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!
