Harry Potter Read-Alikes: Fantasy Books for Children
Wizards, dragons, magic and other-worlds... If you liked the Harry Potter books, you might like
other fantasy books for kids about magic and magical creatures. You may also want to check out
our Dragons Booklist for more fantasy books and stories.
HUMOROUS FANTASY
Call numbers are for the Allen County Public Library, Fort
Wayne, Indiana.
| CALL # |
AUTHOR |
TITLE |
DATE |
| J BARRY |
Barry, Dave |
Peter and the Starcatchers
Soon after Peter, an orphan, sets sail from England on the ship Never Land, he befriends and assists Molly, a young Starcatcher, whose mission is to guard a trunk of magical stardust from a greedy pirate and the native inhabitants of a remote island. |
2004 |
| J BRITT |
Brittain, Bill |
The Wish Giver
When he arrives at Coven Tree's church social, Thaddeus Blinn, itinerant salesman, promises to deliver wishes for 50. |
1983 |
| J COWEL |
Cowell, Cressida |
How to Train Your Dragon (and other books about the adventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III)
Chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon. |
2003 |
| J DAHL |
Dahl, Roald |
The Witches
Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There's nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma's stories -- but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face to face with The Grand High Witch herself. |
1983 |
| J DAHL |
Dahl, Roald |
James and the Giant Peach
Wonderful adventures abound after James escapes from his fearful aunts by rolling away inside a giant peach. |
1961 |
| J EAGER |
Eager, Edward |
Half Magic
Faced with a dull summer in the city, Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha suddenly find themselves involved in a series of extraordinary adventures after Jane discovers an ordinary-looking coin that seems to grant wishes. |
1954 |
| J EAGER |
Eager, Edward |
Knight's Castle
Four cousins, Roger, Ann, Eliza, and Jack, have an extraordinary summer when, after an old toy soldier comes to life, they find themselves transported back to the days of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe. |
1956 |
| J FARME |
Farmer, Nancy |
The Sea of Trolls
After Jack becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard, he and his little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken to the home of King Ivar the Boneless and his half-troll queen, leading Jack to undertake a vital quest to Jotunheim, home of the trolls. |
2004 |
| J IBBOT |
Ibbotson, Eva |
Island of the Aunts
As they get older, several sisters decide that they must kidnap children and bring them to their secluded island home to help with the work of caring for an assortment of unusual sea creatures. |
2000 |
| J IBBOT |
Ibbotson, Eva |
The Secret of Platform 13
Odge Gribble, a young hag, accompanies an old wizard, a gentle fey, and a giant ogre on their mission through a magical tunnel from their Island to London to rescue their King and Queen's son who had been stolen as an infant. |
1994 |
| J IBBOT |
Ibbotson, Eva |
Which Witch?
Deciding that he must sire a child to carry on his tradition of Loathing Light and Blighting the Beautiful, the Great Wizard Arriman announces a competition among the witches of Todcaster, one of whom will marry him. |
1979 |
| J JONES |
Jones, Diana Wynne |
Charmed Life
After two centuries of feuding the powers of the two families of magicians in mythical Caprona are too weak to stop an incipient war, but the younger members of the families find a way. |
1997 |
| J SNICK |
Snicket, Lemony |
A Series of Unfortunate Events, beginning with The Bad Beginning
After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune. |
1999 |
| J WREDE |
Wrede, Patricia |
Enchanted Forest Chronicles, beginning with Dealing with Dragons
Bored with traditional palace life, a princess goes off to live with a group of dragons and soon becomes involved with fighting against some disreputable wizards who want to steal away the dragons' kingdom. |
1990 |
OTHER FANTASY
| CALL # |
AUTHOR |
TITLE |
DATE |
| J ALEXA |
Alexander, Lloyd |
Prydain Chronicles, beginning with The Book of Three
Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper to a famous oracular sow, sets out on a hazardous mission to save Prydain from the forces of evil. |
1999 |
| J AVI |
Avi |
Midnight Magic
In Italy in 1491, Mangus the magician and his apprentice are summoned to the castle of Duke Claudio to determine if his daughter is indeed being haunted by a ghost. |
1999 |
| J BARRO |
Barron, T. A. |
Lost Years of Merlin Series, beginning with The Lost Years of Merlin
A young boy who has no identity nor memory of his past washes ashore on the coast of Wales and finds his true name after a series of fantastic adventures. |
1996 |
| J BODE |
Bode, N.E. |
The Anybodies
After learning that she is not the biological daughter of boring Mr. and Mrs. Drudger, Fern embarks on magical adventures with her real father and finally finds "a place that feels like home." |
