More like Aesop's Funky Fables

anchored on:fantasyfairy tale retellingwhimsicalshort story cycle

but

Narrow

At the Back of the North WindSeries
series2 books1869
Fantasy, whimsical in tone, about friendship and coming of age.
“Diamond travels together with the mysterious Lady North Wind through the nights.”
from the catalogue
Start with At the Back of the North Wind →
Tolkien's legendariumUniverse
universe163 books1923
Set in secondary world.
“Before the seas were bent and the mountains raised, there was Music — and from that Music came Arda, and in the west of Middle-earth the long defeat and stubborn hope of those who dwell there.”
from the catalogue
Start with The Fellowship of the Ring →
includes The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The History of Middle Earth, The Fall of Gondolin, The History of the Lord of the Rings
The IckabogNovel
J. K. Rowlingstandalone novel2020
About political intrigue, set in secondary world.
“Upon release the book received generally positive critical reviews and emerged a bestseller.”
from the catalogue
The Wind in the Willows UniverseSeries
series17 books1908
Set in british isles.
Start with The Wind in the Willows →
StardustNovel
Neil Gaimanstandalone novel1998
Adventurous in tone, about quests and fae, set in fairyland.
“Stardust has a different tone and style from most of Gaiman's prose fiction, being consciously written in the tradition of pre-Tolkien English fantasy, following in the footsteps of authors such as Lord Dunsany and Hope Mirrlees.”
from the catalogue
The Scarecrow and His ServantNovel
Philip Pullmanstandalone novel2004
Adventure, adventurous in tone, about quests, set in secondary world.
“As he goes on his quest he tries to reach Spring Valley to claim it for his own.”
from the catalogue