Are you a Book Dragon? I definitely am! I love books and series set in magical worlds and filled with mythical creatures.

There are a whole lot of great middle-grade books and series with dragons out there. So I rounded up my favorites so you can add them to YOUR reading list for 2021.

Want even more great dragon-inspired content? Check out these links!

Now let’s get reading!

BONUS: I’m doing a giveaway of one of the series, Wings of Fire: Books 1-5 on my Bookstagram account. Head here to find out more and enter for your chance to win!

The 20 Best Middle-Grade Books and Series With Dragons

20 Best Middle-Grade Books and Series With Dragons


1. The Unwanteds Series by Lisa McMann (7 book series)

This is one of my favorites! Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths. Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. But upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, Alex learns that behind the mirage of the “death farm” there is instead a place called Artime.

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2. Wings of Fire series by Tui T Sutherland (14 book series)

Another one of my favorites! Clay and his friends have grown up under a mountain, secretly raised by the Talons of Peace to fulfill a mysterious prophecy. The five young dragons are destined to end the war that’s been raging between the tribes of Pyrrhia — but how they’ll do this, none of them knows…

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3. The Dragonwatch Series by Brandon Mull (4 book series)

The dragons that have been kept in sanctuaries want their freedom—and their revenge—and the world’s only hope is the reformation of the ancient order of Dragonwatch. These books are the sequel series to Fablehaven. I LOVE this series.

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4. Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao (2 book series)

A debut novel inspired by Chinese mythology, this middle-grade fantasy follows an outcast as she embarks on a quest to save the world from demons.

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5. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life’s questions. Soon, Minli sets off on a journey to find the Old Man on the Moon so she can change her family’s fortune. She encounters many magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.

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6. Welcome to Superhero School by Gracie Dix

Magical Schools for Back To School - Gracie Dix

The dragon in my debut book is a fantastic character! I can’t wait for you to meet her! You can find out more about the process of writing the book right here.

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7. Silver Batal and The Water Dragon Races by K. D. Halbrook (2 book series)

Thirteen-year-old Silver Batal calls the desert home, but her heart belongs to the waters. Although she’s expected to become a jeweler like her father, Silver harbors a secret and forbidden wish to race water dragons. Destiny comes calling when her friendship with a mysterious old woman leads her to Hiyyan, a baby dragon that can swim and fly.

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8. The Land of Roar by Jenny McLachlan (2 book series)

When Arthur and Rose were little, they were heroes in the Land of Roar, an imaginary world that they found by climbing through the folding bed in their grandad’s attic. Now the twins are eleven, Roar is just a memory. But when they help Grandad clean out the attic, Arthur is horrified as Grandad is pulled into the folding bed and vanishes. Is he playing a joke? Or is Roar . . . real?

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9. Miss Ellicott’s School for the Magically Minded, by Sage Blackwood

Chantel would rather focus on her magic than on curtsying, which is why she often finds herself in trouble at Miss Ellicott’s School for Magical Maidens. But when Miss Ellicott disappears with all the other sorceresses in the city, Chantel’s behavior becomes the least of her problems Without any magic protecting the city, it is up to Chantel and her friends to save the Kingdom. 

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10. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (25 book series)

In a world called Pern, an ancient way of life is about to come under attack from a myth that is all too real. Lessa is an outcast survivor—her parents murdered, her birthright stolen—a strong young woman who has never stopped dreaming of revenge. But when an ancient threat reemerges, Lessa will rise—on the back of a great dragon with whom she shares a telepathic bond more intimate than any human connection.

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11. Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott (2 book series)

When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she’s not his grandmother–but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they’ll be safe. Soon, chaos ensues.

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12. Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke (2 book series)

With a lonely boy named Ben on board, the brave young dragon Firedrake sets out on a magical journey to find the mythical place where silver dragons can live in peace forever. This enchanting adventure is all about finding the true meaning of home.

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13. No Such Thing as Dragons by Phillip Reeve

Ansel’s new master slays dragons for a living. He says he’s hunted the monstrous worms all over Christendom and has the scars to prove it. But is Brock just a clever trickster in shining armor?

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14. Thrones and Bones by Lou Anders (3 book series)

Meet Karn. He’s destined to take over the family farm in Norrøngard. His only problem? He’d rather be playing the board game Thrones and Bones. Readers will embark on a sweeping epic fantasy as they join Karn and his friend Thianna on a voyage of discovery. Antics and hair-raising escapades abound in this fantasy adventure as the two forge a friendship and journey to unknown territory.

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15. The Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb (4 book series)

This book series is all about the resurgence of dragons in a world that both needs and fears them. I can’t wait to read all of these for myself!

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16. How To Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell (12 book series)

This is a really fun book series that inspired the hit movie! Join the adventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III as he finds a new way to train dragons–and becomes a hero. This action-packed, hilarious, and perfectly illustrated novel is a modern classic beloved by millions across the globe.

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17. Ember and the Ice Dragons by Heather Fawcett

This book is an awesome middle-grade fantasy about a girl who used to be a dragon and her adventure to save her new home.

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18. Dragon’s Milk (The Dragon Chronicles) by Susan Fletcher (4 book series)

“You must go to the dragon. You must leave tonight.”

Before she even hears the words, Kaeldra already knows what she must do. She must search out the mother dragon and somehow get some of her precious milk. It’s the only way to save her foster sister’s life. Kaeldra would rather not go. But she’s the only one who can do it. For she is the only one who can actually communicate with dragons.

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19. Dragon’s Keep by Janet Lee Carey

Princess Rosalind is born with a dragon claw where her ring finger should be. To hide this secret, the queen forces her to wear gloves at all times until a cure can be found, and Rosalind can fulfill the prophecy that will restore her family to its rightful throne.  But Rosalind’s flaw cannot be separated from her fate.

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20. The Dragon Egg Princess by Ellen Oh 

Jiho comes from a long line of forest rangers who protect the Kidahara—an ancient and mysterious wood that is home to powerful supernatural creatures. But Jiho wants nothing to do with the dangerous forest. But when the forest is in danger, can a magic-less boy, a fierce bandit leader, and a lost princess join forces and save their world before it’s too late?

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Which of these middle-grade books with dragons are you adding to YOUR reading list?

Come over to my Instagram and let me know!