sand and mud of the River Thames for anything that might be valuable. Just before her brother goes off to war in France, the river speaks to Bo and guides her searching fingers to a strange jewel that gives her a magical vision. Bo learns soon enough that a boy named Billy has found another jewel that’s a companion to Bo’s. When the jewels are combined, they’re rumored to have the power to bring a soul back from the dead—and the two children aren’t the only ones who want that power for themselves.

Rosalyn Ransaw, Smoke & Mirrors
(Amulet Books, June 10)
Recommended for ages 8-12

This one isn’t a fantasy book. I can’t even reasonably claim it’s speculative fiction. It does happen to be an excellent middle grade mystery, and I’m breaking the theme of this month’s roundup to include it because I think kids are really going to enjoy it. When old Mr. Gilbert’s barn burns down, twelve-year-old Andy gets stuck with both the blame and the atonement: helping Mr. Gilbert clean up a run-down old mansion he owns. The mansion holds secrets of a long-ago murder that people in town believe was committed by a mysterious performing magician called the Red Knave. Andy decides that if he can prove the Red Knave’s innocence, he can also convince people that his own dad, who’s incarcerated and awaiting parole, is innocent, too. Debut author Rosalyn Ransaw spins a satisfying mystery plot and gives readers a thoughtful, relatable young detective to root for.

Lauren Magaziner, The Incorruptibles (The Incorruptibles #1)
(Aladdin, June 10)
Recommended for ages 10-14

My daughter likes to tell me that I’m her second-favorite author after Lauren Magaziner, and honestly, I can’t think of a nicer compliment. Magaziner’s well-crafted middle grade novels are staples in our household, and we are all excited for The Incorruptibles, the first installment of a new fantasy series. Fiora lives in Barrowburgh with her Uncle Randal, helping him at his clothing shop and trying to avoid the attentions of the heartless sorcerers who rule their world. The only people who dare to challenge the sorcerers are the cool and mysterious Incorruptibles. When Fiora finds herself in danger, an Incorruptible named Quinn takes her to a training academy where she’ll learn to become a member of the resistance herself—as long as she can prove her worth.

Elizabeth Lim, A Forgery of Fate
(Knopf, June 3)
Recommended for ages 12 and up

I’m new to the work of fantasy author Elizabeth Lim, but it took only a few pages of A Forgery of Fate to turn me into a steadfast fan. This YA novel draws elements of Beauty and the Beast into a fresh fantasy world, where a young painter named Tru is forging works by more prominent artists to earn a living after her father is lost at sea. Tru has astonishing—and magical—artistic gifts, but when her mother’s gambling debts put Tru’s younger sisters in danger, Tru makes a risky agreement with an undersea dragon lord in an attempt to save her family. Fairy tale fans and readers who love to explore immersive new worlds will particularly enjoy this adventure. (After that, you can join me in catching up on Lim’s extensive backlist.)

Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, Lady’s Knight
(Storytide, June 3)
Recommended for ages 13 and up

Here’s a novel about medieval knights, ladies, and dragon-slaying that’s feminist and funny. Gwen is a blacksmith who dreams of being a knight, but only men are allowed to enter the Tournament of Dragonslayers. Isobelle is a beautiful and bubbly noblewoman who’s none too thrilled about being given as a prize to the winner of the tournament. When Gwen and Isobelle meet, sparks fly, and the two hatch a scheme that could allow both of them to realize their dreams and win each other’s hearts. I particularly like the narrative voice, which is witty, engaging, and decidedly modern. And I’m not going to tell you how long it took me to realize that the title of this book is a pun. (Okay, I will tell you. About ten months.)

Caroline O’Donoghue, Skipshock (Skipshock #1)
(Walker Books US, June 3)
Recommended for ages 14 and up

I very much enjoyed Irish author Caroline O’Donoghue’s All Our Hidden Gifts, a YA fantasy that mixes magic, romance, humor, and emotional truth in just the right proportions. Now I’m looking forward to Skipshock, the first in a planned duology about a teenage girl named Margo who finds herself accidentally on a train that’s traveling between interconnected worlds. The first person she meets on the train is Moon, a traveling salesman who spends his days going from one world to the next. It’s not a glamorous job, though: The worlds aren’t free from danger, and time speeds up or slows as Margo and Moon ride up and down the train line, putting them both at risk. I can’t wait to enjoy O’Donoghue’s smart writing in this new and compelling imagined universe.