Original Booklists: Harry Potter Readalikes

Harry Potter Readalikes

>These are books that have similar themes, plots, characters, situations, humour, and/or writing style to those of the Harry Potter books. Brief summaries are provided to help you decide which books most interest you. The list is presented alphabetically by author, with books in a series listed first, followed by single books. Reading Levels (RL) are noted and refer not necessarily to a child's age but to his or her actual reading comprehension and maturity level. To suggest an addition to the list, please contact me.

TONY ABBOTT

The Secrets of Droon (RL: ages 7-12)
1. The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (1999): The first in a new series from the publisher of the Harry Potter books, this title tells the tale of Eric, Julie, and Neal, who are surprised and excited to discover that Eric's basement is in fact the entryway to another world, called Droon! They encounter magical creatures, wizards, and plenty of adventure.
2. Journey to the Volcano Palace (1999)
3. The Mysterious Island (1999)
4. The City in the Clouds (1999)
5. The Great Ice Battle (1999)
6. The Sleeping Giant of Goll (2000)
7. Into the Land of the Lost (2000)
8. The Golden Wasp (2000)
9. The Tower of the Elf King (2000)
10. Quest for the Queen (2000)
11. The Hawk Bandits of Tarkoom (2001)
12. Under the Serpent Sea (2001)
13. The Mask of Maliban (2001)

LLOYD ALEXANDER (American, 30 Jan 1924 -)

The Chronicles of Prydain (RL: ages 9+)
1. The Book of Three (1964): Taran, the assistant pig-keeper, longs to be a hero. He begins his journey to heroism with a strange assortment of companions on a dangerous mission to save his beloved homeland, Prydain. Packed with action, humor, romance, and gallantry, Taran’s adventures chronicle his love for Prydain and the brave battle he wages against the forces of evil to protect it.
2. The Black Cauldron (1965) [There's a movie based on this book]
3. Coll and His White Pig (1965)
4. The Castle of Llyr (1966)
5. The Truthful Harp (1967)
6. Taran Wanderer (1967)
7. The High King (1968)
8. The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain (1973; stories)
Also by Alexander: The Wizard In the Tree (1975): Mallory's encounter with the wizard in the tree begins a chain of events that change the lives of the villagers dominated by a suspicious squire

ISABEL ALLENDE

The City of Beasts (2002; also in Spanish as Ciudad de las Bestias): 'Combine a magical world, mystical shamanic adventure, and feisty and eccentric characters with a fast-paced eco-thriller and you have Allende's first book for young adults. Set in the lush and treacherous Amazonian rain forest, this is the story of 15-year-old Alexander Cold and 12-year-old Nadia Santos.' [School Library Journal] The two, with Alex's journalist grandmother, join a group of people to document the existence of a 'Beast' that kills with huge claws. (RL: ages 10+)

DAVID ALMOND

Skellig (1999): Unhappy about his baby sister's illness and the chaos of moving into a dilapidated old house, Michael retreats to the garage and finds a man-owl-angel who lies motionless behind the tea chests. What develops is a dreamlike and haunting story that looks at death, life, friendship, love, and the breathtaking connections among all things. (RL: ages 9-12)

JANET S. ANDERSON

Going Through the Gate (1997): The five sixth-grade students in a small town prepare for their teacher's annual graduation ceremony, a mysterious ritual that several generations of students have experienced but no one can discuss. Involves magic and animals. (RL: ages 12+)

AVI (aka Edward Irving Wortis, 1937 -)

Avi's Home Page

Bright Shadow (1985): Having used four of the five wishes she is granted to make on behalf of the hapless citizens of her country, Morwenna flees the kingdom to decide what to do with the last wish. (RL: ages 8-12)
Perloo the Bold: Montmers, who are rabbitlike creatures, have been enemies of Felbarts, who resemble coyotes, as long as anyone in either tribe can remember. One day, Perloo, a Montmer dedicated to the study of history, is mysteriously summoned by the dying Montmer leader. Soon Perloo is on the lam and in possession of half a shocking proclamation. Comical. Chapter One of Perloo the Bold. (RL: ages 8-12)
Midnight Magic: A twelve-year-old servant boy living in 1491, in the Kingdom of Pergamontio, knows more than his master; he teams up with a mischievous princess and a magician who doesn't believe in magic to confront a mysterious ghost. Chapter One of Midnight Magic. (RL: ages 10-14)

ROBERT ASPRIN (American, 1946)

The Myth series (RL: Adult) Books about Skeeve, a magician’s apprentice, who travels through different dimensions and has harrowing adventures along the way. This fantasy world is peopled with incompetent magicians, bumbling wizards and benevolent demons.
1. Another Fine Myth (1978)
2. Myth Conceptions (1980)
3. Myth Directions (1982): Skeeve, Possiltum's magician, heads off with the beautiful Tanda to steal The Trophy on which she has set her heart.
4. Hit or Myth (1983): Skeeve is ordered to impersonate King Roderick for a day. One of his duties is to marry Roderick's fiance, Queen Hemlock, who possesses the sort of face and figure that features in the 'before' bit in adverts. Her habits, too, fall into the category of homicidal.
5. Myth-ing Persons (1984)
6. Little Myth Marker (1985): High stakes dragon poker winner Skeeve is left with an IOU in the form of a pint-sized female child.
7. Myth-Adventures One (1985/2001, with Phil Foglio): Graphic novel depicting the first Myth book.
8. M.Y.T.H. Inc. Link (1986): Skeeve is now President of M.Y.T.H. Inc., in charge of a myth-chievous gang that includes a pet dragon and an artistic vampire.
9. Myth Alliances (1986): Collection.
10. Myth-Adventures Two (1987/2002, Phil Foglio): Graphic novel depicting first two Myth books.
11. Myth-nomers and Im-pervections (1987): Ahaz, Skeeve's friend and mentor, is offended by something Skeeve says and walks out. Now Skeeve must apologize for this thoughtless behavior and convince his scaly cohort to rejoin the firm.
12. M.Y.T.H. Inc. in Action (1990)
13. The Myth-ing Omnibus (1992): Contains the first three novels.
14. The Second Myth-ing Omnibus (1992): Contains novels 4-6.
15. Sweet Myth-tery of Life (1994)
16. Myth-Ion Improbable (2001): Takes place after Myth-Directions and before Hit or Myth.
17. Something M.Y.T.H. Inc. (Sept. 2002)

