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KIN
Luconeth (age 9-12)
by Naomi Kinsman
magic ... fantasy
Publisher comments: A young boy stares into a brilliant, blue sky, wondering if help is coming. Olivia May and Sara are certainly not what he's expecting. But when the girls stumble into Luconeth, he must decide. Can he trust them? Olivia May and Sara wonder what this mysterious place is like. To Sara, it's a dream come true, with brilliant blue skies, gleaming castles, and colorful butterflies. But Olivia May falls into the middle of her worst nightmare, a dark, rotting forest filled with horrifying monsters. Everywhere they turn, they uncover more questions. Who is the Inventor? What does his machine do? Who are the Magnificents and the Tillers? Most importantly, who sent the girls here, and why?
F
PAT
The Flint Heart: a Fairy Story (age 9-12)
by John Paterson
adventure ... magic ... fantasy
Publisher comments: An ambitious Stone Age man demands a talisman that will harden his heart, allowing him to take control of his tribe. Against his better judgment, the tribe's magic man creates the Flint Heart, but the cruelty of it causes the destruction of the tribe. Thousands of years later, the talisman reemerges to corrupt a kindly farmer, an innocent fairy creature, and a familial badger. Can Charles and his sister Unity, who have consulted with fairies such as the mysterious Zagabog, wisest creature in the universe, find a way to rescue humans, fairies, and animals alike from the dark influence of the Flint Heart?
F
CAR
The Longest Home Run (age 9-12)
by Roch Carrier
magic ... sports
``The longest home run in the history of baseball was hit by a girl.'' So begins a baseball misadventure in the village of Ste. Justine. This time, a strange girl named Adeline shows up at the daisy field where Roch and his friends play baseball all summer. She proceeds to hit a towering home run...right through the window of the crankiest man in town. Adeline has other powers as well, which Roch and the boys discover at a magic show. But without the baseball, the game cannot go on. When Adeline literally disappears, who do you think has to get the ball back?
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KIM
Crossing Over (age 9-12)
by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
magic ... fantasy ... identity ... spooky
Catalog: Feeling more comfortable with her developing skills as a medium, eight-grader Kat looks forward to the class trip to Montreal but once there she finds herself confronted by a cast of all new ghosts and a host of other problems.
F
SNY
Season of Ponies (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
magic ... fantasy ... animals
Catalog: Pamela found living with two old aunts dreadful until the moment a boy moved out of the mist with a flute and a herd of weirdly beautiful ponies.
F
HIL
A Neckace of Fallen Stars (age 9-12)
by Beth Hilgartner
fantasy ... magic ... folklore ... authorship
When Kaela, youngest daughter of the King of Visin, defies her father and runs away, the king sends a Fytrian wizard to bring her home. Storytelling is Kaela's gift, and allows her to cling to her freedom even as she is pursued.
F
AVI
Murder at Midnight (age 9-12)
by Avi
knights/castles/dragons ... magic ... mystery ... spooky
Publisher comments: A plot to overthrow King Claudio is brewing in the Kingdom of Pergamontio. Scholarly Mangus the magician — along with his street-smart and faithful new servant boy, Fabrizio — have been marked as easy scapegoats for the traitor lurking within the king's court. Together, these two unlikely partners must gather clues to solve the mystery and prove their innocence before the stroke of midnight. . . or face death! Intricate plotting, surprise twists, and lively prose make for another suspenseful page-turner that stands alone or sets the stage for MIDNIGHT MAGIC!
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ARG
Magic Dogs of the Volcanoes (age 9-12)
by Manlio Argueta
magic ... folklore ... short stories
Catalog: When the magic dogs who live on the volcanoes of El Salvador and protect the villagers from harm are pursued by wicked lead soldiers, they are aided by two ancient volcanoes.
F
PRI
The Magic Thief (age 9-12)
by Sarah Prineas
adventure ... fantasy ... magic
Publisher comments: In a city that runs on a dwindling supply of magic, a young boy is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure. Conn should have dropped dead the day he picked Nevery's pocket and touched the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells. But for some reason he did not. Nevery finds that interesting, and he takes Conn as his apprentice on the provision that the boy find a locus stone of his own. But Conn has little time to search for his stone between wizard lessons and helping Nevery discover who--or what--is stealing the city of Wellmet's magic.
