Books Like Harry Potter

Harry Potter was ad still is a phenomena. No other book ever managed to draw so many young people in, creating a whole new generation of inspired and avid readers. Thus, J.K. Rowling didn’t only create a whole, magical, wizarding world, but also the best gateway drug to reading that parents, teachers, children and young adults could have hoped for.

 

Due to the series coming to an end, the ALA (American Library Association) voiced the fear that the interest in reading in teenagers could be declining again. To keep younger readers interested and hooked to the magic of the written word, they published a list of “Harry Potter-like” reads that is still relevant today.

 

No matter if you want to pitch one of the books to a young reader to keep them enticed or whether you are looking for a good read yourself that lets you feel the magic you experienced with Harry Potter again, these books will surely serve the purpose.

 

Books like Harry Potter

This list contains books that do not only share certain (magical) elements with the Harry Potter series, but that also share a similar, easy-to read tone and flavor. For books that are more complex to read, check out the second list.

Title (Series) Author Year The Amulet of Samarkand
(The Bartimaeus Trilogy) Stroud, Jonathan 2003 The Anybodies Bode, N.E. 2004 Artemis Fowl
(Artemis Fowl) Colfer, Eoin 2001 The Bad Beginnings
(A Series Of Unfortunate Events) Snicket, Lemony 1999 The Book Of Three
(Chronicles of Prydain) Alexander, Lloyd 1964 Charlie Bone Nimmo, Jenny 2003 The Dark Is Rising
(Dark Is Rising Sequence) Cooper, Susan 1973 Dealing With Dragons
(Enchanted Forest Chronicles) Wrede, Patricia 1990 The Field Guide
(Spiderwick Chronicles) Black, Holly 2003 The Folk Keeper Billingsly, Franny 2001 Inkheart Funke, Cornelia 2003 Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
(Magic Shop Books) Coville, Bruce 1991 Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo Skye, Obert 2005 Mister Monday
(Keys to the Kingdom) Nix, Garth 2005 Otto and the Flying Twins:
The First Book of the Karmidee Haptie, Charlotte 2003 The Secret Platform 13 Ibbotson, Eva 1998 Septimius Heap
Book One: Magyk Sage, Angie 2005 So You Want to be a Wizard
(Young Wizard Series) Duane, Diana 1983 The Witch Twins Griffin, Adele 2001 Witch Week
(Chrestomanci Books) Jones, Diana Wynne 1982 The Wizard of Oz Baum, Frank L. 1996 Wizard’s Hall Yolen, Jane 1991

 

More Great Fantasy Books For Harry Potter Lovers

These books share themes of the Harry Potter series or similar story elements, but present a more elaborate read. They are more complex to read and thus are more directed to the now grown up Harry Potter audience.

Title (Series) Author Year A Plague of Sorcerers Zambreno, Mary Frances 1991 A Wizard of Earthsea LeGuin, Ursula 1991 A Wrinkle in Time L’Engle, Madelaine 1987 Airborn Oppel, Kenneth 2004 The Chronicles of Narnia Lewis, C.S. 1998 The Changeover:
A Supernatural Romance Mahy, Margaret 1994 Dragonsinger
(Harper Hall Trilogy) McCaffrey, Anne 1977 Ella Enchanted Levine, Gail 1997 Eragon
(Eragon Series) Paolini, Christopher 2003 Five Children and It Nesbit, E. 1996 The Golden Compass
(His Dark Materials) Pullman, Philip 1996 Gregor the Overlander
(Underland Chronicles) Collins, Suzanne 2003 Half Magic Eager, Edgar 2004 The Hero and the Crown McKinley, Robin 1984 The Hobbit Tolkien, J.R.R. 2001 The Lost Years of Merlin
(Lost Years of Merlin) Barron, T.A. 1996 Midnight Magic Avi 1999 The Neverending Story Ende, Michael 1997 The Oracle Betrayed
(Oracle Prophecies) Fisher, Catherine 2004 Ranger’s Apprentice:
The Ruins of Gorlan Flanagan, John 2005 Sabriel
(Abhorsen Trilogy) Nix, Garth 1995 Same Place but Different Nobleman, Perry 1995 Sandry’s Book
(Circle of Magic) Pierce, Tamora 1997 School of Wizardry
(Corcle of Magic) Doyle, Debra
McDonald, James D. 2000 Sea of Trolls Farmer, Nancy 2004 Sign of the Qin
(Outlanders of Moonshadow Marsh) Bass, L.G. 2004 Singer of all Songs Constable, Kate 2004 Silverwing Oppel, Kenneth 1997 Wee Free Man Pratchett, Terry 2003 Wise Child Furlong, Monica 1987 The Wizard Test Bell, Hilari 2005 Year of the Griffin Jones, Diana 2000

 

A New Harry Potter Book!

And that’s not even all! On July 31st 2016, a new Book in the Harry Potter series is going to be released! Together with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, J.K. Rowling revisited Harry Potter and his friends and family. The first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage is set nineteen years after the end of the seventh book (not the after the epilogue, mind you).

Accompany Harry while he faces a lot different struggles working for the Ministry of Magic while his son Albus is struggling with the family legacy that is slowly wearing him down.

Pre-order here: Amazon.com

 

And if you haven’r read them already, check out books mentioned and playing a more or less big role in Harry Potter itself: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!