LYNNE REID BANKS (British, 1929 - )

The Omri series (RL: ages 8-12)
1. The Indian in the Cupboard (1980): A nine-year-old boy receives a plastic Indian, a cupboard and a little key for his birthday and finds himself involved in adventures when the Indian comes to life.
2. The Return of the Indian (1986)
3. The Secret of the Indian (1989)
4. The Mystery of the Cupboard (1993)
5. The Key to the Indian (1998)
Also by Banks:
- The Fairy Rebel (1985): Tiki, a rebellious fairy already in trouble for breaking the rule against wearing jeans, risks the Fairy Queen's anger by trying to fulfill a human's special request for help.
- The Faraway Mountain

CLIVE BARKER (1952 - )

The Thief of Always (1993): Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful round of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied. There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by Mr. Hood's wonders, does not stop to consider the consequences. It is only when the house shows its darker face that he comes to doubt Mr. Hood's philanthropy. Fantasy/horror. (RL: adult or older teen)

T[om] A. BARRON (American)

The Worlds of T.A. Barron

The Lost Years of Merlin (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The Lost Years of Merlin (1996): When Merlin, suffering from a case of severe amnesia, discovers his strange powers, he becomes determined to learn his identity and flees to Fincayra where he fulfills his destiny, saving Fincayra from certain destruction and claiming his birthright and true name
2. The Seven Songs of Merlin (1997): Merlin's mother has fallen ill. To save her, he must learn the Seven Songs of Wisdom, which will enable him to journey into the spiritual Otherworld and obtain the elixir he needs. But first Merlin's growing power will be put to the test when he has to defeat a vile ogre whose merest glance means death.
3. The Fires of Merlin (1998): Having voyaged to the Otherworld in his quest to find himself, the young wizard Merlin must face fire in many different forms and deal with the possibility of losing his own magical power.
4. The Mirror of Merlin (1999): Through adventures involving a haunted marsh, talking trees, and the creature called the ballymag, the young wizard Merlin continues to experience both his growing powers and his essential humanity.
5. The Wings of Merlin (2000): Last in the series. Merlin faces the most difficult challenge of his life -- to unite all the people of Fincayra against invasion by the evil Rhita Gawr.

L[yman] FRANK BAUM (American, 1856 - 1919)

The Oz Series (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The Wizard of Oz (1900): A little girl named Dorothy travels to a mysterious place called Oz and meets the wizard who rules from the Emerald City.
2. The [Marvelous] Land of Oz (1904): Young Tip runs away from his guardian, the witch Mombi, taking with him Jack Pumpkinhead and the wooden Saw-Horse, and flees to the Emerald City where he learns the incredible secret of his past.
3. Ozma of Oz (1907): When a storm blows Dorothy to the land of Ev where lunches grow on trees, she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and Princess Ozma, and together they set out to free the Queen of Ev and her ten children.
4. Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (1908): Dorothy and the Wizard visit mysterious lands inhabited by talking vegetables and ferocious, invisible bears.
5. The Road to Oz (1909): Dorothy helps the Shaggy Man find the road to Butterfield, but they accidently lose their way and find themselves on a journey that takes them to meeet new people and visit new places.
6. The Emerald City of Oz (1910): While the evil Nome King tunnels under the Emerald City to destroy it, Dorothy, who has moved permanently to Oz, tours her new country.
7. The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1912): A new cast of characters dominates this seventh full-length book in the classic series. As Munchkin boy Ojo joins forces with the Patchwork Girl and others to find ingredients for a magic potion that will restore his uncle to life, they meet up with Dorothy, Toto, and even the Wizard himself.

JOHN BELLAIRS (American, 1938 - 1991)

The Complete Bellairs

These series combine horror with fantasy. The writing and plotting are sometimes rough, but the characters and creepy feelings linger!

Lewis Barnavelt series (RL: ages 9-12)
1. House With a Clock in Its Walls (1973; illus. Edward Gorey): Lewis Barnavelt goes to live with his magician uncle in a mansion with a clock hidden in the walls that is ticking off the minutes until doomsday.
2. The Figure in the Shadows
3. The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder
4. The Letter, The Witch and The Ring (1976)
5. The Ghost in the Mirror (1993; illus. Edward Gorey)
6. The Doom of the Haunted Opera (1995)
7. The Beast Under the Wizard's Bridge (2000)
The Anthony Monday series:
1. The Dark Secret of Weatherend (1984): Fourteen-year-old Anthony Monday of Hoosac, Minnesota, and his friend Miss Eells, a librarian, try to stop an evil wizard from turning the world into an icy wasteland.
2. The Mansion in the Mist (1993; illus. Edward Gorey): It's up to Anthony Monday, his elderly friend Myra Eells (town librarian), and her brother Emerson to locate and destroy the crystal cube that's the source of the Autarchs' evil power. Story line involved ghosts, illusions, cryptic clues, secret passages, magic amulets, a witches' sabbath, etc. (RL: ages 10-13)
(There are other books in this series.)