2004 |
| J CARMA |
Carman, Patrick |
The Dark Hills Divide
When she finds the key to a secret passageway leading out of the walled city of Bridewell, twelve-year-old Alexa realizes her lifelong wish to explore the mysterious forests and mountains that lie beyond the wall. |
2005 |
| J COLFE |
Colfer, Eoin |
Artemis Fowl Series, beginning with Artemis Fowl
When a twelve-year-old evil genius tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding a ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology, and a particularly nasty troll. |
2001 |
| J COLLI |
Collins, Suzanne |
Gregor the Overlander
When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving men, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy. |
2004 |
| J COOPE |
Cooper, Susan |
The Dark is Rising Series, beginning with Greenwitch
The Dark has stolen an object of great power--a golden grail that holds a vital secret. Will embarks on a new quest to reclaim the grail, and to drive back the Dark once again. But first he will need the help of three former grail seekers: Jane, Simon, and Barney Drew. |
1974 |
| J COVIL |
Coville, Bruce |
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
Small for his age but artistically talented, twelve-year-old Jeremy Thatcher unknowingly buys a dragon's egg. |
1991 |
| J DICAM |
DiCamillo, Kate |
The Tale of Despereaux
The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin. |
2003 |
| J DITER |
DiTerlizzi, Tony and Holly Black |
The Spiderwick Chronicles Series, beginning with The Field Guide
When the Grace children go to stay at their Great Aunt Lucinda's worn Victorian house, they discover a field guide to fairies and other creatures and begin to have some unusual experiences. |
2003 |
| J DIVAK |
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee |
The Conch Bearer
In India, a healer invites twelve-year-old Anand to join him on a quest to return a magical conch to its safe and rightful home, high in the Himalayan mountains. |
2003 |
| J DUPRA |
DuPrau, Jeanne |
City of Ember
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions. |
2003 |
| J FARME |
Farmer, Nancy |
The Ear, The Eye and the Arm
In 2194 in Zimbabwe, General Matsika's three children are kidnapped and put to work in a plastic mine while three mutant detectives use their special powers to search for them. |
1994 |
| J FLANA |
Flanagan, John |
The Ruins of Gorlan: Ranger's Apprentice #1
When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger. |
2005 |
| J FLETC |
Fletcher, Charlie |
Stoneheart
When twelve-year-old George accidentally decapitates a stone statue in London, England, he falls into a parallel dimension where he must battle ancient "live" statues and solve a dangerous riddle. |
2007 |
| J FUNKE |
Funke, Cornelia |
Dragon Rider
After learning that humans are headed toward his hidden home, Firedrake, a silver dragon, is joined by a brownie and an orphan boy in a quest to find the legendary valley known as the Rim of Heaven, encountering friendly and unfriendly creatures along the way, and struggling to evade the relentless pursuit of an old enemy. |
2004 |
| J GAIMA |
Gaiman, Neil |
The Graveyard Book
Nobody Owens is a normal boy, except that he has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of the graveyard. |
2008 |
| J HAPTI |
Haptie, Charlotte |
Otto and the Flying Twins
Young Otto comes to the rescue when he discovers that his family and city are the last remnants of an ancient magical world now under threat from the Normal Police. |
2002 |
| J HARDI |
Hardinge, Frances |
Fly by Night
A twelve-year-old orphan, Mosca Mye, and her homicidal goose, Saracen, travel to the city of Mandelion on the heels of smooth-talking con-man Eponymous Clent, driven by her love of language to find a better life. |
2005 |
| J JACQU |
Jacques, Brian |
Redwall Series, beginning with The Wall
When the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes, Matthias, a young mouse, determines to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which, he is convinced, will help Redwall's inhabitants destroy the enemy. |
1986 |
| J JONES |
Jones, Diana Wynne |
The Lives of Christopher Chant
Young Christopher Chant, in training to become the next Chrestomanci or head controller of magic in the world, becomes a key figure in a battle with renegade sorcerers because he has nine lives. |
1998 |
| J KERR |
Kerr, Philip |
The Akhenaten Adventure
When twelve-year-old twins Philippa and John discover that they are descended from a long line of djinn, their mother sends them away to their Uncle Nimrod, who takes them to Cairo where he starts to teach them about their extraordinary powers. |
2004 |
| J KESSL |
Kessler, Liz |
The Tail of Emily Windsnap
After finally convincing her mother that she should take swimming lessons, twelve-year-old Emily discovers a terrible and wonderful secret about herself that opens up a whole new world. |
2003 |
| J LENGL |
L'Engle, Madeline |
A Wrinkle in Time
