of the 20th century was the
Condor trilogy, the first book of
which is A Hero Born. Translated
into English in 2018 by Anna
Holmwood, the book takes place
during the 12th century Jin-Song
Wars and follows the sons of two
dedicated allies forced to go their
separate ways.
1958 THE ONCE AND
FUTURE KING
BY T.H. WHITE
Widely considered the definitive
modern retelling of the medieval
saga of King Arthur and his
Knights of the Round Table,
White’s collection of tales brings
20th century insight to the rise
and fall of Camelot. Beginning
with the legend of “The Sword
in the Stone,” White offers a
comical yet deeply sad portrayal
of Arthur’s life, from his childhood
training with the wizard Merlyn up
until his tragic final battle.
1961 JAMES AND THE
GIANT PEACH
BY ROALD DAHL
Enormous talking insects, evil
aunts and a larger-than-life
piece of fruit take the lead in
Dahl’s fantastical tale of a lonely
young boy finding his place in
the world. While Dahl’s reputed
anti-Semitism has raised
questions about his legacy as
an author, James and the Giant
Peach remains a favorite among
kids and parents alike nearly 60
years after it was first published.
1961 THE PHANTOM
TOLLBOOTH
BY NORTON JUSTER
Juster has described his debut
as an “accidental masterpiece”
inspired by his childhood ennui.
Accidental or not, the book, and
1970 animated film, have helped
generations of kids keep the
doldrums at bay, with the story
of a bored young boy named
Milo who drives his toy car
through the tollbooth that has
mysteriously appeared in
his bedroom.1962 A WRINKLE IN TIME
BY MADELEINE L’ENGLE
Transformation is the subject
of this classic YA novel, which
fuses an imaginative fantasy plot,
timeless coming-of-age themes
and mind- expanding ideas drawn
from scrupulous study of science,
literature and spirituality. A
titan of the genre, L’Engle gave
precocious readers— especially
girls, a chronically underserved
demographic for fantasy lit—an
avatar in Meg Murry, a brilliant
but hapless preteen outcast who
goes on a quest to find her father.1965 THE WANDERING
UNICORN
BY MANUEL MUJICA LÁINEZ
In El unicornio—titled The
Wandering Unicorn in a 1982
English-language translation
by Mary Fitton—Mujica Láinez
expands the story of Melusine,
a medieval fairy who has been
depicted for centuries in prose
and art. Mujica Láinez intertwines
historical and magical threads in
a narrative that follows Melusine
as she falls in love and witnesses
many battles across Europe
during the Crusades.1968 DRAGONFLIGHT
BY ANNE MCCAFFREY
Territorial disputes among landed
gentry. Swords and sandals. And,
most important, fire- breathing
dragons—along with the elite
humans who can communicate
with them. McCaffrey takes these
classic tropes and subverts the
fantasy genre by adding a science-
fiction twist: setting her story on a
far-flung planet colonized by Earth
and then forgotten, and making
the “dragons” genetically modified
versions of a lizard-like species.1968 THE LAST UNICORN
BY PETER S. BEAGLE
Upon learning that she may bethe last of her kind in all the
world, a unicorn sets out from
her enchanted lilac wood to
discover what the monstrous
Red Bull has done to her
immortal kin. In this cult classic,
written in lyrical prose and rife
with both whimsical humor and
philosophical ruminations on
what it means to be human,
Beagle spins a quasi- medieval
fairy tale that remains timeless.strange abilities, Myrddin Emrys
(or as he becomes known, Merlin)
must hone his skills in medicine,
engineering and, of course,
sorcery before finding his place
in the turbulent world of
5th century England.1971 THE TOMBS OF ATUAN
BY URSULA K. LE GUIN
The second Earthsea novel
follows Tenar, a girl taken as a
child to become high priestess
to the ancient spirits of the
titular tombs. She is the only
one who can enter the tombs’
sacred underground labyrinth,
so when a stranger arrives to
steal an invaluable treasure, it’s
up to her to stop him. Tenar’s
inner struggle against the social
constructs that define her life
carries this Newbery Medal–
winning novel.1972 WATERSHIP DOWN
BY RICHARD ADAMS
Adams’ classic tale of escape,
adventure and survival follows
a group of rabbits as they
flee a warren doomed by the
encroachment of man. They head
off in search of greener pastures
and eventually settle on the
hillside of Watership Down. Led
by the reluctant rabbit-in-chief
Hazel, the budding colony must
contend with various elil, the
word in Adams’ inventive Lapine
language for the thousand
natural enemies of rabbits, as
they seek a home where they can
finally live in peace.1973 THE DARK IS RISING
BY SUSAN COOPER
On his 11th birthday, a boy learns
about his supernatural abilities
and the existence of magic, and
then has to search for powerful
objects in order to save the world.
No, it’s not Harry Potter—it’s Will
Stanton, who discovers that he
is an Old One, an immortal being
with a special role in the timeless
struggle between Light and Dark.MARLON JAMES
Booker Prize–winning author of
Black Leopard, Red Wolf, the first
book in a promised trilogyN.K. JEMISIN
Author of the Broken Earth,
Dreamblood and
Inheritance seriesGEORGE R.R. MARTIN
Author of the A Song of Ice and
Fire series, the basis for HBO’s
Game of ThronesSABAA TAHIR
Author of An Ember in the Ashes,
A Torch Against the Night and
A Reaper at the Gates1968
A WIZARD OF
EARTHSEA
BY URSULA K. LE GUIN
Long before Harry Potter
went to Hogwarts,
Le Guin pioneered the
concept of a school
for wizards. The first
installment in the
acclaimed Earthsea Cycle
series sees a young Ged
sail to the heart of the
titular archipelago—one
of the most original
fantasy worlds of its
time—to study at the
magical island of Roke’s
school of wizardry. There,
he makes a terrible
mistake that haunts him
on his path to becoming
the greatest sorcerer in
the realm.Books
1970 THE CRYSTAL CAVE
BY MARY STEWART
Another update on the Arthurian
legend—this time from the point
of view of Camelot’s resident
magician—the first installment
in Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy follows
the sorcerer in the years before
he becomes King Arthur’s most
trusted adviser. Ostracized for
his unknown parentage and