JAMES BERRY

Magicians of Erianne (1988): Ronan, a young boy with no memory and strong magical powers, is sent on a quest to retrieve the stolen sword Excalibur from Morgan Le Fey. (RL: ages 12+)

FRANNY BILLINGSLEY

The Folk Keeper: Fifteen-year-old orphan Corinna disguises herself as a boy to pose as a Folk Keeper, one who keeps the Evil Folk at bay, and discovers her heritage as a seal maiden when she is taken to live with a wealthy family in their manor by the sea. Won The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction in 2000. (RL: ages 9-12)

LUCY MARIA BOSTON (British, 1892 - 1990)

Green Knowe series: These books are sophisticated mood pieces disguised as children's ghost stories. Toseland's grandmother speaks elliptically of children and animals she keeps around their ancestral home; whether they are memories or ghosts is never quite clear, nor is the moment where real life leaves off and magic begins. These are considered fantasy classics. (RL: ages 9-13)
1. The Children of Green Knowe: Tolly comes to live with his great-grandmother at the ancient house of Green Knowe and becomes friends with three children who lived there in the seventeenth century.
2. The Chimneys of Green Knowe (aka The Treasure at Green Knowe)
3. The River at Green Knowe: Dr. Maud Biggin and her friend Sybilla Bun rent the house called Green Knowe for the summer. They invite two displaced children and Maud's great-niece Ida (age 11) to stay with them, out of charity. The two boys are Oskar (11), from Russia, and Ping (9), from China. The three children spend the perfect summer exploring the river that goes past the house, creating a map of the islands in the river and engaging in several fantastic experiences, including seeing a herd of flying horses, Oskar becoming the size of a mouse, meeting a giant, and witnessing an ancient celebration on the site of the house.
4. The Stranger at Green Knowe
5. An Enemy at Green Knowe
6. The Guardians of the House
7. The Stones of Green Knowe: Takes place in both Medieval England and modern England.

BILL BRITTAIN

The Mystery of the Several Sevens (1994): Simon, Becky, and Mr. Merlin the substitute teacher are transported to a place where fairy tales are true and seven dwarfs are looking for a stolen treasure. (RL: ages 9-12)

TERRY BROOKS (American, 1944 -)

Wizard At Large (1989 reissue): #3 of the Magic Kingdom of Landover series, this book focuses on a bumbling wizard, Questor Thews, who tries to use his powers to help High Lord Ben Holiday, but he doesn't much faith in himself since he turned a terrier into an imp. Lighthearted. (RL: adult)

SUSAN BUTLER

The Hermit Thrush Sings (1999): The state of Maine is now the country of Maynor and its people are in thrall to never-seen political leaders who keep each village isolated and ignorant. Leora, an outcast from Village Three, takes a heroine's journey of discovery. (RL: ages 9-12)

KATHRYN CAVE (British )

Septimus Similon (1996/2000): When Septimus Similon, practising wizard, fourth class, makes a major discovery and mixes up two dimensions, he gets more than he bargained for. (RL: ages 10-14)

SUZY MCKEE CHARNAS (American, 1939 - )

On the Web: Suzy McKee Charnas

Sorcery Hall Trilogy (RL: ages 12+)
1. The Bronze King (1985/2001): Urban fantasy. Fourteen-year-old Valentine Marsh and a fiddle-playing Finnish wizard fight a monster in Manhattan's Central Park.
2. The Silver Glove (1988/2001): Valentine's school psychologist is actually an evil necromancer with designs on Val's mother.
3. The Golden Thread (1989/2001): Valentine and her friends face an alien witch-girl who is in search of her own lost people.

GRACE CHETWIN (English/American)

Tales of Gom in the Legends of Ulm (RL: ages 12+)
1. Gom on Windy Mountain (1986): Gom slowly begins to realize that, while he is a woodcutter’s son, he is also the son of his mother, a mysterious woman with unexpected powers who left Windy Mountain many years before
2. The Riddle and the Rune (1987): Gom sets forth to seek his destiny, discovering that he has new powers and a gift for making friends, such as the magnificent horse Stormfleet, who accompanies him through many adventures.
3. The Crystal Stair (1988): Temporarily reunited with his wizard mother, Gom learns the identity of his evil nemisis Katak and finds himself a key figure in the battle to save the world of Ulm.
4. The Starstone (1989): Apprenticed to a wizard, Gom begins to learn how to use the powers that help destroy the evil Katak and recover the lost emerald Seal

RUTH CHEW (American, 8 April 1920 - )

Author has also written several books about benign witches. These books are for younger children.