F
KIE
Hocus Pocus: A Tale of Magnificent Magicians and Their Amazing Feats (age 9-12)
by Paul Kieve
historical ... enterprise ... magic
Catalog: A young Englishman, just starting his career as a magician, is helped by some of the greatest magicians in history as they step out of posters of themselves to help him master the tricks and techniques of the trade.
F
WRE
Book of Enchantments (age 9-12)
by Patricia Wrede
princesses ... magic ... fantasy ... short stories
Ten stories of wizards, princesses, unicorns, enchanted roses, and other people and things that exist in the realm of magic.
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LEV
The Magic Hat of Mortimer Wintergreen (age 9-12)
by Myron Levoy
humor ... voyages/journeys ... magic ... fantasy ... adventure
In 1893, thirteen-year-old Joshua and his eleven-year-old sister, Amy, travel from South Dakota to New York City with the help of the mysterious Mortimer Wintergreen and his unpredictable magic hat.
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MCG
The Magician's Apprentice Series (age 9-12)
by Tom McGowen
magic ... fantasy
A young pickpocket becomes apprenticed to a magician who opens a whole new world for the boy, not only of magic and healing, but of kindness and adventure. Together they seek knowledge lost since the Age of Magic thousands of years before.
title: The Magician's Apprentice
title: The Magician's Company
title: The Magician's Challenge
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TAY
Faeries of Dreamdark (age 9-12)
by Laini Taylor
adventure ... action ... fantasy ... magic
When the ancient evil of the Blackbringer rises to unmake the world, only one determined faerie stands in its way. However, Magpie Windwitch, granddaughter of the West Wind, is not like other faeries. While her kind live in seclusion deep in the forests of Dreamdark, shes devoted her life to tracking down and recapturing devils escaped from their ancient bottles, just as her hero, the legendary Bellatrix, did 25,000 years ago. With her faithful gang of crows, she travels the world fighting where others would choose to flee. But when a devil escapes from a bottle sealed by the ancient Djinn King himself the creator of the worldshe may be in over her head. How can a single faerie, even with the help of her friends, hope to defeat the impenetrable darkness of the Blackbringer?
title: Blackbringer
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SNY
The Bronze Pen (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
brilliant protagonist ... humor ... friendship ... magic ... family ... authorship
Twelve-year-old Audrey Abbott dreams of becoming a writer, but with her father's failing health and the family's shaky finances, it seems there is no room for what her overworked mother would surely call a childish fantasy. So Audrey keeps her writing a secret. That is, until she meets a mysterious old woman who seems able to read her mind. Audrey is surprised at how readily she reveals her secret to the woman. One day the old woman gives Audrey a peculiar bronze pen and tells her to "use it wisely and to good purpose." It turns out to be just perfect for writing her stories with. But as Audrey writes, odd things start happening. Did Beowulf, her dog, just speak to her? And what is that bumping under her bed at night? It seems that whatever she writes with the pen comes true. However, things don't always happen in the way that she wants or expects. In fact, it's quite difficult to predict what writing with the pen will do. Could the pen be more of a curse than a gift? Or will Audrey be able to rewrite the future in the way that she wishes---and save her father's life?
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SNO
The Ratbridge Chronicles (age 9-12)
by Alan Snow
humor ... fantasy ... magic
Welcome to Ratbridge. But beware, for there is skulduggery afoot. Young Arthur has fallen foul of the appalling outlaw, Snatcher, and is trapped alone in the town with every way home sealed. Meanwhile Snatcher and his men are working tirelessly in secret on a fiendish and dastardly plan to take over, and destroy, the entire town. With the help of Willbury Nibble, QC; some friendly boxtrolls and cabbageheads; Marjorie the frustrated inventor; and the rats and pirates from the Ratbridge Nautical Laundry, can Arthur thwart Snatcher's evil plans, and find his way home?
