When I first started fourth grade, I despised reading. Now, that very thought sounds like sacrilege and I’ve gone on amazing adventures all through the pages of books. Not only do I have fond memories of reading particular books, but I grew as both a person and a writer as a result. Generally, fantasy and science fiction have been my favorite genres, though poetry and the occasional biography have drawn me in. I even occasionally read historical books that delve into the history of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Here are a few books or series that helped to convert me from someone who hated reading to someone who, as a teen, read three to five books a week. 

The book series below and the books mentioned are generally about right for anyone over the age of 12, though a student who’s a little behind on reading skills may need a bit of help. Here’s hoping these books bring you and your young reader years of adventures. Parents are encouraged to skim over the books prior to providing them to children, just to make sure my recommendations don’t stray from your parenting style and rules. 

The Chronicles of Narnia 

This is the series that started my fascination with the written word. We were required to check out a book and do a book report every other week in fourth grade, so while I didn’t care for Mrs. Felton’s approach to math, I suppose I should be grateful that she pushed for book reports. I had run out of books I’d already read or had read to me for my reports, and I was a bundle of angst. Brandon, the student who sat next to me and was known for shockingly blue socks, recommended that I read “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” Sceptical, I had no other options and the book didn’t seem intimidating in its size, so I checked it out.  

From the moment I first read, “Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy,” I was hooked. Peter was brave; Susan was smart; Edmund precocious; and Lucy compassionate. I read the book in three days, and wrote a full-page book report instead of the half-page that was required. That was the first time I got a 100 on any writing anything. Eventually, this led to me exploring the other seven books in the series. I think I’ve read the entire octology three or four dozen times. I am eternally grateful for C.S. Lewis for his creativity and care in creating a narrative that includes characters that grow and strive to be better. 

The Magic of Xanth series 

Piers Anthony has been someone I have looked up to for a long time. He inspired my love of puns; allowed me to look at authors as human beings through his author’s notes; and he created a fun spur off of our own world by simply using the map of Florida — with a few tweaks — as the map for his imaginary world of Xanth. The series starts with “A Spell for Chameleon” wherein a young man named Bink hasn’t shown any magical talent whatsoever in a kingdom that requires it. He is subsequently banished and later returns. Puns abound. Adventure is constant, and everyone learns a bit about the challenges others face in life. I’m pretty sure my parents thought I was going somewhat nuts as I giggled at the humor and moved on. Anthony is still writing a few books in the series each year. Forty-seven books are already in print in the series and the 48th is set to release this coming Tuesday. There are also five other books and a video game that are incredibly fun. Just don’t kick the bucket in the video game, it’s the silliest game over ever.  

Notably, in college, I had the opportunity to interview Anthony. He has a wide variety of series out there, not all of which are appropriate for younger readers, but his material spans fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction and a memoire. The interview is part of why I opted to move into journalism full time.

The Heralds of Valdemar  

Mercedes Lackey is an amazing writer who puts her readers inside the heads of the characters in her novels. In The Heralds of Valdemar — comprised of “Arrows of the Queen,” “Arrow’s Flight” and “Arrow’s Fall” published in 1987 and 1988 — Lackey puts readers in Talia’s mind. A young woman from a strict culture that ostracizes her for being a bit peculiar by their reconning, Talia quickly finds herself becoming one of the most important people in the kingdom of Valdemar and personal bodyguard to a princess, all while trying to master magical abilities and figure out interpersonal relationships. The series can bring a bit of hope to young people that, like Talia, feel they’re a bit of a misfit.  

The Damar series 

Pretty much anything by Robin McKinley is a good read, in my opinion, but the books that drew me to her work are “The Blue Sword” and “The Hero and the Crown.” While they were published in that order, I do recommend that readers read them in the reverse order if keeping things set in chronological order in the storyline is important. Both have strong female characters who are brave and carry a deep integrity and dedication to being just, and both are appropriate for anyone 12 or older, in my opinion. They’re both award winning and readers can also explore the kingdom of Damar through four short stories McKinley has out.  

Magic Kingdom of Landover 

I thought it only fitting to end this listing with a Washington-based author. Terry Brooks was born in Illinois but has called Seattle home for a long time now. While he has written novelizations of moves like “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” and “Hook,” he’s most well known for the Shannara and Magic Kingdom of Landover series. The Shannara series may be a bit rough for younger readers, but the Landover series is both something I think most parents would approve of for anyone over 12 and gets moving more quickly than the Shannara series does. The Landover series tells the story of Ben Holiday, a skilled but depressed trial lawyer who figures a weird ad to buy a kingdom is probably just a good excuse to hike the Appalachian Trail. He soon finds it was a legitimate situation, and he wanders into intrigue, adventure and some odd-but-fun relationships with the population of Landover. Start with “Magic Kingdom for Sale: Sold” and take off from there. The stories are whimsical and fun and pull the reader in immediately.