Skulduggery Pleasant By Derek Landy
This is for younger Harry Potter fans and seriously shouldnt be missed. This series has just finished, so you have loads of brilliant books to dig into. The protagonist, Stephanie, meets Skulduggery – whos a sorcerer, a detective and also dead! Yes, she is taken on adventures and taught magic by a witty, hilarious skeleton detective in this brilliant series. I honestly cant recommend it enough!
Nocturna By Maya Motayne
If you love the idea of being the Chosen One, you need to dive into Nocturna, the sweeping Latinx debut fantasy weve been waiting forand the first in a trilogy!
Finn Voy is a loner by choice, not to mention being a master of disguise, thanks to her magical shape-shifting powers. Unfortunately, even the most skilled magician can make mistakes, and one day she finds herself captured by the mob and faced with an impossible mission: use her abilities to steal a treasure from the royal palace or lose her life. When Finn runs into Prince Alfie, a royal fascinated by her forbidden magic powers, theyll accidentally unleash an ancient evil that threatens the entire world.
The Queen Of The Tearling By Erika Johansen
Set 300 years after an environmental disaster decimates modern society, Erika Johansens debut novel transports readers to a medieval-esque future in which Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn must return from exile to reclaim her dead mothers throne, lead her kingdom and defeat the evil Red Queen. If thats not enough to hook you, Emma Watsona.k.a. Hermione Grangeris both executive-producing and set to star in the movie adaptation of the book.
Buy now: The Queen of the Tearling
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Harry Potter And The Cursed Child
While not part of the original seven-book series, Cursed Child and the accompanying stage play have become a generally accepted addition to the Harry Potter canon. This 336-page text picks up where the Deathly Hallows epilogue left off, with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy sending their unfortunately named kids off to Hogwarts Harrys son Albus and Malfoys son Scorpius serve as our protagonists this time around. Upon arrival at Hogwarts, the boys are both sorted into Slytherin and forge an unlikely friendship, which naturally causes tension between Albus and Harry over the next few years.
After a fight with his father, Albus overhears Cedric Diggorys father Amos asking Harry to use a more powerful version of a Time Turner to go back in time and rescue his son. When Harry refuses, Albus enlists Scorpius to help him save Cedric, with the aid of Diggorys niece Delphi. However, as anyone whos seen Back to the Future can attest, messing with timelines is never a good idea especially in the wizarding world. Things are further complicated by the fact that Delphi is not who she says she is, and may have sinister ulterior motives when it comes to rewriting history.
More Books Like Harry Potter
There are many great books similar to Harry Potter, and everyone who commented on this page has helped me build the following list. Find good Harry Potter alternatives to read, or submit your own recommendation in the comments!
#1. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
This award-winning trilogy follows the coming-of-age of two children, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, as they wander through a number alternate universes against a backdrop of epic events.
#2. Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. LewisA set of seven classic fantasy novels for children, the Chronicles of Narnia tells of the adventures of children from our world who are magically transported to Narnia: a land where animals talk, magic is common, and good battles evil.
#3. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer12-year-old Artemis Fowl is a son of an Irish crime lord, and an aspiring criminal mastermind himself. He believes in the existence of fairies, and even decides to kidnap one. Artemis gets more than what he bargained for when an elite squad of LEPrecon lays siege to his manor.
#4. Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia FunkeA 12-year-old girl Meggie Folchart has the power of Silvertongue – she can bring objects and characters from the books she reads aloud into reality. She has to deal with dangerous characters her father accidentally read out of a book called Inkheart, and try to save her mother who in turn got trapped inside it.
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In Bridge To Terabithia Two Children Create A Land With Magical Creatures
The film Bridge to Terabithia centers around a young boy named Jess who makes friends with Leslie, a new girl at school. Determined to escape the real world, the two decide to create their own fantasy land. The film stars Josh Hutcherson as Jess and AnnaSophia Robb as Leslie. They are also joined by actress Zooey Deschanel.
Fantasy Books For Kids
Redwall What can the peace loving mice of Redwall Abbey do to defend themselves against an evil army of rats? If only they had the sword of Martin the Warrior. But the legendary weapon has long been forgotten except by the bumbling young apprentice Matthias, who becomes the unlikeliest of heroes. This is the first book in a series of 20 books!
Grade Level: 4 & Up
The Ruins of Gorlan: Rangers Apprentice 15 year old Will has been chosen as a Rangers apprentice. What he doesnt yet realize is that the Rangers are protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This is the first book in a series of 12 books.
