Book picks similar to
A Practical Guide to Wizardry by Susan J. Morris
fantasy
dungeons-and-dragons
art
fiction
Nobody Likes a Goblin
Ben Hatke - 2016
Every day, Goblin and Skeleton play with the treasure in their dungeon. But one day, a gang of "heroic" adventurers bursts in. These marauders trash the place, steal all the treasure, and make off with Skeleton—leaving Goblin all alone!It's up to Goblin to save the day. But first he's going to have to leave the dungeon and find out how the rest of the world feels about goblins.
The Truthful Harp
Lloyd Alexander - 1967
The king of a small land in Prydain, unable to pass the test to be a bard, is given a harp whose strings keep breaking as he speaks.
The Christmas Candle
Richard Paul Evans - 1998
He scoffs at the beautifully sculpted creations of the old chandler and instead purchases a simple, inexpensive Christmas candle that the chandler warns him he may find costly. The young man soon realizes that the old man meant, as the poor and ill he encounters on his journey, illuminated by his Christmas candle, become the faces of his relatives, so he feels compelled to help them. He arrives home cold and penniless, but richer for his newfound realization that we are all part of one family. This beautifully illustrated original fable by the acclaimed author of The Christmas Box will become a treasured part of many families' Christmases for years to come.
Little Elephants
Graeme Base - 2012
But his mom doesn’t like critters in the house, so he tries to keep them a secret. Until one day they escape from his bedroom and cause havoc in the house. But when locusts invade the farm and start to destroy crops, the elephants come to the rescue!Bestselling author-illustrator Graeme Base has created a unique story with his signature illustrations, which are sure to appeal to young readers.
Praise for Little Elephants
"The minimal text wisely recedes for Base's gorgeous paintings, and the story's very implausibility is a large part of the delight... An offbeat and winning mix of earthiness and enchantment."—Kirkus Reviews"This is a strange, magical book. Base’s lush paintings ground the fanciful story in its realistic rural setting. At the same time, the landscapes are suffused with a golden glow that casts a soporific charm over the whole book. Interesting visual details abound, from the mouse’s thimble helmet to the prophetic circus posters on the walls. A great book to enjoy one-on-one."—School Library Journal"Graeme Base has done it again. His beautifully detailed paintings are such an important part of this story."—Library Media Connection
The Amazing Bone
William Steig - 1976
Can Pearl, a pig, and her new friend, a small talking bone, outwit a band of robbers and a hungry fox?The Amazing Bone is a 1976 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year, a 1977 Caldecott Honor Book, and a 1977 Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards Honor Book for Picture Books.
Can You See a Little Bear?
James Mayhew - 2005
The concepts of opposites, colors, and contrasts are introduced in the read-aloud nursery verse, and simple clues and vivid word images help children discover Little Bear, whether he's trying on a hat, standing on his head, or floating in a balloon. Gradually Little Bear moves into a more familiar landscape of tea, bath, and bedtime, a cue for little bears' bedtimes everywhere.
Alice Through the Looking Glass: A Matter of Time
Carla Jablonski - 2016
Each of the four characters have their own new, distinct art style to accompany their unpredictable adventures. As the readers travel along, they will be faced with choices that may turn the world-or at least the book itself-upside down.
The Typewriter
Bill Thomson - 2016
When three children discover a typewriter on a carousel, they are transported on an adventure of their own creation—complete with a giant beach ball and a threatening crab. Stunning, richly colored artwork is paired with limited text so children can tell their own version of the story.
The Lady and the Lion: A Brothers Grimm Tale
Jacqueline K. Ogburn - 2003
She fears for her life, but finds kindness rather than danger there, for the lion by day is a gentle young man by night-a prince under the spell of a wicked enchantress. Soon the lady and the lion fall in love. Unlike the more familiar tale, however, this story has only just begun. The prince is not yet safe from the enchantress, and it will take all of the lady's strength and courage, through a seven-year quest, to rescue him. Dazzlingly romantic and visually magnificent, this is a book for the ages-an exhilarating tale of virtue, heroism, and the power of love. Illustrated by Laurel Long.
A World Without Heroes
Brandon Mull - 2011
In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail.In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor, and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes.
Princess Alyss of Wonderland
Frank Beddor - 2007
Her name was Alyss Heart and you may know her or think you know her from that silly book of nonsense Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In fact, Lewis Carroll got her story all wrong. Now, for the first time, and through the help of a dedicated historian, Princess Alyss gets to tell her side of the story. Hear about her harrowing escape through the Pool of Tears, the deep sadness she felt when her royal imagination began to fade, and what it is like to be a princess when everybody thinks you are just an ordinary little girl! And finally, discover how Alyss reclaims her power of imagination to persevere in her wish to return to Wonderland.
Tree Girl
T.A. Barron - 2001
But Rowanna is drawn to the forest—especially the High Willow on its faraway hill. Are the trees really forest ghouls, as Mellwyn says? Or could they possibly hold the secret to Rowanna’s past and the mother she can hardly remember? If only she could get near the High Willow, Rowanna feels certain she would understand. . . . With its timeless forest setting and charming, whimsical characters, Tree Girl is a perfect introduction to fantasy for young middle-grade readers, from a true master of the genre.
The Barnabus Project
Eric Fan - 2020
A stunning picture book from international bestsellers The Fan Brothers, joined by their brother Devin Fan.Deep underground beneath Perfect Pets, where children can buy genetically engineered "perfect" creatures, there is a secret lab. Barnabus and his friends live in this lab, but none of them is perfect. They are all Failed Projects. Barnabus has never been outside his tiny bell jar, yet he dreams of one day seeing the world above ground that his pal Pip the cockroach has told him about: a world with green hills and trees, and buildings that reach all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars. But Barnabus may have to reach the outside world sooner than he thought, because the Green Rubber Suits are about to recycle all Failed Projects . . . and Barnabus doesn't want to be made into a fluffier pet with bigger eyes. He just wants to be himself. So he decides it's time for he and the others to escape. With his little trunk and a lot of cooperation and courage, Barnabus sets out to find freedom -- and a place where he and his friends can finally be accepted for who they are.This suspenseful, poignant and magical story about following your dreams and finding where you truly belong will draw readers into a surreal, lushly detailed world in which perfection really means being true to yourself and your friends.
Mark of the Thief
Jennifer A. Nielsen - 2015
But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic's newfound powers for their own dark purposes.In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire's most powerful and savage leaders.