So You Want to Read Young Adult Fantasy: Here’s Where to Start

Young adult fantasy — much like the broader fantasy genre — is full of subgenres and wildly imaginative takes on classic tropes. There’s something here for readers of essentially any age, whether you’re looking for a simple escape, a complex tale of fantastical intrigue, or deeply rooted and thought provoking allegories. YA may have been our first introduction fantastical realms, nigh-impossible quests, and epic struggles between good and evil. There really is no better time to take a nostalgia-fueled trip back to the roots of your love of fantasy. The books below feature a few classics — vanguards of the current YA fantasy heavyweights — as well as a few more recent entries worth your attention.