title: Here Be Monsters! An Adventure Involving Magic Trolls and Other Creatures
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LAF
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos (age 9-12)
by R. L. LaFevers
mystery ... magic ... fantasy ... adventure
Theodosia Throckmorton has her hands full at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London. Her father may be head curator, but it is Theo (and only Theo) who is able to see all the black magic and ancient curses that still cling to the artifacts in the museum. When Theo's mother returns from her latest archaeological dig bearing the Heart of Egypt (a legendary amulet belonging to an ancient tomb) Theo learns that it comes inscribed with a curse so black and vile that it threatens to crumble the British Empire from within and start a war too terrible to imagine. Intent on returning the malevolent artifact to its rightful place, Theo devises a daring plan to put things right. But even with the help of her younger brother, a wily street urchin, and the secret society known as the Brotherhood of the Chosen Keepers, it won't be easy . . . she quickly finds herself pursued down dark alleys, across an ocean, through the bustling crowds of Cairo, and straight into the heart of an ancient mystery. Theo will have to call upon everything she's ever learned in order to prevent the rising chaos from destroying her country, and herself!
sequel: Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris
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FUN
Igrain La Valiente (age 9-12)
by Cornelia Funke
princesses ... knights/castles/dragons ... adventure ... fantasy ... magic
Princess Igraine dreams of becoming a famous knight just like her great grandfather, but the truth is, life at the family castle is rather boring. Until the nephew of the baroness-next-door shows up. He's got a dastardly plan to capture the castle and claim as his own the wonderful singing spell books that belong to Igraine's magician parents. To make matters worse, at the very moment of the siege, her mom and dad botch a spell, turning themselves into pigs! Aided by a Gentle Giant and a Sorrowful Knight, it's up to Igraine to be brave and save the day--and the books!
F
FUN
Igraine the Brave (age 9-12)
by Cornelia Funke
princesses ... knights/castles/dragons ... adventure ... fantasy ... magic
Princess Igraine dreams of becoming a famous knight just like her great grandfather, but the truth is, life at the family castle is rather boring. Until the nephew of the baroness-next-door shows up. He's got a dastardly plan to capture the castle and claim as his own the wonderful singing spell books that belong to Igraine's magician parents. To make matters worse, at the very moment of the siege, her mom and dad botch a spell, turning themselves into pigs! Aided by a Gentle Giant and a Sorrowful Knight, it's up to Igraine to be brave and save the day--and the books!
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CAR
Witch-cat (age 9-12)
by Joan Davenport Carris
fantasy ... identity ... magic
A down-to-earth girl is made to see that she is a witch through the efforts of a magical cat.
F
CHR
The Team That Stopped Moving (age 9-12)
by Matt Christopher
magic ... sports
A new baseball team gets some supernatural help from a concerned wizard.
F
CHR
Front Court Hex (age 9-12)
by Matt Christopher
magic ... sports
Star of the previous year's basketball team, Jerry can't do anything right in the new season, but refuses to believe his new friend who, claiming to be a warlock, predicts Jerry's play won't improve until he changes his slovenly habits.
F
BEL
The Best of John Bellairs 2: the Johnny Dixon Mysteries (age 9-12)
by John Bellairs
spooky ... magic ... mystery
The curse of the blue figurine : Johnny Dixon is plunged into a terrifying mystery-adventure when he removes a blue figurine called a ushabti from church. The mummy, the will, and the crypt : Twelve-year old Johnny Dixon and his friend Professor Childermass look for the hidden will left by an eccentric cereal tycoon who wished to make life difficult for his heirs after his own death by suicide. The spell of the sorcerer's skull : When Johnny Dixon takes a tiny skull from a haunted dollhouse, demonic forces are released, capturing Professor Childermass and leading Johnny on a harrowing chase to a deserted island off the coast of Maine.
F
BEL
The Best of John Bellairs (age 9-12)
by John Bellairs
spooky ... magic ... mystery
House with a clock in its walls : A boy goes to live with his magician uncle in a mansion that has a clock hidden in the walls which is ticking off the minutes until doomsday. The figure in the shadows : A painfully overweight sixth-grade boy receives a magic amulet which brings him luck, but also terrifying side effects. The letter, the witch, and the ring : Following clues in a mysterious deathbed letter, Rose Rita and a friendly witch, Mrs. Zimmerman, are lured into the sinister world of the occult.
F
HAN
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (age 9-12)
by Joshua Hanft
magic ... knights/castles/dragons ... folklore
A specially adapted version of a story of kings and knights in a time of magic, evil and witchcraft.
