by Julianne DonaldsonUnconditional Recommendation: A darling story of an innocent, whimsical 17-year-old girl who learns to embrace the love and acceptance she didn’t think would be hers.
Genre: Historical Romance
by C.S. LewisUnconditional Recommendation: A young boy and a talking horse escape captivity and flee north to Narnia only to end up trying to save it from a prideful Calormene prince.
Genre: Fantasy, Christian Allegory
by C.S. LewisUnconditional Recommendation: Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return to Narnia to aid Prince Caspian and Aslan in their endeavors to take back Narnia from the Telmarines.
Genre: Fantasy, Christian Allegory
by C.S. LewisUnconditional Recommendation: Four children travel through a wardrobe to Narnia and assist the lion Aslan to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.
Genre: Fantasy, Christian Allegory
by Sharon M. DraperUnconditional Recommendation: 11-year-old Melody overcomes the limitations of her cerebral palsy to communicate with others and finally share the thoughts and smarts that have been locked away inside her mind.
Genre: Contemporary
by Bruce CovilleUnconditional Recommendation: Thrust into another world, young Cara must make friends with fantastical creatures in order to keep a magical amulet out of evil hands and fulfill her grandmother’s request.
Genre: Fantasy
by AviUnconditional Recommendation: A little mouse discovers the truth and her courage when she defies the menacing great horned owl and journeys out of bounds to find a new home for her family.
Awards: Boston Globe–Horn Book Best Fiction Award (1996), New Mexico’s Children Choice Award (1999), National Christian School Association, Crown Classic (1998), Maryland’s Children’s Choice Award (1998), ALA Notable (1996)
by Eiko KadonoUnconditional Recommendation: Half-witch Kiki with her black cat Jiji follow witch tradition and fly off to find a new town to make home for her 13th year in this darling coming-of-age story.
Genre: Fantasy
by Kate DiCamilloUnconditional Recommendation: With the help of a funny stray dog, Opal makes friends in her new town.
Awards: Newbery Honor (2001)
by Gail Carson LevineUnconditional Recommendation: In this fairytale retelling, Ella, cursed by a fairy to obey every command, sets out to break her curse and protect those she loves.
Awards: Newbery Honor (1998), Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature (1999), Grand Canyon Reader Award for Teen Book (1999), Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award for Grade 6-9 (2000), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award (1999)