Grade Level: 4-8
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The Thinking Womans Guide To Real Magic By Emily Croy Barker
Books similar to Harry Potter for adults often cross-age groups as well. The Thinking Womans Guide to Real Magicis a fairy tale mixed with dark fantasy and aimed at both a teen audience as well as older readers.
Nora Fischer is having a miserable weekend at a friends wedding. Shes still getting over her own breakup so wander off. Nora suddenly finds herself in another realm where she meets the very glamourous Ilissa and her handsome son Raclin.
Nora thinks shes landed in a dream come true before everything shatters and the nightmare begins. This is a fun story, well told and filled with genuine surprises.
The Magicians Trilogy By Lev Grossman
If youve had daydreams of what it would be like to attend a magic school and live in a world filled with fantastic beasts, witches, and wizards, then youre a lot like Quentin Coldwater, the sometimes-hero of The Magicians series, whos a lot like our old pal Harry.
Quentin is a high school math wiz who has no interest in taking his skills to college. Instead, hed rather pine after his best friend and imagine what life would be like in Fillory, a magical world from his favorite childrens book series. When Quentin aces a mysterious examination with flying colors and is granted entrance to Brakebills, a college of magic, his life turns upside down, and he soon learns that Fillory is all too real and much more sinister than hed ever imagined possible.
Combining elements of both the Harry Potter and Narnia series, the Magicians trilogy is a must-read for fantasy fans everywhere. And who knows? You just might find yourself imagining life at Brakebills as often as you imagined studying at Hogwarts.
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Books Like Harry Potter To Binge On Your Next Vacation
Love Harry Potter? Your next great vacation read is right here.
Its been nearly 25 years since the first Harry Potter book was published, but J.K. Rowlings series remains as popular as ever with kids and adults who cant get enough of the Wizarding World. Filled with unforgettable characters, fascinating creatures, and maddening mysteries, the Harry Potter books have made an enduring mark on fantasy literaturenot to mention leaving millions of readers looking for more books like Harry Potter to read next.
At its heart, the Harry Potter series is a coming-of-age tale that grows along with its young readers. In the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, Harry and his friends are 11 years old. Its a great introduction to fantasy books for kids who are roughly the same age. By the last book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, our favorite characters are all on the cusp of adulthood. The content is darker, written at a higher level, and perfect for readers whove grown up with the Harry Potter series.
The Little White Horse By Elizabeth Goudge
While The Chronicles of Narnia were undoubtedly inspirations for the Harry Potter books, one book in particular might have inspired a specific style of writing in the novels. Elizabeth Goudge’s children’s book The Little White Horse remains a favorite of J . K. Rowling’s.
Specifically speaking, the way that Goudge writes about and describes food captured Rowling’s imagination. The incredibly detailed descriptions in the Harry Potter books of food and material objects can be linked directly with Goudge’s book.
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The Wind In The Willows By Kenneth Grahame
If there was one thing missing from Harry Potter, it was the charm of anthropomorphic animals. In all seriousness, it is surprising that Rowling, who is a fanatic of books like Narnia and Wind in the Willows, didn’t include any talking animal characters.
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Luckily, fans can go directly to the source for this kind of story. The Wind in the Willows has all the charm that you would expect from a story about a talking rat, mole, toad, and badger. It’s an incredibly sweet and charming story for any age.
The Name Of The Wind By Patrick Rothfus
Its hard to ignore the sheer impact that this novel had on the fantasy genre. The Name of the Wind hit bookstore shelves in 2007 and the novel represented a shift in the fantasy genre. This was like the second coming of Lord of the Rings.
What makes The Name of the Wind one of the best books like Harry Potter for adults is that it takes the imaginative magic systems and the school setting that people love about the Harry Potter franchise and implants those details into a dark, rich world of adult fantasy.
This is a thick novel of big ideas, set almost entirely in the University, a place of unparalleled knowledge and opportunity. Our protagonist, Kvothe, narrates his own story of those university years, as he studies not only the magic system of this world but also its history, lore, politics, and more.
Our narrator is a much older Kvothe, now going by Kote and quietly owning a roadside inn, attempting to live a life of obscurity. The young Kvothe of his story is a world away from the narrator.
Thus, one of the driving forces of the narrative: the question of what happened to Kvothe: what did he see, do, learn, accomplish?
Both the story and the character of Kvothe were inspired by the authors own experience at university, studying for years and switching modules all the time hungry for more knowledge and skills. In many ways Rothfus novel reads like an adult Harry Potter
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A Wizard Of Earthsea By Ursula K Leguin
The first of the Earthsea trilogy, A Wizard of Earthsea is the story of Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk.
In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world.
This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed deaths threshold to restore the balance.
If youre looking for more, read The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore afterwards.
