Fantasy Books for Kids

The Tokoloshe is coming. In the dark of night, something small, wet, and very cheeky is tipping over pots, pinching toes, and terrorising a girl named Nomsa’s home. Can Nomsa outwit a water-sprite that cannot climb but keeps stealing her every plan? With one brick left and her little brother in danger, she must think fast and think smart. This Bookbot book practises reading longer words of three or more syllables, like ‘suddenly’, ‘absolutely’, ‘grandmother’, and ‘afternoon’.

Yellow Rabbit Balloon wants nothing more than to float up, up, up - past the treetops, past the kites, past everyone telling him to hold still. But what happens when the sky turns out to be full of pecking birds, scary flames, and smoggy air? Will anyone down below look up in time to catch a tired little balloon? This decodable reader practises the ‘gn’ phonogram in words such as ‘reign,’ ‘gnat,’ ‘gnarled,’ ‘gnome,’ and ‘signpost.’

When every golem in Canville vanishes overnight, the Mischievous Mage knows the village is in serious trouble. Without them, what will stop the zombies and skeletons creeping in after dark? The only answer is pumpkins - but no one has ever seen one growing nearby. Can the Mage and his friends track some down before nightfall, or will their search lead somewhere far more surprising? This decodable reader practises ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words such as ‘ancient,’ ‘mission,’ ‘patience,’ and ‘delicious.’

Hank has big plans for the greatest garden his street has ever seen - but what happens when the sky lights up with strange swirling colours? What falls out of those clouds, and will anyone believe him when he tells the tale? Grab a shovel and dig into this wonderfully weird backyard adventure packed with surprises on every page. This decodable reader practises the eigh phonogram in words such as ’eight,’ ‘heavyweight,’ ’neighbourhood,’ ’neighbours,’ and ‘weightless.’

Deep in the Ashanti forest lives Mmoatia, a fairy no bigger than your thumb, who owns a magical stirring-spoon that fills any pot with food. When greedy Anansi the spider snatches it away, why won’t the spoon work in his hands? Can a hungry trickster ever learn the secret hidden inside a giving heart? A warm West African tale about sharing something ‘precious’. This Bookbot story practises the /sh/ sound with words like ‘portion’, ’especially’, ’nutritious’, and ‘gracious’.

Kwaku Anansi has a plan so big it makes his eight eyes shine: gather all the wisdom in the world into one pot and become the wisest creature alive. But when his climb keeps ending in a slide back to the roots, who offers the simplest idea of all, and why does the pot suddenly feel so heavy? Can a clever spider learn to ’laugh’ at himself? This Bookbot level practises the ‘augh’ sound in words like ‘haughty’, ‘distraught’, ’naught’, and ‘onslaught’.

Bam’s flute plays the sweetest tune on the beach - so sweet that even Bird is dozing in the air! But what happens when he plays just a tiny bit louder? Why does the ground start to shake, and whose golden eyes are rising from the waves? Can one small boy and his flute calm a very grumpy sea beast before the whole bay washes away? This decodable reader practises the ’ea’ phonogram in words like ‘beast,’ ‘gleam,’ ‘scream,’ and ‘feast.’

Can the Orange Cats squeeze out of their tiny dirt hut and build a real home of their own? With muddy whiskers, heavy stacks of stone, and monsters groaning in the dark, moving day turns out to be harder than they ever imagined. Will they battle the giant spider and finish their dream house before night falls again? This decodable reader practises the ‘ough’ sound in words like ‘brought,’ ‘fought,’ ’tough,’ and ’though.’

When Fig Pig gives Brat Cat a very special birthday present - a pair of wings! - she can hardly believe her eyes. But how do you learn to fly when the ground looks so very far away? Can Brat Cat be brave enough to leap off the cliff and soar into the valley below? And will Fig Pig remember to teach her everything she needs to know? This decodable reader practises the ough phonogram in words like ‘bought,’ ‘brought,’ ‘rough,’ ’tough,’ and ’through.’

Kintu lives all alone on the wide green hills with only his cow for company, longing for something he cannot yet name. When a kind sky-god’s daughter climbs down through the clouds to meet him, will her father let them be together? What impossible test awaits, and what happens when a tiny bee walks a slow circle across his hand? A warm African folk tale about love, loss, and the power of the smallest deed. This Bookbot story practises the /ʃ/ sound with words like ‘action’, ‘special’, ‘patient’, and ‘question’.