Adventure into D&D Books for Kids!

Dungeon Club: Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag
Middle school is a dungeon… At least, that’s how Jess sees it. Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius. But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game–and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure–and their friendship–finally come to an end?

I can’t go a few blog posts without mentioning one of my favorite creatives. This book is a lovely look into how playing out stories with friends can be so powerful, and how trying new things that are scary at first can end up being even better than before.

Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather. The strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a tentacled creature lures the kids’ mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into a fantastical world inhabited by robots, mysterious plants, and talking animals. It’s up to Em and Navin to figure out how to set things right and save their mother’s life!

This book is the first in a great series following the adventures of these siblings as they navigate a fantasy world. Think of a Narnia-esque story for a new audience!

Adventuregame Comics: Leviathan by Jason Shiga
Time for an interactive graphic novel! Readers follow the story from panel to panel using tubes that connect them, and sometimes the path will split, giving them the chance to choose how the story unfolds. Leviathan is set in a medieval coastal village, where residents live in fear of a giant sea creature. Your goal as a reader is simple: defeat the Leviathan! As you wander through the open world, the town’s backstory is revealed. You can attempt to visit the library to try and learn why the Leviathan destroyed it years ago. You can stop by the castle to discover the town was once riddled with crime and theft–and how that’s stopped as the Leviathan will wreak havoc on the town for the smallest misdeeds. If you’re lucky, you may find your way to the old wizard who may possess the one thing that could keep the Leviathan at bay. But not everything is as it appears in this village. Can you discover the secrets and stop the Leviathan before it’s too late?

This graphic novel is so fun! It feels like a portable game where you’re able to explore the world multiple times with each read. If you have a kid who’s interested in trying to run a D&D game, this could be a reference point for how to make an adventure full of options!

Dungeon Crawlers Academy by J P Sullivan
When four kids went through a mysterious portal, they discovered an endless dungeon full of treasure, monsters, and magic! They returned home as heroes. But when adults tried to enter the portal, they couldn’t. Only kids were granted access. And so the Dungeon Crawlers Academy was born: a school devoted to training young adventurers to explore the dungeon and bring back its fabulous treasures. Nathan always dreamed of being a hero. A dangerous encounter with a tiny dragon becomes his ticket into the Academy. Now, a whole new life awaits, as Nathan struggles to learn how to use magic…and survive school!

This book reads almost like a manga / graphic novel hybrid, with a fun style and plot that’s entertaining, so it’s a great choice for kids excited to read manga who aren’t quite old enough yet.

Just Roll With It by Lee Durfey-Lavoie
Starting middle school is hard enough when you don’t know anyone; it’s even harder when you’re shy. Maggie just wants to get through her first year of middle school. But between finding the best after-school clubs, trying to make friends, and avoiding the rumored monster on school grounds, she’s having a tough time…so she might need a little help from her twenty-sided dice. But what happens if Maggie rolls the wrong number?

A touching middle-grade graphic novel that explores the complexity of anxiety, OCD, and learning to trust yourself and the world around you. It carries a love for D&D, showing how it can be a healthy space for people to recharge and be empowered. This book is a great choice for fans of Guts and Real Friends.

The Legend of Brightblade by Ethan M Aldridge
The kingdom may be at peace now, but Prince Alto believes that the world still needs heroes and dreams of being one. He has been learning the bard’s magic, and has grown restless with royal life. Determined to have an adventure of his own, Alto runs away from the palace. On his journey, he finds himself making new friends and encountering new and exciting magic. But when he discovers that there are dangers threatening the kingdom, Alto realizes that he might not be able to handle them alone–and making his mark as a hero is harder than the stories made it seem.

This book is charming and wonderful, perfect for fans of the Amulet series and The Witch Boy. This story takes a look at how we can find support and strength from the people in our lives and create our own version of being a hero.