The Trouble with Magic (1976): When Barbara and Rick buy an old bottle of room freshener, they end up getting Harrison Peaboy, wizard from the bottle! With the help of his umbrella, during rainy times, he can perform magic. The children meet his friend George the sea serpent in the city park as well. (RL: ages 7-10)

JAMES C. CHRISTENSEN ( )

Voyage of the Basset (1996): Nine-year-old Cassandra Aisling takes readers on a fantastical journey of discovery in search of ancient legends and mythological worlds in this fantasy tale. An extravagant, mythological adventure story with nearly 120 illustrations, many of them reproductions of Christensen's elaborate paintings. Initial setting is Victorian England. Note: Random House followed this book with a series based on it, for middle grade readers; titles include Islands in the Sky (1999) by Tanith Lee and The Raven Queen (1999) by Terri Windling and Ellen Steiber. Contributors to this title: Renwick St. James and Alan Dean Foster. (RL: ages 8+)

JOHN CHRISTOPHER (British, 1922 - )

The Tripods

The Tripods Trilogy: Set in pre-industrial (yet futuristic) England, France, and the Alps,these books follow the adventures of Will Parker and his cousin and friends, as they try to escape the usual fate of adults in their society -- being capped, or brainwashed, happily ruled by colossal machines called Tripods. Kidnappings, castles, high technology, battle with hand grenades, and more await the reader. (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The White Mountains (1967)
2. The City of Gold and Lead (1967)
3. The Pool of Fire (1968)
4. When the Tripods Came (1988; prequel): Not as highly praised as the others in the series.

ANDREW CLEMENTS (American, 29 May 1949 - )

Frindle (1996): Not a fantasy. A funny book about a 5th-grade boy, Nick, who decided to coin a new word and the battle of wits and wills that ensues with his vocabulary-loving teacher as Nick works to gain acceptance of his new word.

PATRICIA COFFIN

The Gruesome Green Witch (1969): Two 11-year-old girls, Puffin and Mole, meet an assortment of mythical and fictional characters, including the Wizard of Oz, Fafnir (a fearsome dragon of Niebelungenlied), Merlin, King Neptune, a Swedish elf, and the malevolent gruesome green witch. (RL: ages 8-12)

EOIN COLFER (British)

Artemis Fowl series (RL: ages 10+): Described by the author as 'Die Hard' with fairies.' Combines folklore, fantasy, and high-tech funk.
1. Artemis Fowl (2001): Twelve-year-old villain Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. His bold and daring plan is to hold a leprechaun for ransom. But he's taking on more than he bargained for when he kidnaps Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance Unit). For a start, leprechaun technology is more advanced than our own. Add to that the fact that Holly is a true heroine and that her senior officer Commander Root will stop at nothing to get her back. 288 pp.
2. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (2002): Artemis Fowl Senior disappeared when a daring escapade, designed to free his family from their criminal -- not to mention deeply lucrative -- past and move the family's assets into legitimate enterprises, went horribly wrong. Held captive by the Mafia (the Russian organised crime syndicate) for over two years, he has been declared officially dead, but Artemis Junior knows in his heart that his beloved father is still alive and determines to find him. This adventure finds old enemies Holly Short and Artemis Fowl working together for the first time. A bold and daring plan is necessary to fight the threat to the Lower Elements from the goblin B'wa Kell triad -- and to rescue Artemis's father. 304 pp.
3. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (2003): Using stolen fairy technology, antihero Artemis Fowl (now 13) has created a supercomputer that will render all existing technology obsolete. 336 pp.

SUZANNE COLLINS

Underland Chronicles: Gregor and his sister slide down a laundry chute and find themselves in the fantasy world of Underland. (RL: ages 9-15)
1. Gregor the Overlander (2003): Fantasy about a young boy and his 2-year-old sister who slide down the laundry chute in their NYC apartment and end up in the 'Underland,' full of fantasy creatures. 320 pp. Earned a number of starred reviews. 'Cinematic.'
2. Gregor and The Prophecy Of Bane (2004): Gregor is summoned back to the Underland by the terms of a second prophecy. Spies have reported the sighting of a Rat King, a character who has been legendary since the Middle Ages. Recognizable by its tremendous size and snow-white coat, the Rat King is destined to bring a World War to the Underland. Gregor eventually comes face to face with the Rat King, and to his surprise, he finds he does not have the will to kill this creature. 320 pp.
3. Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods (July 2005)

SUSAN COOPER (British/American, 1935 - )

Dark is Rising Sequence - Arthurian Fantasy series (RL: ages 9-12): A dark, compelling fantasy series that mixes elements of Celtic magic and Arthurian myth in modern day Wales
1. Over Sea, Under Stone (1966): Three children on a holiday in Cornwall find an ancient manuscript which sends them on a dangerous quest for a grail that would reveal the true story of King Arthur and that entraps them in the eternal battle between the forces of the Light and the forces of the Dark
2. The Dark Is Rising (1973): On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.
3. Greenwitch (1974)
4. The Grey King (1975; Newbery Award winner)
5. Silver on the Tree (1977)
Boggart series (RL: ages 12+)
1. The Boggart (1993): A Canadian family inherits a Scottish castle and the resident boggart -- an ancient, mischievous spirit -- is accidentally locked in a desk and brought home to Canada.
2. The Boggart and the Monster (1997): The invisible and mischievous spirit living in the Scottish Castle Keep sets out to help save Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, one of its few remaining cousins

WILLIAM CORLETT (British, 1938 -)

