The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain, Book 1) by Lloyd Alexander

I'm afraid an old cartoon movie of The Black Cauldron gave these books a bad name, but the movie was poorly made and didn't follow the book. The delightful story of Taran and his oracular pig really begins with The Book of Three. Alexander is a marvelous story teller and excellent character builder. The stories are great for readers who are interested in Harry Potter, but need something a little lighter.