5 Great Fantasy Book Series for Tweens

If you're looking for just the right book to give your child, and he/she is interested in heroes and battles, magicians and sorcerers, hidden worlds or unique twists on old fairy tales, these five authors have series that will provide your child with hours of enjoyment and excitement. And I know, because not only have my kids read and delighted in them, I have too. 1) Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan: Rick Riordan presents an interesting twist on the old Greek and Egyptian mythologies in his two series. The stories really appeal to any kid who may have considered themselves different or outcasts, but have a bit of the undiscovered hero inside. The main characters of Riordan's stories discover that they are children of, or can channel, the Gods. Because of their abilities they face many enemies out to destroy them. And ultimately, it is up to them to lead many quests to help win the battle between good and evil. 2) The InkHeart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke: Anyone who has ever become immersed in a book, or dreamt of joining their favorite characters, will love the InkHeart series. Meggie, a young girl whose father repairs books, discovers that he has a secret talent to bring book characters and scenes to life by simply reading a book aloud. The book he read when Meggie was a toddler, InkHeart, had the unexpected consequence of causing her mother to disappear into the world of InkHeart, and some unsavory characters to be released into the real world. Years later, the characters return to seek out the InkHeart book so that it can once again be read aloud. 3) The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series by Michael Scott: Josh and Sophie Newman are twins that appear by chance to meet the immortal Nicholas Flamel, the Alchemist, and his wife. They are sucked into a battle of good and evil that will determine the fate of the world they know, and the worlds they have not even imagined. In order to fight this evil, Josh and Sophie will have to be taught all the elemental magics, and will discover that many Gods and Immortals move freely about the world as they know it. Parents will love the role that many historic figures play in this series. 4) Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins: Like the InkHeart Trilogy, the Underland Chronicles focuses on a child who has had a parent disappear early in his life. Gregor and his younger sister, Boots, accidentally discover a world underneath New York City, where humans and giant creatures coexist. Gregor will learn of a prophecy and more importantly he will learn about the whereabouts of his missing father. This series, written by the author of the Hunger Games, has some dark themes that may raise some discussion with your child. 5) The Sisters Grimm Series by Michael Buckley and Peter Ferguson: The Sisters Grimm is a great combination of fairy tale and detective series. Sabrina and Daphne Grimm go to live with their mysterious grandmother and learn that they are descendants of the Brothers Grimm and live in a town where fairy tale characters exist. They run into a series of events that require their detective skills to solve, such as the kidnapping of their grandmother and the murder of a teacher. A fun ride for both boys and girls with some strong female characters for the girls to relate to.