The Magicians House Quartet: Setting is Wales. (RL: ages 12+)
1. The Steps Up the Chimney (1990): Thirteen-year-old William Constant and his two younger sisters, Mary and Alice, have come to ancient, mysterious Golden House in Wales for the holidays. Their lives will never be the same once they enter the Magician's House -- and discover their destiny.
2. The Door in the Tree (1991): William, Mary, and Alice return to Golden House. Alice discovers the Dark and Dreadful Path and is irresistibly drawn to the ancient yew tree, where she finds the door in the tree. Soon they've become the Magician's students, led by the kestel, the badgers, and the dog into the most perilous assignment of all.
3. The Tunnel Behind the Waterfall (1991)
4. The Bridge in the Clouds (1992)

BRUCE COVILLE (American, 1950 - )

The Magic Shop series (RL: ages 8-11)
1. The Monster's Ring (1989): When Russell Crannaker buys a 'monster's ring' from weird old Mr. Elives, he is sure the ring is just a silly magic trick -- but he follows the instructions anyway, and slips it on his finger. Then he whispers the magic chant, twists the ring once, and suddenly he's sprouting horns!
2. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher (1991): When Jeremy stumbles into Mr. Elives' Magic Shop, he's forced to choose between Chinese rings, the Skull of Truth and a dragon's egg.
3. Jennifer Murdley's Toad (1992)
4. The Skull of Truth
Also by Coville: The Dragonslayers: A brave squire, an earnest page, and a strong-willed princess set out to slay the dragon created to carry out a witch’s revenge.

HELEN CRESSWELL [ROWE] (British, 1934 - 2005)

The Secret World of Polly Flint (1982): Polly Flint, a girl who sees things other people can't, finds herself involved with the time gypsies of Grimstone, inhabitants of a lost village who have become trapped in a time not their own. (RL: ages 9-12)

JANE LOUISE CURRY (1932 - )

Moonwindow (1996): A well-written fantasy with elements of time travel, historical fiction, and witchcraft. Jo Ellen is sent to stay with her elderly cousin at Winterbloom House -- a replica of a Scottish castle -- in New Hampshire, where she becomes intrigued by a portrait of a 17th-century witch. (RL: ages 10+)

ROALD DAHL (Welsh, 13 Sept 1916 - 1990)

The Witches (1983): A boy and his grandmother thwart the plans of England's witches to turn all children into mice. (RL: ages 9-12)
Matilda (1988): Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security. (RL: ages 8-12)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964): Four nasty, repulsive children and one honest, loyal and starving boy win a tour of the world's most fantastic chocolate factory from the world's most eccentric chocolatier. (RL: ages 8-12)
The Magic Finger (1966): Angered by a neighboring family's sport hunting, an eight-year- old girl turns her magic finger on them. (RL: ages 9-12)

DEBRA DOYLE (American, 1952 - ) AND JOHN D. MACDONALD (American, 1954 - )

On the Web: Doyle/Macdonald Home Page

Circle of Magic (RL: ages 8-12)
1. School of Wizardry (1990/2000): Determined to become a wizard, twelve-year-old Randal is delighted to be accepted into the famed School of Wizardry, but his apprenticeship is marred when he realizes that one of the master wizards is using evil spells to destroy the school and gain supreme power.
2. Tournament and Tower (1990/ reprinted as Secret of the Tower, 2000: After Randal breaks his promise never to use a weapon, he must travel to the faraway tower of a master wizard to be pardoned before he can practice his magic. But a perilous journey is even more dangerous without a sword or magical powers.
3. City by the Sea (1990; reprinted as The Wizard's Statue, 2000: Can Randal safeguard a mysterious statue from those who may abuse its great power? The young hero outsmarts a mercenary, a warlord, a wizard, and many others in the strange walled city of Widsegard.
4. The Prince's Players (1990; reprinted as Danger In The Palace, 2000: When Randal and his best friend, Lys, join the theater troupe in the court of a wealthy prince, they discover an evil plot against the kindhearted leader. Randal's wizardry skills are needed now more than ever.
5. The Prisoners of Bell Castle (1990; reprinted as The Wizard's Castle/2001): Randal, a journeyman wizard, jeopardizes his powers when he joins Baron Ector's armies in a siege of Bell Castle.
6. The High King's Daughter (1990/2001): The further adventures of Roland, a journeyman wizard, and his two companions, the knight-errant Walter and the minstrel Lys, as they journey into Elfland to try and bring out the High King's daughter.
Also by Doyle and Macdonald: Knight's Wyrd (1992): Combines a realistic story of knighthood with magic, dragons, and wizards. A young man of strong character, William Odosson becomes a knight despite his wyrd, or prophecy, which predicts he will meet death before he inherits his father's title and lands. He is subsequently caught up in tangled alliances, divided loyalties, and major enchantments.

DIANE DUANE (American, 18 May 1952 - )

