Derek Landy
Dead or Alive
A fast-paced, witty fantasy that balances genuine peril with sharp dialogue, ideal for readers who want more substance than standard middle-grade fare.
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The Dragon Book
by Jack Dann
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 950L · 2010
A solidly crafted dragon-rider coming-of-age that doesn't pretend to be more than it is — tight pacing, genuine stakes, and a protagonist who earns his power through vulnerability, not birthright.
Howl's Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones
Young adult · ages 10–14 · 920L
A sly, emotionally satisfying fantasy that feels like a literary prize-winner disguised as a romp — Sophie's growth from cursed hat-maker to witch is the real magic.
La Belle Sauvage
by Philip Pullman
Young adult · ages 10–18 · 950L · 2017
A prequel that stands alone: Pullman at full craft, with genuine peril, moral complexity, and a 12-year-old protagonist who acts. Younger than *Northern Lights* tonally, but demand the reading stamina of a 13-year-old.