A Touch of Magic
Middle schooler Lilia B. asked me if I could recommend some books to her. She prefers realistic fiction with a bit of magic, like The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Lilia also loves graphic novels, so I’ve gathered suggestions that include graphic novels, middle-grade books, and a pair of older books that might appeal. Some of these would definitely qualify as fitting in the genre of magical realism and others are just about the situations when life feels a little otherworldly.
Graphic Novels
Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani (2017)
A pashmina scarf transports Priyanka to the past so she can finally get answers about her mother’s life before she immigrated from her home in India in this moving graphic novel.
Sheets series by Brenna Thummler (started in 2018)
Marjorie’s life revolves around the family’s laundromat business. When Wendell, a ghost, begins haunting the laundromat, he makes her days much more complicated. Marjorie and Wendell eventually form an alliance, and she enjoys learning about the ghost world from him. A great graphic novel series.
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo and K. G. Campbell (2016)
Flora saves a squirrel from a mishap with a vacuum cleaner — an adventure that leaves the squirrel with extraordinary powers. Told is a mix of prose and comics, this story of unlikely friendship will appeal to DiCamillo’s fans.
Middle Grade
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (2023)
Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother. She’s always loved Halmoni’s stories and folktales from Korea. Is it just Lily’s imagination causing her to see a tiger just like in the stories lurking around the house? As Lily discovers the truth about Halmoni’s past, she must discover the truth about the tiger.
Winterhouse series by Ben Guterson and Chloe Bristol (started in 2018)
This series is packed with old-fashioned charm, mystical magic, and puzzles galore. Orphan Elizabeth is sent alone to the Winterhouse Hotel by her guardians. She is intrigued by the hotel and the family that founded it. When she discovers a book of puzzles in the library, she begins to collect clues about the hotel and its secrets.
Greenglass House series by Kate Milford and Jaime Zollars (started in 2014)
In Agatha Christie style, a handful of strangers end up stranded in Greenglass House during a storm, and all seem to be keeping secrets. Milo, the son of the owners, works with Meddy (the cook’s daughter) to uncover the truth and solve the mysteries. Spooky and gothic fun.
Young Adult/Older
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (2020)
Linus, an administrative drone, is sent to evaluate the care at a remote orphanage, where he finds a garden gnome, a wyvern, a forest sprite, and the antichrist among its charges. To his surprise, the remote locale may also be where he finds love.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (2019)
When Zachary discovers a magical book in a campus library that tells stories of his own life (though written before he was born), he is drawn into a mystery. He uncovers a secret society and hidden world. Interestingly, this is not Zachary’s first encounter with magical doors. He can’t help but dig deeper and try to navigate The Keeper’s realm.