Dark is rising (which I love) has sad, scary parts IMO. Cooper has one about Shakespeare, the king of shadows?

I just read Frindle because dd is reading it in guided reading and it's great.

Dd just started The girl, the dragon and the wild magic and likes it.

If he read Narnia he could probably handle Wrede, whom we love!

What about The Sherwood Ring or Perilous Gard? Though they can be a bit mature...

How to train your dragon? We just requested these.

Lloyd Alexander? Some of his are intense but Vesper Holly is hilarious.

((Pardon my left handed phone typing and probably missing things said up thread as I near the third hour of bedtime here with my 3yo))