Some MG Fantasy Books by Darlene Beck Jacobson

 

I’ve recently enjoyed a couple of fantasy books highly recommended by my ten-year-old book buddy Jane. They’ve been around for awhile, but their popularity hasn’t waned, so I thought I’d share them.

THREE CHEERS FOR MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY!!!

 DRAGONS IN A BAG by Zetta Elliott is the first in a series. Here is the description from Amazon:

The dragon’s out of the bag in this diverse, young urban fantasy from an award-winning author!

When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she’s not his grandmother–but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they’ll be safe. There are two rules when it comes to the dragons: don’t let them out of the bag, and don’t feed them anything sweet. Before he knows it, Jax and his friends Vikram and Kavita have broken both rules! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever?
 
AN ALA-ALSC NOTABLE CHILDREN’S BOOK
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

The second book – also the first in a series was a real delight. I especially enjoyed all the references to the childhood fantasy characters many of us grew up with.

THE SISTER’S GRIMM: FAIRY TALE DETECTIVES by Michael Buckley

Enter a world of fractured fairy tales and magical mysteries in this first installment of the beloved New York Times bestselling Sisters Grimm series.

Perfect for young readers and fantasy enthusiasts, this series combines mystery, humor, and fairy tale magic in a captivating way.

Orphaned sisters Sabrina and Daphne are sent to live with their newly discovered grandmother, Relda Grimm, in the strange town of Ferryport Landing. The girls soon learn a family secret: They are descendants of the famous Brothers Grimm, whose book of fairy tales is actually a history book.

When a terrorizing giant goes on a rampage through the town, it’s up to the Sisters Grimm to stop him and to solve the mystery of who set the giant loose in the first place. Was it Mayor Charming, formerly Prince Charming, who desperately wants his kingdom back? The Three Not-So-Little Pigs, the shifty town cops? Or one of the many other fairy-tale characters who seem to have it out for the Grimms?

Millions of readers have fallen in love with the Grimm sisters’ adventures. The books are ideal for middle-grade readers, but enjoyable for anyone who loves a good fairy tale twist.