One stormy night a strange visitor comes to the Murry house and beckons Meg, her brother, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe on a most dangerous and fantastic journeya journey that will threaten their lives and our universe. |
1962 |
| J LEVINE |
Levine, Gail Carson |
Ella Enchanted
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her. |
1997 |
| J LEWIS |
Lewis, C.S. |
The Chronicles of Narnia, beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Four English school children find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter. |
1950 |
| J MCGRA |
McGraw, Eloise |
The Moorchild
Feeling that she is neither fully human nor "Folk," a changeling learns her true identity and attempts to find the human child whose place she had been given. |
1996 |
| J MACLA |
MacLachlan, Patricia |
Tomorrow's Wizard
A wizard, his unorthodox apprentice, and a wise horse make five important wishes come true in ways that surprise the wishers. |
1982 |
| J MURPH |
Murphy, Shirley |
Caves of Fire and Ice
"An Argo book" |
1980 |
| J MURPH |
Murphy, Shirley |
Wolf Bell
With the help of the wolves and the slave Jerthon, Ramad must search out the Runestone for the future good of the entire planet of Ere. |
1979 |
| J NEFF |
Neff, Henry H. |
The Hound of Rowan
After glimpsing a hint of his destiny in a mysterious tapestry, twelve-year-old Max McDaniels becomes a student at Rowan Academy, where he trains in "mystics and combat" in preparation for war with an ancient enemy that has been kidnapping children like him. |
2007 |
| J NESBI |
Nesbit, Edith |
The Enchanted Castle
Four English children find a wonderful world of magic through an enchanted wishing ring. |
1964 |
| J NIMMO |
Nimmo, Jenny |
Children of the Red King Series, beginning with Midnight for Charlie Bone
Charlie Bone's life with his widowed mother and two grandmothers undergoes a dramatic change when he discovers that he can hear people in photographs talking. |
2002 |
| J PIERC |
Pierce, Tamora |
The Song of the Lioness Series, beginning with Alanna: The First Adventure
Eleven-year-old Alanna, who aspires to be a knight even though she is a girl, disguises herself as a boy to become a royal page, a learning many hard lessons along her path to high adventure. |
1983 |
| J PIERC |
Pierce, Tamora |
Protector of the Small Series, beginning with First Test
Ten-year-old Keladry of Mindalen, daughter of nobles, serves as a page but must prove herself to the males around her if she is ever to fulfill her dream of becoming a knight. |
1999 |
| J PULLM |
Pullman, Philip |
The Dark Materials Series, beginning with The Golden Compass
Accompanied by her daemon, Lyra Belacqua sets out to prevent her best friend and other kidnapped children from becoming the subject of gruesome experiments in the Far North. |
1996 |
| J RIORD |
Riordan, Rick |
The Lightning Thief
Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson learns he is a demigod, the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea. His mother sends him to a summer camp for demigods where he and his new friends set out on a quest to prevent a war between the gods. |
2005 |
| J VANDE |
Vande Velde, |
Wizard at Work: A Novel in Stories
A young wizard, who runs a school to teach wizards, looks forward to a quiet summer off but is drawn into adventures with princesses, unicorns, and ghosts instead. |
2003 |
| J WINTH |
Winthrop, Elizabeth |
The Castle in the Attic
William has just received the best present of his life. It's an old, real-looking stone and wooden model of a castle, with a drawbridge, moat, and a about the castle. And sure enough, when he picks up the tiny silver knight, it comes alive in his hand... |
1985 |
| J YOLEN |
Yolen, Jane |
Tartan Magic
Three children visiting relatives in Scotland become involved in the plans of a diabolical wizard. |
1999 |
| J YOLEN |
Yolen, Jane |
The Young Merlin Trilogy, beginning with Passager
A foundling rediscovers his identity through the help of the falconer who adopts him. |
1996 |
NON-PRINT MATERIALS: PLAYAWAYS & BOOKS ON CD
| CALL # |
AUTHOR |
TITLE |
DATE |
| PLAYAWAY J DICAM |
DiCamillo, Kate |
The Tale of Despereaux
The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin. |
2008 |
| PLAYAWAY J DUPRA |
DuPrau, Jeanne |
City of Ember
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions. |
2008 |
| PLAYAWAY J FLETC |
Fletcher, Charlie |
Stoneheart
When twelve-year-old George accidentally decapitates a stone statue in London, England, he falls into a parallel dimension where he must battle ancient "live" statues and solve a dangerous riddle. |
2007 |
If you need help finding these or other Library materials, please
check with anyone in Children's Services. We look forward to seeing
you at the Library!
This list was created and is maintained by Children's Services Librarians.
Comments and suggestions can be sent to Becky White at bwhite@acpl.info,
or to Mary R. Voors, Manager, Children's Services at mvoors@acpl.info.
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