Zodiac Academy: The Awakening
Zodiac Academy is about twin sisters that attend a university in which fairies, vampires are werewolves are sorted into different divisions based on their zodiac sign. In this series, the zodiac sign of the student truly defines who they are. These twins have immersive powers and learn dark secrets within the academy.
This book is perfect for grown-up fans of Harry Potter as this book is more on the mature side. It clearly draws a lot of influences from Harry Potter but differs in the sense that it has two points of view told. This book is also darker and has more romance in it.
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Quidditch Through The Ages
Or maybe it’s J.K. Rowling’s smash-hit sport, Quidditch, that tickles your fancy. Today, Quidditch is an actual sport played at over 100 colleges in the United States such is the strength of the grip that it’s exerted on our public imagination. But if you’re interested in the academic side of Quidditch, Rowling’s got you covered with Quidditch Through the Ages, which will tell you all that you ever wanted to know about the history and rules behind Quidditch.
Little Witch Academia By Yoh Yoshinari And Keisuke Sato
Here is a series with so much heart. Little Witch Academia is a series of anime films and seasons from the creative mind of Yoh Yoshinari.
Yoshinari also penned a manga adaptation of Little Witch Academia, drawn by Keisuke Sato, for those who would rather read than watch Little Witch Academia.
However you choose to enjoy this series, Little Witch Academia is perhaps the ultimate answer to Harry Potter. For fans of Harry Potter looking for something very similar but also uniquely its own thing, this manga/anime series is what youre looking for.
Little Witch Academia takes a lot of the tropes, rules, settings, and magical ideas established in the Harry Potter franchise and twists them, distorts them, reinvents them, and plays with them in endlessly inventive, charming, and often hilarious ways.
It cannot be overstated just how much sweetness, charm, and creativity exists in this adorable, magical series. It is beautifully drawn, expertly plotted, filled with infinitely likable characters, and perfect for fans of Harry Potter. Little Witch Academia is an absolute dream of a series.
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The Crooked Sixpence By Jennifer Bell
There are many books similar to Harry Potter for younger readers, and The Crooked Sixpence is well worth a look.
Ivy and her irritating big brother Seb are faced with increasing levels of magical oddness after their grandmother is rushed to the hospital. Not only do intruders ransack their house, but a very odd police officer shows up to arrest them using only a toilet brush. Soon Seb and Ivy discover an underground world they had no idea existed.
Blending ideas seen in Neverwhere and Harry Potter, The Crooked Sixpence uses the concept of everyday objects that have magical properties. A fun and engaging read for any reader, but younger readers, in particular, will find a lot to enjoy here.
Mythos Academy By Jennifer Estep
Gwen Frost is out to solve her classmates murder, especially since she thinks she should have been the one who died. Gwen is a 17-year-old student at Mythos Academy, a school of myths, magic, and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebodys head with a sword.
When students start dying and the second Chaos War is at hand, Gwen uses her power of touch magic to set things right in the first novel, Touch of Frost. Five novels round out the Mythos Academy series, which is aimed at readers 14 and up. In order, they are: Kiss of Frost, Dark Frost, Crimson Frost, Midnight Frost, and Killer Frost.
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For 6th Graders Who Like Harry Potter:
#15: The False Prince
The False Prince is the first of three books in the series. The rate of revelation in this story is spot on I had to re-read it because I was so impressed. The author did an awesome job with the twist! But, dont spoil it for your kiddo by getting them the second book before they finish the first! Even a little peek at book #2 will ruin the surprise, so keep it under wraps.
#16: Rangers Apprentice series
The Ruins of Gorlan is the first book of 12 in the The Rangers Apprentice. This is such a great series, I even know lots of dads who read it! It smacks of Tolkien with the the antagonist, the exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night. This story appeals to boy readers with a main character who survives in the forest, and is trained in surveillance and in battle.
#17 The Iron Trial
This is the first book in the series of 4 by this super-power author team: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. Ive only read the first book in this series and I can see how the authors are laying the groundwork for an epic twist ahead. The villains are truly wicked and the stakes are high. Id recommend this for 5th grade and older kids.
The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe By Cs Lewis
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is actually the second book in C. S. Lewiss classic fantasy series, which has been enchanting readers of all ages for over sixty years, but its a good starting book for the series as it introduces four adventurous siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie.
The brothers and sisters step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change and a great sacrifice.
This is a stand-alone novel, but if you want to return to Narnia, there are 7 books in The Narnia Chronicles: The Magicians Nephew The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe The Horse and His Boy Prince Caspian The Voyage of the Dawn Treader The Silver Chair and The Last Battle.
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