Wizardry Series (RL: ages 12+): Thirteen-year-old Nita is just a regular bookworm when she finds a wizard manual at the local library. Imagining it to be a joke, she borrows it, but things aren't so funny when she realises it has her name in it. Learning from the book, she makes friends with Kit, another young wizard, and with the help of Fred, a white dwarf star sucked into their reality, they save New York from an evil only they can see.
1. So You Want to be a Wizard (1983): Tormented by a gang of bullies because she will not fight back, Nita finds the help she needs in a library book on wizardry.
2. Deep Wizardry (1985)
3. High Wizardry (1990): When her younger sister uses the family computer with its special wizard software to travel to worlds lights years away, Nita uses her Wizardry to try and find her.
4. A Wizard Abroad (1997): Sent on vacation to her aunt's home in Ireland, teenage wizard Nita becomes entangled in a magic battle to save the country from the ghosts of its past.
5. The Wizard's Dilemma (2001): After an argument over a complex spell, Nina and Kit do their magic separately. Nita races to learn how to save her mother from cancer, while Kit explores a world he can shape into anything he wants. But when Nita considers a Faustian bargain with the devilish Lone Power, Kit tries to convince her not to go through with it.
6. A Wizard Alone (2002): Kit tries to understand why autistic wizard-in-training Darryl McAllister has been stuck in his initiation for over three months. Inside Darryl's mind, Kit and telepathic dog Ponch (filling in for a grieving Nita) find complex landscapes of weird beauty that belie Darryl's rocking, vacant exterior. But they also find the Lone Power, attacking Darryl with an unrelenting brutality that is excessive, even for the Source of all Evil.
7. The Wizard's Holiday (2003): Rest and relaxation is what Nita thinks she's going to get when her little sister, Dairine, signs her up for a wizardly cultural exchange program, sending Nita and her partner-wizard Kit halfway across the galaxy over spring break. Back home, Dairine and her dad cope with their side of the exchange: three young wizards who are eager to start experiencing a strange alien culture ... Earth.
8. Wizards at War (Oct. 2005): A strange darkness of the mind and heart is about to befall the older wizards of the world, stealing away their power. Soon, the young wizards of Earth and many other planets find themselves forced to defend wizards and nonwizards alike against an invasion of a kind they've never imagined.

GERALD DURRELL (British, 1925 - 1995)

The Talking Parcel (1974): aka Battle for Castle Cockatrice. A small group of children finds a small box while on the shores of Greece. Inside the parcel is an eloquent parrot and a sulky spider. The children learn of a mysterious plot in the land of Mythologica where evil cockatrices plan to take control. Along the way, they meet a talking train, mermaids, griffins, a dragon, and a sea-serpent who wants to be a chef.

EDWARD EAGER (British, 1911 - 1964)

Magic series (RL: ages 9-12) Similar to Nesbit books.
1. Half Magic (1954): Four children looking forward to an ordinary summer enjoy a series of fantastic adventures by double-wishing on an ancient coin.
2. Knight's Castle (1956): Roger believes that modern science has done away with magic, until his grandfather's battered toy soldier transports him back to the days of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe.
3. Magic by the Lake (1957): On a vacation with their mother and stepfather, Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha find themselves overwhelmed with a lakeful of magical adventures after Mark captures an ancient turtle that seems to have extraordinary powers.
4. Time Garden (1958)
5. Magic or Not (1959): Did the four friends' wishes come true because of magic, or was it only coincidence?
6. Well-Wishers (1960)
7. Seven-Day Magic (1962): The main characters in Susan's library book turn out to be Susan, herself, and the friends who share her seven magic adventures.

ALLAN W. ECKERT (American, 1931 - )

Mesmerian Annals (RL: ages 12+)
1. The Dark Green Tunnel (1984): Three children in Florida experience both danger and great joy when they find an entrance to another world peopled with centaurs, gnomes, a wizard, and a wicked King. In the style of Chronicles of Narnia.
2. The Wand (1986): The twins return to Mesmeria 750 years later.

PENELOPE FARMER (British, 1939 - )

Charlotte Sometimes (1969): (RL: Young adult) After Charlotte's first night at boarding school, the view from the window has changed and the girl in the next bed is not the girl who was there last night. She is a stranger who calls Charlotte 'Clare' and says she's her sister. Somehow, Charlotte has slipped back to 1919 and is someone else.
A Castle of Bone (1972): (RL: Young adult) Ambiguous, complex, fascinating story of four children who discover that a cupboard bought in a strange secondhand store has the power to return anything put into it to some earlier state of being. A novel about transformation.

CATHERINE FISHER (Australian, 1957 - )

The Snow-Walker's Son Trilogy (RL: ages 9-12): Takes place in a cold Viking world.
1. The Snow-Walker's Son (1993): Trapped in exile, the son of the snow walker has been hidden from all eyes for years and now Jessa and Thorkil must come face to face with this creature who conjures such terror in their hearts. Shortlisted for the W.H. Smith Mind-Boggling Books Award. 154 pp.
2. The Empty Hand (1995): Kari Ragnarsson must face up to the full strength of his inheritance in order to win the struggle and defeat Gudrun's curse. 169 pp.
3. The Soul Thieves (1996): Once again Kari must face the evil sorceress Gundrun. 214 pp.

SUSAN FLETCHER

The Dragon Chronicles (RL: ages 12+): In a kingdom where official policy is to kill the dragons, a secret underground is formed to aid the dragons and ensure the survival of their species.
1. Dragon's Milk (1992): Kaeldra knows she is different. She finds out just how different she is when her foster sister's life is endangered by a disease that can only be cured with frequent helpings of dragon's milk. Kaeldra's gift for communicating with dragons takes her on dangerous adventures and brings romance into her life, in spite of sorrow.
2. Flight of the Dragon Kyn (1993): Fifteen-year-old Kara is summoned by King Orrik, who believes she has the power to call down the dragons that have been plundering his realm, and she is caught up in the fierce rivalry between Orrik and his jealous brother Rog.
3. The Sign of the Dove (1996): As the last of the dragon eggs, laid long ago, begin to hatch, Lyf becomes a reluctant friend who tries to save both the dragon mothers and their newly born children from their enemies.