F
NIM
The Magician Trilogy (age 9-12)
by Jenny Nimmo
family ... fantasy ... magic
On his ninth birthday Gwyn is given a brooch and told to cast it to the wind. What returns to him as a result is an amazing fantasy story about the fight between good and evil, sorrow and joy, friendship and betrayal.
title: The Snow Spider
title: Emlyn's Moon
title: The Chestnut Soldier
title: The Snow Spider Trilogy
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MAC
The Light Princess (age 9-12)
by George MacDonald
princesses ... magic ... fantasy ... folklore
The princess at her christening is cursed by a wicked witch with lightness. She floats blissfully about the castle all day long and, as one can imagine, gets into all sorts of adventures. Gravity, weight, sorrow, suffering ... all of this the princess misses, but with all of these she misses love, for what is love without weight, without falling?
F
COV
The Unicorn Chronicles (age 9-12)
by Bruce Coville
magic ... fantasy
This is the magical story of Cara, a girl sent on a mission by her grandmother to the land of the unicorns. Only Cara can protect the unicorns and their world from invasion.
title: Into the Land of the Unicorns
title: Song of the Wanderer
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SAG
Septimus Heap Series (age 9-12)
by Angie Sage
magic ... fantasy ... humor ... action
Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, disappears the night he is born, pronounced dead by the midwife. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across an abandoned child in the snow ... a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take her into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?
title: Magyk
title: Flyte
title: Physik
title: Queste
title: Syren
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SAI
Varjak Paw (age 9-12)
by S. F. Said
adventure ... action ... spooky ... magic
Varjak Paw is a Mesopotamian Blue kitten. He lives high up in an old house on a hill. He's never left home, until his grandfather tells him about the Way ... a secret martial art for cats. Now Varjak must use the Way to survive in a city full of dangerous dogs, cat gangs, and strangest of all, the mysterious Vanishings.
sequel: The Outlaw Varjak Paw
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CLE
The Nutcracker (age 9-12)
by David Clement-Davies
traditions ... magic ... folklore
Catalog: After hearing how the toy nutcracker that she and her brother received for Christmas got his ugly face, Marie helps break the spell he is under and watches him change into a handsome prince. Illustrated notes throughout the text explain the historical background of the story.
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BRI
The Wish Giver: Three Tales of Coven Tree (age 9-12)
by Bill Brittain
enterprise ... fantasy ... magic
When a strange little man comes to the Coven Tree Church Social promising he can give people exactly what they ask for, three young believers-in-magic each make a wish that comes true in the most unexpected way.
sequel: Dr. Dredd's Wagon of Wonders
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ALM
Skellig (age 9-12)
by David Almond
magic ... family ... spooky
Ten-year-old Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. But now his baby sister is ill, his parents are frantic, and Doctor Death has come to call. Michael feels helpless. Then he steps into the crumbling garage....What is this thing beneath the spiders' webs and dead flies? A human being, or a strange kind of beast never before seen? The only person Michael can confide in is his new friend, Mina. Together, they carry the creature out into the light, and Michael's world changes forever.
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VOR
The Troll King (age 9-12)
by John Vornholt
folklore ... fantasy ... magic
When a power-hungry sorcerer decides to bridge the Great Chasm and conquer the elves and fairies who live on the other side, he inadvertently enables a gentle troll to reach for a much nobler dream.
F
SNY
The Witches of Worm (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
friendship ... magic ... spooky
A lonely twelve-year-old is convinced that the cat she finds is possessed by a witch and is responsible for her own strange behavior.
F
SNY
Black and Blue Magic (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
growing up ... magic
You'd think that someone with a name like Harry Houdini Marco would be deft and skillful, but Harry could only occasionally catch even an easy fly ball without making some dumb error. On top of that, most of his friends' families were moving to the suburbs. It would have been a long, dreary summer, but then a Mr. Mazeeck showed up and turned out to be more than he seemed.
F
PUL
I Was a Rat! (age 9-12)
by Philip Pullman
magic ... folklore ... humor
I Was a Rat! So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it's true. But what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge is sure of it. A victim of Rodent Delusionâ The hospital nurse says yes. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A champion wriggler and a budding thief? That's what Billy thinks. Or just an ordinary small boy, though a little ratty in his habits? Only three people believe this version of the story. And it may take a royal intervention, and a bit of magic, to convince the rest of the world.
