First, Witch Catcher, by Mary Downing Hahn, will grab you from the beginning. Twelve-year-old Jen and her widowed father have just inherited a large house from Uncle Thaddeus. When she discovers a crystal glass globe, she soon finds that there are others who want this unusual object. An antique dealer, Moura, has her eye on this globe — as well as on Jen's dad. Jen detects there is something very sinister about Moura when she is willed to give her the precious globe. But just as she approaches her closet where she's hidden it, her pet cat breaks it to tiny pieces. Soon Jen meets what was kept captive inside it. You'll have a great time reading this book as you find out what Jen is about to discover. 
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Horns & Wrinkles, by Joseph Helgerson, is a delightful and winsome tale full of magic and charm. After Claire's mean cousin, Duke, throws her off a bridge along with her pet turtle, Claire is rescued by a most interesting old woman. She learns that Duke is now enchanted with a large horn in place of his nose. The only way to be rid of this awful pointy thing is to perform a genuine act of kindness. The story is so well written, and so rich in characters, that it would be a perfect read-aloud!
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The last two books are geared for children with better reading abilities because of the longer length and more complex vocabulary. Fly by Night, by Frances Hardinge, is a beautifully written fantasy by a first-time author. Twelve-year-old Mosca Mye is about to escape her mean uncle who has locked her up each night. Books have been banned throughout her country, and she misses them. “Since the burning of her father's books, Mosca had been starved of words.”
She relished words and soon met Eponymous Clent who had a way of talking with such veracity and eloquence that she was mesmerized. However, Mosca is about to begin an adventure, along with Clent, that will take the reader beyond anything ever experienced before. The story is full of imagination, and with wondrous and descriptive language. It brings to mind other favorite fantasy writers that include one of my all time favorite authors — Lloyd Alexander.