Jessie Sima
Perfectly Pegasus
A charming and accessible entry into magical realism that balances whimsical world-building with a grounded emotional core about friendship.
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All picks after this →Gods and Gifts
by Carolee Dean
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 650L · 2024
A solid entry in the 'magical girl' genre that prioritizes character growth over plot twists, though it lacks the distinct voice of top-tier middle grade fantasy.
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
by L. Frank Baum
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 720L · 2018
The fourth Oz book is looser and more digressive than The Wonderful Wizard, with a genuine earthquake as inciting incident and stranger magical lands; kids who love worldbuilding over tight plotting will devour it.
The BFG
by Roald Dahl
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 730L · 2019
Dahl at his best — hilarious, genuinely thrilling, and quietly heartbreaking about what it means to be small and unwanted in a world built for giants.