F
PUL
The Firework-Maker's Daughter (age 9-12)
by Philip Pullman
voyages/journeys ... magic ... adventure
In a country far to the east, Chulak and his talking white elephant Hamlet help Lila seek the Royal sulphur from the sacred volcano so that she can become a master maker of fireworks like her father.
F
CAR
The Land of Elyon Series (age 9-12)
by Patrick Carman
adventure ... magic ... voyages/journeys ... fantasy
Inquisitive twelve-year-old Alexa Daley is spending another summer in the walled town of Bridewell. This year, she is set on solving the mystery of what lies beyond the walls. Legend says the walls were built to keep out an unnamed evil that lurks in the forests and The Dark Hills. But what exactly is it that the townspeople are so afraid of? As Alexa begins to unravel the truth, pushing beyond the protective barrier she's lived behind all her life, she discovers a strange and ancient enchantment, and exposes a danger that could destroy everything she holds dear.
title: The Dark Hills Divide
title: Beyond the Valley of Thorns
title: The Tenth City
title: Into the Mist
title: Stargazer
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STR
The Specter from the Magician's Museum (age 9-12)
by Brad Strickland
magic ... adventure ... spooky
When the evil sorceress Belle Frisson ensnares Rose Rita Pottinger in a magic web in order to steal her life force, Lewis Barnavelt must risk his own life to save his friend.
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KER
Children of the Lamp Series (age 9-12)
by P. B. Kerr
magic ... adventure ... fantasy
Meet John and Philippa Gaunt, twelve-year-old twins who one day discover themselves to be descended from a long line of djinn. All of a sudden, they have the power to grant wishes, travel to extraordinary places, and make people and objects disappear. Luckily, the twins are introduced to their eccentric djinn-uncle Nimrod, who will teach them how to harness their newfound power. And not a moment too soon, since John and Philippa are about to embark on a search to locate a monstrous pharaoh named Akhenaten and his eerie tomb.
title: The Akhenaten Adventure (Children of the Lamp)
title: The Blue Djinn of Babylon
title: The Cobra King of Kathmandu
title: The Day of the Djinn Warriors
title: The Eye of the Forest
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WOO
The Christmas Doll (age 9-12)
by Elvira Woodruff
traditions ... magic ... enterprise ... historical
Lucy and her sister Glory have only each other to lean on as they labor day after day in the workhouse. When they flee to escape a deadly fever, they find an old, discarded doll...but this is no ordinary toy. This story of love, hope, and redemption finds magic in the least likely places.
F
SNY
The Headless Cupid (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
spooky ... mystery ... magic ... friendship
When the four Stanley children meet Amanda, their new stepsister, they're amazed to learn that she studied witchcraft. They're stunned to see her dressed in a strange costume, carrying a pet crow, and surrounded by a pile of books about the supernatural. It's not long before Amanda promises to give witchcraft lessons to David, Janie, and the twins. But that's when strange things start happening in their old house. David suspects Amanda of causing mischief, until they learn that the house really was haunted a long time ago. Legend has it that a ghost cut the head off a wooden cupid on the stairway. Has the ghost returned to strike again?
sequel: The Famous Stanley Kidnapping Case
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ROW
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (age 9-12)
by J. K. Rowling
fantasy ... animals ... magic
The definitive guide to the care and handling of mythical beasts, for all Harry Potter fans.
F
ROW
Quidditch Through the Ages (age 9-12)
by J. K. Rowling
fantasy ... sports ... magic
The definitive guide to Quidditch, for all Harry Potter fans.
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ROW
The Harry Potter Series (age 9-12)
by J. K. Rowling
fantasy ... adventure ... family ... school ... magic
As the first book, Harry Potter y la Piedra Filosofal, opens, all Harry Potter knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley, a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry (and anyone who reads about him) will find unforgettable. Spanish translations.
title: Harry Potter y la Piedra Filosofal
title: Harry Potter y la Camara Secreta
title: Harry Potter y el Prisionero de Azkaban
title: Harry Potter y el Caliz de Fuego
title: Harry Potter y la Orden del Fenix
title: Harry Potter y el Misterio del Principe
title: Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte
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ROW
The Harry Potter Series (age 9-12)
by J. K. Rowling
fantasy ... adventure ... family ... school ... magic
As the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone opens, all Harry Potter knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley, a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry (and anyone who reads about him) will find unforgettable.
