A monster is usually invented on the spot — the thing under the bed, the shape in the closet, whatever a particular story needs to be afraid of. A mythical creature turns up already famous. The dragon has been sitting on gold since before anyone bothered to write it down; the unicorn has been impossible to catch for two thousand years; somebody in Scotland is still watching the loch and somebody in the Himalayas is still photographing footprints. That is exactly why children love them. These creatures come with rules, histories, rival versions, and a live argument about whether they are real — and a six-year-old can be a leading authority on all four by Thursday.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 2,111 mythical creature books, our editors chose the ones that treat the creature as more than decoration: the oldest dragon story in English told properly, two entirely different dragons meeting inside one family, goblins outwitted over eight nights, a giant defeated by a song, a demigod meeting the entire Greek roster one monster at a time, and the Newbery honorees who built whole novels out of borrowed folklore. Start with our fixed shortlist of 15 favorites, then narrow to the creature you actually came for — dragons, unicorns, giants, genies, sea monsters, yetis — or follow the age shelves from first board books to middle-grade fantasy.
A knight battles a fearsome dragon to restore peace to the land.
A young boy runs away from home to rescue a baby dragon from a group of wild animals on a remote island
A very small owl talks his way onto the castle night watch, then meets the dragon everyone else has been losing to.
A girl sets off to ask the Old Man of the Moon to change her family’s fortune, and picks up a dragon who cannot fly.
A child walks into two different forests at bedtime and finds two completely different kinds of dragon waiting.
A narwhal who has always felt slightly wrong about his horn spots a herd of something else entirely up on land.
A traveler must outwit goblins to save Hanukkah in a darkened village.
A girl dreams of mythical pets but discovers their chaos. Is her hamster the best choice?
A Viking boy expected to bully a dragon into obedience decides to try learning its language instead.
A boy with a ukulele and a father with a magic wand are the only two people left who can stop the giant walking into town.
Five dragonets are destined to end a war between dragon tribes.
A young Viking must outwit frost giants to free trapped Norse gods.
A boy learns his father is a Greek god, and every monster he was ever taught about starts turning up in person.
A young girl finds a mysterious egg on the beach that hatches into a legendary creature.
A baby dragon hatches in your book. Can you stop its fiery sneezes?
First dragons, friendly giants, and sparkling unicorns built for patting, lifting, and chewing, ages 0–3.
Discover a whimsical bedtime routine with playful dragons.
A boy and his dragon embark on timeless adventures.
Search for the elusive dragon through touch and feel.
Dare to touch the untouchable dragon in this playful, tactile adventure.
A witch, dragon, and monster discover friendship in a Halloween tale.
Discover a unicorn's magical world and enchanting powers.
Celebrate dads with a whimsical tribute to their amazing qualities and a special nod to their little fans.
A young king faces night creatures alone after his knights are taken away.
Uncover magical creatures and a surprise under each flap.
Celebrate the magic of moms with a whimsical unicorn adventure.
Journey through whimsical lands with slithy toves and borogoves.
A girl orders a unicorn, but what arrives isn't what she expected.
Dragons who would rather bake than burn, unicorns with identity problems, goblins outmatched by a clever traveler, and legends retold for read-aloud ages 3–8.
A person thinks about various things, from colors and animals to fantastical creatures and scenarios.
An imaginary unicorn makes school magical.
Two siblings try to solve a riddle to save their home from a giant's floods.
A knight and dragon must defy a duel law to save their friendship.
A knight is sent on a quest to tame a dragon, but instead of fighting, he uses his love of reading to solve problems and make friends.
A princess rescues her prince from a dragon.
A cow claims to meet a dragon, leading her sisters on a surprising adventure.
Unicorns prance all day, but can they find rest and sweet dreams at night?
A girl faces giants destroying her forest. Can she save it?
A boy discovers a dragon under his stairs and seeks help from unexpected sources.
A dragon and knight become friends through mistaken identity. What happens when the truth is revealed?
A dragon tries to find a way to read a book without setting it on fire.
Dragon riders, frost giants, something enormous hatching in a Scottish bathtub, and field guides to beasts that do not exist, for independent readers ages 6–12.
A young orphan is carried off by a dream-blowing giant, then must help him stop the man-eating ones.
A young boy named Wiglaf enrolls in Dragon Slayers' Academy to learn how to slay dragons and bring home treasure.
A boy's wishes could save the world or lead to chaos. Can he handle the consequences?
A witch raises a magical child, unaware of the looming threats and a young man's quest to end her life.
A hobbit's unexpected journey to reclaim stolen treasure leads to a life-altering discovery.
A quest unfolds as Anne faces riddles and monstrous foes, with dragons hiding secrets.
Three children embark on a magical quest to find a legendary creature in a hidden land.
A contest for tidiness clashes with magical chaos at Ivy's grandmother's cottage.
A dragon and a child unravel Vienna's forgotten mystery: the fate of missing dragons.
A young girl named Sophia starts at a magical school for unicorn riders and must navigate friendships, rivalries, and a mystery surrounding the school's magical lake.
A young owl named Tag dreams of becoming an Owl of Valor and protecting his forest from the evil vulture Thorn, who is using dark magic to destroy Perodia.
A young boy is taken from his home to become a Dragon Master for the king
