Cozy fantasy may be the latest subgenre to hit YA and adult fantasy, but in middle grade, it’s always been here. Middle grade authors are wonderful at creating magical worlds that, no matter when you read them, feel like catching up with a good friend. They’re the best books I know for when you need an escape from reality, at least for an afternoon.
Suppose you’ve read some of the coziest classics. What should you put on your TBR list next? Try these five cozy middle grade fantasy books published in recent years and get whisked away on adventures with a witch-in-training, a magical young baker, a lost kitten, and others!
While you’ve got your TBR list ready, check out these Cozy Fantasy Books for Kids (and Kids at Heart) for a mix of chapter and picture book recommendations, like The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld. Plus, subscribe to Book Riot’s The Kids are All Right for news and book recs on all things kid lit and middle grade!
 Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie AbeIn Eva Evergreen’s world, witches and wizards must pass a test by their 13th birthday or lose their powers forever. Eva’s deadline is looming over her, but thankfully, even though she was born with a tiny bit of magic, she makes up for the rest in enthusiasm and a willingness to practice every day. When the town she’s completing her apprenticeship is hit by a magical storm, she’ll have to face her real test and protect the community she loves from disaster. |
 Bad Badger: A Love Story by Mayrose Wood, illustrated by Giulia GhiginiSeptimus doesn’t quite fit in with the other badgers. He isn’t sure he even knows how to be a badger to begin with, and he wonders if he’ll ever find somewhere he belongs. That’s until his chance encounter with a seagull who becomes a fast friend despite their surface-level differences. But when Gully goes missing, it’s up to Septimus to leave his comfortable-if-lonely life and rescue his missing friend. |
 The Story of Gumluck the Wizard: Book One by Adam RexGumluck is a young wizard who wants nothing more than to be a hero, but unfortunately, he’s not cut out for it. He’s a little too clumsy and not all that bright. Or so those around him think. But that won’t stop him from helping out those in need however he can—especially if it gets him a chance at being crowned the Harvest Hero at the town dance! |
 Just a Pinch of Magic by Alechia DowWini will do anything to save her family’s magical bakery, even if it means casting a semi-forbidden spell to help with their ingredient shortage. But when that spell backfires, Wini must turn to a new friend named Kal to set things right before the whole town falls apart (and the stuffy Enchantment Bureau shuts down their bakery). |
 Nimbus by Jan EldredgeNimbus didn’t mean to lose her way. But when she’s separated from Fletcher, the kindhearted boy who rescued her as a kitten, she’s left again to fend for herself in a dangerous world. If she wants to reunite with Fletcher, she’ll have to rely on her new friends—including an eccentric, Shakespeare-loving rat—and harness her new, unexpected magical powers. |
Getting ready for your next bookstore or library trip? Keep an eye out for the 20 Best Middle Grade Fantasy Books of All Time, including Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston and The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett.
The following comes to you from the Editorial Desk.
This week, we’re highlighting a post that offers you a guide to all things cozy genre books! Get to know some outstanding cozy mysteries, cozy horror, and a whole lot more. Read on for an excerpt and become an All Access member to unlock the full post.
A Guide to All the Cozy Genres
Cozy has certainly become a buzzword attached to genre fiction. It all started with cozy mysteries, which have been around for decades. Now we’re seeing cozy science fiction and fantasy, and even cozy horror. So what exactly does “cozy” mean?
There are some common traits of so-called cozy books. Generally, they evoke a charming atmosphere with their setting. In cozy mysteries, this is often a small town—think of a quaint village in the English countryside. Fantasy adds some magic to that quaint village; horror adds ghosts. For science fiction, coziness often manifests as a ship, space station, or colony with a tight-knit crew. Readers can expect rich descriptions of the setting and a lot of atmosphere for a fully transporting reading experience.
Another common factor in these books is the stakes of the story. Cozy mysteries are somewhat confounding because the crimes they solve are typically murders! Nevertheless, the reader is not subjected to gory details or put in a position of extreme suspense. Likewise, cozy fantasy and sci-fi novels may deal with the aftermath of a large-scale conflict, but the characters are likely to be dealing with smaller, more internal or interpersonal challenges.
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