Check It Out:

Imagine a world full of fantasy creatures and mythical adventures. There are faraway lands filled with fairies, giants, wizards, knights and royalty galore.

A child can easily step into these worlds by visiting the Newport Beach Public Library.

The children’s department’s shelves are bursting with the latest fantasy books as well as the classics. Here are just a few of the hundreds offered:

“Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles” by Tony DiTerlizzi: In the latest installment of this popular trilogy, giants start waking up and destroying everything around their Florida neighborhood. The main characters Nick, Laurie, Jules, and Cindy work frantically to find a solution to their “giant problem.” To start at the very beginning, you can also check out book one, “The Nixie’s Song.”

“Bronze Dragon Codex” by R.D. Henham: When Simle — a bronze dragon who hates humans — and Tatelyn — a human who distrusts dragons — are linked sympathetically by a pendant, they realize they must work together which brings them a better understanding of each other. If you like this book, check out the other two adventure-filled books in the Dragon Codices series, “Red Dragon” and “Black Dragon.”

“Clash of the Sky Galleons” by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell: This is book nine in the popular Edge Chronicles series. Quint leaves his studies at the Knights Academy in Sanctaphrax to assist father Wind Jackall in his obsessive and dangerous quest to track down and bring to justice the evil Turbot Smeal.

“Inkdeath” by Cornelia Funke: This is the final installment of the Inkheart Trilogy. As Bluejay — Mo’s fictitious double — tries to keep the Book of Immortality from unraveling, Adderhead kidnaps all the children in the kingdom, asking for Bluejay’s surrender or the children will be doomed to slavery in the silver mines. You can always start at the beginning with the first book, “Inkheart,” which was recently made into a blockbuster film.