MONICA FURLONG (British, 1930 - )

Juniper series: Time period is Medieval. (RL: ages 12+)
1. Wise Child (1987): Abandoned by both her parents, nine-year-old Wise Child goes to live with the witch woman Juniper, who begins to train her in the ways of herbs and magic.
2. [Prequel] Juniper (1991) [published as A Year and A Day in U.K., 1990]: While apprenticed to the witch woman Juniper, a young girl struggles to save her family from the evil machinations of her power-hungry aunt Meroot.

NEIL GAIMAN (British, 1960 - )

The Books of Magic (1993): Graphic novel (comic book) about a teenage wizard, Tim Hunter, who is introducted to magic by four DC Comics magicians: the Phantom Stranger (condemned to walk for eternity); Dr. Occult (who switches gender and personae as the occasion demands); John Constantine, Hellblazer (a con man and rogue, few powers but he has taken on the Devil and survived); and Mister E (a dangerous fanatic on the side of order).

RUTH STILES GANNETT (American, 12 August 1923 - )

Three Tales of My Father's Dragon (RL: ages 8-12)
1. My Father's Dragon (1948): A young boy determines to rescue a poor baby dragon who is being used by a group of lazy wild animals to ferry them across the river on Wild Island.
2. Elmer and the Dragon (1950): On their way home, Elmer and a flying dragon land on an unusual island and help some canaries uncover a buried treasure.
3. The Dragons of Blueland (1951): Elmer must come once again to the aid of his flying baby dragon when men discover its retreat and begin to hunt it.

ALAN GARNER (British, 1934 - )

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (1960): The crystal in Susan’s bracelet is a stone of great magic, and must be returned to Cadellin, the wizard who is its guardian; then Cadellin, Susan, and her brother Colin must fight to protect it from the forces of evil. (RL: ages 9-14)
The Moon of Gomrath (1967): Sequel to The Weirdstone. (RL: ages 9-14)
Elidor (1967) (RL: ages 9-14)

DEBI GLIORI (Scottish)

Pure Dead series (RL: ages 9+) Sounds somewhat like The Addams Family, funny, off-beat, wacky.
1. Pure Dead Magic (2001): Things are not right at the Strega-Borgia castle. Signor has been kidnapped, little Signora Pandora Baci (10) is struggling with her spells at the Witchcraft Institute, Baby Damp has accidentally been shrunk and e-mailed away, and there's a gangster in a bunny suit lurking about. This fast-paced, funny, and entirely off-beat book is the first installment in a planned trilogy. A must-read for anybody who likes stories about witches, hackers, the Mafia, magical nannies, assassination plots, etc. 192 pp.
2. Pure Dead Wicked (2003): The Strega-Borgia family, with their pet dragon, crocodile, yeti and griffin, must take up residence in the Auchenlochtermuchty Arms hotel after their roof collapses, and the reconstruction crew conspires to destroy rather than repair their home. 224 pp.
3. Pure Dead Brilliant (2003): Titus (12) is about to inherit a massive fortune from his mafioso grandfather (il grande parmigiano) and his family won't leave him alone. Between their mother's witchy houseguests and an evil uncle's nefarious plans to get the fortune for himself, the Strega-Borgias barely have time to breathe. (per School Library Journal review) 272 pp.
4. Pure Dead Trouble (Aug. 2005; published as Deep Trouble in 2004 ?): After a vacation in Italy, the Strega-Borgia clan arrives home to a shocking discovery: their faithful butler Latch lying comatose on the front doorstep, reeking faintly of sulphur. Horrified and troubled, Titus and Pandora suspect this may be an omen of bad fortune, but both are soon distracted by their own problems. Only Nanny McLachlan realizes the truth: Whatever it was that came for Latch is coming back.
5. Deep Water (June 2005):

ELIZABETH GOUDGE (1900-1984)

Linnets and Valerians (1964): Fantasy in which the four Linnet children escape into a world peopled by a one-legged gardener, Lady Alicia (who goes out only in moonlight), a witch, giants, and magic cats. Elements of witchcraft. (RL: ages 8-12)

NICHOLAS STUART GRAY (British, 1922-1981))

Grimbold's Other World (1963): Muffler was a foundling, discovered as a baby in a hen's nest. Simon the farmer and his wife took the infant in, and as he grew older, he helped with the animals on the farm. But at night he is taken to a strange, different place by Grimbold, the big black mysterious cat, who wanted his help in rescuing Gareth, the sorcerer's son, from a particularly unpleasant spell. Unicorns, witches, dragons, etc. (RL: ages 12+)

JOHNNY GRUELLE (1880 - 1938)

The Magical Land of Noom (1922): Johnny and Janey build a Flying Machine and end up on the moon, in the Magical Land of Noom. Giant mushrooms that taste like cake, a scary and wicked old man named Jingles the Magician, the beautiful Princess of Nite, the spirited Faun Boys, the Soft-Voiced Cow, and the exuberant Mr. Tiptoe all inhabit this land and become part of the kids' adventures. (RL: ages 9-12)

SARAH HAYES

Crumbling Castle (1992): Zebulum the wizard wants a quiet place to work on his spells, but he is constantly interrupted by his helper, Jason, a raucous crow, and by mysterious rumblings in the basement, caused by a baby dragon who is hoarding Zebulum's missing magic-making possessions. (RL: ages 9-12)

HOWARD HECKER

Mike McGill, Wizard (2000): The book follows Mike, a boy who is on his way to becoming a real wizard. Mike and his friends must travel through time in order to save their school from an evil magician who is trying to change the course of history. The boys meet a wide assortment of bizarre and fascinating characters on their adventure. (RL: ages 12+)

