Fantasy Books for Kids
We’re passionate about ensuring literacy is accessible to every child, as it is essential for a happy, successful life. This collection opens doors to magical worlds for readers ages 5 to 9. Each book features enchanted realms, mythical creatures, and extraordinary adventures where imagination knows no bounds.
An Odd Day
Hank has big plans for the greatest garden his street has ever seen - but what happens when the sky lights up with strange swirling colours? What falls out of those clouds, and will anyone believe him when he tells the tale? Grab a shovel and dig into this wonderfully weird backyard adventure packed with surprises on every page. This decodable reader practises the eigh phonogram in words such as ’eight,’ ‘heavyweight,’ ’neighbourhood,’ ’neighbours,’ and ‘weightless.’
Get Out of the Hut!
Can the Orange Cats squeeze out of their tiny dirt hut and build a real home of their own? With muddy whiskers, heavy stacks of stone, and monsters groaning in the dark, moving day turns out to be harder than they ever imagined. Will they battle the giant spider and finish their dream house before night falls again? This decodable reader practises the ‘ough’ sound in words like ‘brought,’ ‘fought,’ ’tough,’ and ’though.’
Phantoms
Skel has a list of chores longer than his arm, and he’s far too busy for rest. But when night falls and glowing green eyes appear in the sky, can a tired skeleton outrun a hungry phantom? Will Bones and Jack reach him in time, or has Skel’s no-sleep adventure finally gone too far? This decodable reader practises si making /zh/ in words such as ’treasure,’ ‘decision,’ ‘vision,’ and ‘pleasure.’
Boo! I'm the Ball!
Meet Gad, the friendliest ghost in the forest! He’s spent ages floating all alone, watching grumpy ghouls jump out and scare people just for fun. But Gad doesn’t want to scare anyone - he wants to play! So when he spots a group of kids at the park, he zooms down to say hello. Will they run away screaming, or could Gad finally find the best friends he’s been dreaming of? This decodable reader practises the gh phonogram in words like ‘ghost,’ ‘ghostly,’ ‘ghosts,’ and ‘ghouls.’
Not My Bakery!
Tom the Baker makes the best pumpkin pies in all of Canville - at least, that’s what he says! But when sneaky creepers sneak past the golems and blow his beloved bakery sky-high, Tom is ready to pack up his pies and leave for good. Can Dr Can Do and the villagers come up with a plan to save the day? This decodable reader practises the soft c sound in words like ‘city,’ ‘face,’ ‘fence,’ ’nice,’ and ‘magnificent.’
Who's Playing Up There?
Look up! Can you spot a human figure dancing in the clouds? When a cloud man waves down at three curious kids, a whole sky-band joins in with music, jigs, and opera singing. But what happens when the drummer pounds too hard and the sky turns dark? Will the children make it home before the storm? This decodable reader practises 2-syllable open words such as ‘human,’ ‘music,’ ’lady,’ and ’tiny.’
Don't Touch My Chicken!
When a mysterious new Mage moves in next door, strange things start happening all over the village. Why is Jill’s chicken walking upside down? Why are her sheep flashing rainbow colours, and what has the Mage done to her diamond pickaxe? Jill tries to keep her composure, but this unusually cheeky neighbour is going to be a real handful! This decodable reader practises si making /zh/ in words such as ‘casual,’ ’treasure,’ ‘unusual,’ and ‘composure.’
Hold On, Kim!
When a sudden tapping wakes Kim from her nap, she tiptoes out the doorway to find where the noise is coming from. What could be hiding inside a dusty cottage? And what happens when Kim sits down at a loom that weaves all by itself? Follow along as a brilliant pattern carries her somewhere she never expected to go. This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables in words such as ‘cottage,’ ‘pattern,’ ‘yellow,’ and ‘sudden.’
Not Tonight, Monsters!
When the sun goes down and monsters come creeping, most folks hide under the blankets - but not Ned! Tonight he’s grabbed his magic sword and marched right out the door. Can one brave farmer really fight off a giant zombie, a sneaky skeleton, and a huge spider with mean little eyes? And what strange treasure might glint on the floor when the night is done? This decodable reader practises soft g words such as ‘gem,’ ‘gentle,’ ‘giant,’ ‘danger,’ and ‘charged.’
The Pumpkin Patch
Zom’s pumpkins are the biggest, plumpest crop he’s ever grown, and he’s already dreaming of the delicious cakes he’ll bake. But when one pumpkin vanishes overnight without a single footprint left behind, his suspicion grows. Who - or what - is sneaking through the patch after dark? Can Zom and Skel stake out the garden and catch the mysterious thief before every last pumpkin disappears? This decodable reader practises ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words such as ‘attention,’ ‘delicious,’ ‘suspicion,’ and ‘determination.’
Frequently Asked Questions
How does reading fantasy help children develop as readers?
Fantasy stories immerse children in worlds that demand imagination, which keeps them reading for longer stretches. A study in Frontiers in Psychology (2022) found that children become genuinely absorbed when reading fiction — and that this absorption is linked to stronger comprehension and recall. The more vivid the world, the more engaged the reader.
Do fantasy books build vocabulary in young readers?
Fantasy stories introduce language children rarely encounter in everyday speech — words like enchanted, quest, ancient, and creature. Scarborough’s Reading Rope model (2001) identifies vocabulary and background knowledge as essential strands of skilled reading, and genre-rich content like fantasy strengthens both. Each new word a child decodes in context becomes part of their growing language bank.
Are these fantasy books suitable for reluctant readers?
Fantasy is one of the strongest genres for drawing in reluctant readers because magical worlds and unexpected twists create an urgency to keep turning pages. Research on how children learn from narrative fiction (Springer, 2022) shows that engagement with story drives both comprehension and social learning — and fantasy stories produce high levels of engagement.
What formats are these fantasy books available in?
Fantasy books are available on the Bookbot website, with many titles free to read online. Select books also offer PDF downloads or read-aloud features, which highlight each word as the story is narrated.
What reading levels are the fantasy books written at?
The collection covers levels from simple CVC words for beginning readers through advanced phonics patterns including blends, digraphs, and multi-syllable words. You can filter by grade level to find fantasy stories that match your child’s current reading stage.