Cornelia Funke

Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living, can "read" fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service.

Two brothers, having run away from the aunt who plans to adopt the younger one, are sought by a detective hired by their aunt, but they have found shelter with--and protection from--Venice's "Thief Lord."

When Dustfinger finds a crooked storyteller who can read him back to Inkscape, he leaves his apprentice Farid behind. Farid seeks out Meggie and the two follow him back into the enchanted book.

Jacob and Will Reckless have looked out for each other ever since their father disappeared, but when Jacob discovers a magical mirror that transports him to a warring world populated by witches, giants, and ogres, he keeps it to himself until Will follows him one day, with dire consequences.

"Two merpups named Lilly and Fin must escape from the clutches of the humans who want to add them to their collection of rare aquatic creatures"--

"Ben and his adopted parents are devoting their lives to protecting rare and fabulous creatures (like dragons) and at the moment they are trying to save the last of the winged horses, Pegasus unicus; there are three eggs, but without their mother they will not survive and the only hope is to obtain a Griffin feather--but Griffins are enemies of the dragons, and may not be willing to help." --

On Butterfly Island, sailer Stout Sam and his deckhand Pip must rescue their treasure-sniffing pig from nasty pirate Barracuda Bill.

"Jacob Reckless journeys to the Mirrorworld to tell his shapeshifting friend Fox that a fairy curse--a deadly moth in his chest--means he has only one year to live. The journey in Mirrorworld turns into a search against time and against a Goyl treasure hunter for an enchanted crossbow, which is known to strike down any army it faces, and less well known for its healing power when shot by a loved one"--

Ferocious pirate Captain Firebeard THINKS that he and the ruthless crew of the "Horrible Haddock" rule the high seas. But Firebeard and his band meet their match when they kidnap a small but feisty girl named Molly. Even after the pirates threaten Molly with sharks and make her scrub the deck, she is utterly defiant -- and will NOT tell Firebeard who her parents are. All the while, Molly is busy sending secret messages in bottles...but to whom? When...