When it comes to early illustrated chapter books, the Dragon Masters series by Tracey West checks a lot of boxes. These stories are fast-paced and action-oriented but accessible to newly independent readers. The world-building is magical and the quests are exciting. If your J Intermediate-level reader has already devoured the thirty books in this super popular series, here are a few recommendations to broaden their horizons (at least until #31 comes out!).
Written by Megan Reyes
Illustrated by Kay Davault
New York : Random House, 2025. Intermediate. 106 pages.
Dak lives on his family's llama farm, which means his life is full of llama poop and empty of adventure. Then Dak meets the mysterious girl who lives with the monks next door and a talking llama named Lucy who is the keeper of the Ravenwood stones. These magical, protective stones have been scattered across the kingdom by a sneaky thief. Together Team Llama Quest has to retrieve them, starting with the Fire Stone!
Written by Linda Chapman
Illustrated by Lucy Fleming
Wilton, CT : Tiger Tales, 2020. Intermediate. 158 pages.
Eight magical Star Animals journey to find Star Friends: kindhearted and brave children who believe in magic and who will help the Star Animals fight the dark forces that are endangering the human world. Mia and her friends are just those kind of children! This series has sweet illustrations, descriptive language, and a lot of magic. I think it would have really caught my imagination as a second or third grader.
By Diane Walker
New York, NY : HarperChapters, 2022. Intermediate. 84 pages.
To hide her human identity, Zelli disguises herself as a minotaur when she attends Dungeon Academy. She tries to go unnoticed but finds herself sticking up to bullies on behalf of the smaller, weaker monsters at school. Will her heroism get her into trouble? This chapter book is based on the tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons and features characters from the Dungeon Academy J Fiction series. It has lots of exciting characters, full-color illustrations, and fun, unique worldbuilding.
Written by Kieran Larwood
Illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton
Boston MA : Nosy Crow, 2024. Intermediate. 194 pages.
A spot has opened up for a new team in the extremely popular, highly telecasted Dungeon Running League! This is what the young gnome/dwarf named Kit has dreamed of his whole life. He pulls together a team of new friends (another gnorf and a vegan vampire) to tackle monsters, mazes, puzzles, and other Dungeon Runners. Funny, snappy, and clever, this series would be appealing to a wide range of readers.
Written by Bernard Mensah
Illustrated by Natasha Nayo
New York : Scholastic, Inc., 2024. Intermediate. 85 pages.
Kwame can't wait to learn calabash magic at Nkonyaa School. Will his magical gourd control time? The weather? Will it be an Earthbreaker or maybe a Sun Wielder? He's confused and disappointed when none of his teachers can figure out what kind of magic is in his calabash. But Kwame's power is revealed when his new friend Fifi get possessed by an evil magic. This series combines magic and African folklore into a fantastical adventure that ends in a cliffhanger!
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