3 Timeless Chapter Books for Kids who Believe in Magic

Believing in magic in one of the best parts of any childhood. For those special kids, the mundane becomes extraordinary. Anything can happen. And they believe they're more special than others imagine. Wishes  come true, dreams materialize, and and something fantastic is bound to happen if you believe in magic.

One way to encourage the magic of childhood is by continuing to surround them with books. Not just any books, mind you, but books that take kids just like yours living normal, “boring” lives, and place them in the midst of magical worlds that nobody else — especially grownups — is even aware of.

Books with fantastical themes are abundant, but only a handful are truly must-reads. Check out these three timeless titles and decide if one or more are something your children might enjoy:

Chronicles of Narnia 

by C. S. Lewis

There are seven books in this truly magical series. Whether your child chooses to read the novels in the order they were written or in the order recommended by the publisher, the series is a treasure trove of thrilling tales that transport the reader to another realm.

In The Magician’s Nephew, a boy named Digory has an uncle who is dabbling in magic. Uncle Andrew sends Digory and his friend Polly to a magical world where they accidentally awaken a witch who attempts to take over their world. With the help of a lion named Aslan, the children overcome the queen and Aslan gives Digory an enchanted apple to heal his dying mother.

Once his mother is well, Digory plants the core and grows a tree from which he later builds a wardrobe. Years later, that wardrobe transports four siblings back to Aslan’s world, Narnia, in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

The books continue with various children traveling to Narnia in many different manners. They each meet animals with the ability to speak, and experience many wondrous adventures before returning to their own times and places where hardly any time has passed.

Other titles in the series are The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle.

The Borrowers 

by Mary Norton

Fourteen-year-old Arrietty Clock and her parents Homily and Pod are just like any other family at the turn of the twentieth century in England. They live in an old English country manor, they enjoy spending time together and they are six inches tall.

Okay, so perhaps they are not just like any other family.

The Clocks are “Borrowers”, living carefully among humans taken care not to be seen. They “borrow” things they need to make the space under the floor feel like home, such as postage stamps for wall art and corks to use as chairs.

Not so long ago, there were many “human beans” living in the house along with many other Borrowers. However, when most of the big people left, all but the Clock family emigrated to the great outdoors in order to find the food and other necessary items. The manor is not completely empty though, and while learning how to borrow, Arrietty encounters one of the tall folk.

She befriends the human boy, much to her parents’ terror and dismay. His gift of dollhouse furniture changes their minds though, and soon, they are living the high life thanks to gifts from Arrietty’s friend. All is well until a servant spots their “nest” under the floorboards and calls in an exterminator.

Kids will delight in the thought that a family of tiny people might be living somewhere in your home (is that where all of the missing socks go?) and will learn about befriending others, even when they are a little different. 

The Spiderwick Chronicles

by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

Another riveting series, The Spiderwick Chronicles contains five books telling the adventures of Mallory Grace and her younger twin brothers, Simon and Jared.

Soon after their mother moves the family into the dilapidated Spiderwick Estate, the children discover a secret library. However, in doing so, they disturb the nest of a “brownie” named Thimbletack who proceeds to seek retaliation. Fortunately, they find a book entitled Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You, which helps them understand just who and what they are dealing with.

Although they befriend Thimbletack, they ignore his advice to destroy the book; a mistake that results in Simon’s abduction by a group of invisible goblins. Thimbletack, Jared, and Mallory rescue Simon with the help of a hobgoblin they free from the goblin camp.

The Grace children encounter many other mythical creatures such as dwarves, elves, and faeries, proving themselves to be a brave and cunning trio.

Inspire your kids to make room for magic in their hearts and minds with these enthralling books. In fact, if it has been a while since you let yourself get lost in an enchanted world, why not dive into one yourself?

What are some of your favorite books about magical worlds to read with the kids? Share with us!

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