title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
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ROD
Deltora Shadowlands Series (age 9-12)
by Emily Rodda
adventure ... fantasy ... magic
In the first book of this series, Cavern of Fear, the Shadow Lord's evil tyranny over Deltora has ended. He and the creatures of his sorcery have been driven back across the mountains. But thousands of Deltorans are still enslaved in the Shadowlands, the Enemy's own terrifying and mysterious domain. To rescue them, Lief, Barda and Jasmine, heroes of the quest for the Belt of Deltora, must find a weapon powerful enough to combat the Shadow Lord's magic on his own ground. According to legend, the only thing the Shadow Lord fears is the fabled Pirran Pipe. But does the mysterious Pipe still exist?
title: Cavern of the Fear
title: The Isle of Illusion
title: The Shadowlands
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BAR
Peter and the Starcatchers Series (age 9-12)
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
adventure ... magic ... humor
In this fast-paced (and often hilarious) adventure on the high seas and on a faraway island, an orphan boy named Peter and his mysterious new friend, Molly, take on bands of pirates and thieves in their quest to keep a fantastical secret safe and save the world from evil.
title: Peter and the Starcatchers
title: Peter and the Shadow Thieves
title: Peter and the Secret of Rundoon
title: Peter and the Sword of Mercy
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PEA
Tom's Midnight Garden (age 9-12)
by Philippa Pearce
magic ... fantasy
Tom is furious. His brother, Peter, has measles, so now Tom is being shipped off to stay with Aunt Gwen and Uncle Alan in their boring old apartment. There'll be nothing to do there and no one to play with. Tom just counts the days till he can return home to Peter. Then one night the landlady's antique grandfather clock strikes thirteen times leading Tom to a wonderful, magical discovery and marking the beginning of a secret that's almost too amazing to be true.
F
BEL
The House With a Clock in Its Walls (age 9-12)
by John Bellairs
spooky ... magic ... mystery
A boy goes to live with his magician uncle in a mansion that has a clock hidden in the walls which is ticking off the minutes until doomsday.
sequel: The Figure in the Shadows
sequel: The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring
sequel: The Ghost in the Mirror
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YOL
Wizard's Hall (age 9-12)
by Jane Yolen
fantasy ... magic ... school
Poor Henry. It's not enough that his mother has sent him away from home to learn magic. It's not enough that everyone at his new school calls him Thornmallow because he's ``prickly on the outside, squishy within''. It's not enough that the only talent he shows at Wizard's Hall is an ability to make messes of even the simplest spells. He finds himself with more responsibility than he knows how to bear.
F
WIN
The Castle in the Attic (age 9-12)
by Elizabeth Winthrop
magic ... knights/castles/dragons ... fantasy
A gift of a toy castle, complete with silver knight, introduces William to an adventure involving magic and a personal quest.
sequel: The Battle For the Castle
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NOR
Bed-Knob and Broomstick (age 9-12)
by Mary Norton
magic ... fantasy
The Magic Bed-Knob and Bonfires and Broomsticks in one volume. These are the exploits of the three Wilson children; Miss Price, the apprentice witch; and the flying bed. A tale of a witch-in-training and trouble of the most unforgettable kind.
F
NES
The Enchanted Castle (age 9-12)
by E. Nesbit
magic ... fantasy
Four English children find a wonderful world of magic through an enchanted wishing ring.
F
MAZ
The Accidental Witch (age 9-12)
by Anne Mazer
magic ... fantasy ... friendship
Ten-year-old Phoebe is thrilled when she accidentally becomes a novice witch but soon wonders if she will ever develop and control her powers.
F
FLE
The 13th Floor (age 9-12)
by Sid Fleischman
magic ... humor ... historical
There's a mile-long word for the fear (and magic) of the number thirteen: triskaidekaphobia. In this comic fireworks of a novel, newly orphaned Buddy Stebbins stumbles onto the 13th floor of a shabby old building and finds himself transported aboard a leaking pirate ship in a howling storm--300 years in the past!

Sat Aug 25 11:55:25 2012
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