Other books to consider

Impossible Creatures: British Book Awards Children’s Fiction Book of the Year 2024. A sequel is due out in September 2025.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. 2006 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. A classic by prominent children’s author Kate DiCamillo. 

Wishtree. E.B. White Read Aloud Award. Katherine Applegate, known for her animal fantasies, delivers another winner. 

Behind the Canvas. A funny, adventurous tale where the action takes place inside of paintings. 

When You Reach Me. Winner of the 2010 Newbery Award. It may not be immediately apparent just how this mysterious book qualifies as sci-fi. Stead also has a new sci-fi novel coming out this year called The Experiment.

The Clackity. Bram Stoker Award: Finalist. The opening book in a trilogy; the second of which won the Bram Stoker Award for Middle Grade Fiction. 

Unraveller. Best Book for Younger Readers at the British Science Fiction Awards 2022. Author Hardinge is a prominent fantasy author for middle grade and young adult books.

Eragon. Winner of Indies Choice Book Award for Children’s Literature 2004. Recommended to me by a devoted middle school reader. 

Zita the Spacegirl. American Library Association (ALA) Notable Children’s Book. The first graphic novel in a series; includes crossover books from other funny adventure series by same author.

Inkheart. American Library Association (ALA) Notable Children’s Book. The first in a series. Also recommended by notable children’s teacher Donalyn Miller. 

Alebrijes. Donna Barba Higuera won a Pura Belpré honor for this fantasy novel.

Elf Dog & Owl Head. 2023 Newbery Honor. An entertaining graphic novel about a boy, a dog, and a magical woods. 

The -ology books and Cryptid Books. The feel of non-fiction reading, while still being a fantasy.