Wild Magic

Tamora Pierce's Immortals quartet opens with thirteen-year-old Daine, who can speak with animals and barely understands — or trusts — the wild magic she carries. Set in the richly built kingdom of Tortall, the story follows her from a frightening past into an apprenticeship under the royal horsemistress and the mentorship of the mage Numair. As immortal creatures invade the realm, Daine has to accept her gift rather than fear it. Pierce creates a female protagonist who is genuinely capable without being flawless, and the human-animal bond at the story's heart is warm and believable. Parents of younger readers should know that Daine develops feelings for the adult Numair — a relationship the later books pursue romantically — so it warrants awareness for the nine-to-eleven set. For the right reader, this is exactly the kind of fantasy that stays with you.