MARK HELPRIN (1947 - )

A City in Winter (1996): Abounding in winter season atmosphere and fairy tale magic, this book picks up from Helprin's retelling of Swan Lake (1989), with the girl now an adult, recalling her return to the city at age ten and her restoration to the throne as queen. Illus. Chris Van Allsburg. (RL: ages 11-14)
The Veil of Snows (1997): Third in the trilogy, this book tells the tale of the usurper's flight behind the remote Veil of Snows and his return to shatter the Queen's army, kill her husband and oppose her and her infant son with two million men. (RL: ages 11-14)

DIANA HENDRY

Minders (1998): Scully is a wizard in waiting, a trainee wizard who is set to follow in his father's footsteps However, preparing for his wizardry exams have caused him to fall behind with his normal school work, so the authorities give him a minder to help him out. She seems like an ordinary person, but as things start to get rather dangerous for Scully, Monica the Minder shows that not all people are exactly what they seem. (RL: ages 9-11)

ODO HIRSCH (pseudonym; Australian, lives London)

Bartlett series (RL: ages 10+) Suspenseful, witty, good old-fashioned stories. Bartlett is a famous intrepid explorer, though with his thin and wiry physique, his knobbly fingers, his face full of freckles and messy hair, he doesn't exactly look the part.
1. Bartlett and the Ice Voyage (1999): A larger-than-life heroic story about Bartlett the Adventurer who captures an iceberg and braves great danger to bring a most exotic present to the Queen. 168 pp.
2. Bartlett and the City of Flames (2000): Bartlett and Jacques le Grand delve Underground to find the Pasha's son and rescue Gozo. 168 pp.
3. Bartlett and the Forest of Plenty (2001): A humorous adventure fantasy set in the jungle, including a forgotten city, a long-lost explorer, a ball game played in a walled court, and an underground dungeon.
4. Bartlett and the Island of Kings (2003): Bartlett, Jacques and Gozo explore the Bascarry Islands and solve a mystery.

SID HITE

Dither Farm: When great-aunt Emma visits the Dither family, she arrives by magic carpet and precipitates a summer of extraordinary events involving the four Dithers children and a large cast of colorful Virginia neighbors. (RL: ages 9-12)

ROBIN HOBB (aka Megan Lindholm, American, 1952 - )

The Liveship Traders Trilogy: Here is a world with intelligent, man-eating sea serpents, pirate kings, ship captains, and the very rare vessels called liveships, which are alive, thinking beings who absorb the thoughts and feelings of those who live aboard them; one, Paragon, is insane and has killed. Lots of interesting characters. Booklist called it the best fantasy trilogy of the last decade. (RL: adult)
1. Ship of Magic
2. Mad Ship (1999)
3. Ship of Destiny (2000)

ANTHONY HOROWITZ

Groosham Grange (1988): David is expelled from his posh school and is sent to Groosham Grange, a strange school where they can only have one day's holiday a year and there are lots of weird goings on. Very witty and funny. Followed by Groosham Grange II: The Unholy Grail. (RL: ages 9-12)

POLLY HORVATH

When the Circus Came to Town (1996): Ivy is writing a book about a family of circus people who come to an ordinary town to live. Oddly, the Halibuts, a family of ex-circus performers, move in next door while she is composing chapter three. Do they know that they are fictional characters? (RL: ages 8-12)
The Trolls: Aunt Sally whisks into the lives of 10-year-old Melissa, 8-year-old Amanda, and 6-year old Frank, using string beans as walrus tusks at dinner and telling extraordinary stories about her family history, all of which she insists are true, even the ones about the trolls, the Fat Little Mean Girl, and Maud who shot 80 cougars. (RL: ages 8-12)

EVA IBBOTSON (1925 - ; aka Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner)

The Secret of Platform 13 (1994?): An ogre, a fey, a hag, and a wizard travel from their magical world to London, to rescue the kidnapped son of their King and Queen. (RL: ages 12+)
Journey to the River Sea (2001): (RL: ages 9-12) Ill. Kevin Hawkes. Sent in 1910 to live with distant relatives who own a rubber plantation along the Amazon River, English orphan Maia is excited despite her classmates' warnings about hungry alligators and murderous Indians. Unfortunately, no one cautions Maia about her nasty, xenophobic twin cousins, who douse the house in bug spray and rarely venture outdoors. Maia, however, is resourceful enough to find herself smack in the middle of more excitement than she ever imagined, including a remarkable journey down the river in search of the legendary giant sloth. Old-fashioned adventure story.

BRIAN JACQUES (British, 1939 - )

Redwall Abbey: The Official Redwall Web Site

Redwall (RL: ages 9-12)
1. Redwall: 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.
2. [Prequel] Mossflower
3. Mattimeo
4. Mariel of Redwall
5. Salamandastron
6. Martin the Warrior
7. The Bellmaker
8. Outcast of Redwall
9. The Pearls of Lutra
10. The Long Patrol
11. Marlfox
12. The Legend of Luke
13. Lord Brocktree: A Tale from Redwall (2000): Dotti, a brazen young haremaid, and the badger Lord Brocktree, a fearsome warrior, embark on a perilous journey to Salamandastron, the legendary mountain of the badger lords, which is under seige by the vicious wildcat Ungatt Trunn and his infamous Blue Horde.
14. The Taggerung (2001)
15. Triss (2002)
16. Loamhedge (2003)
17. Rakkety Tam (2004)
The actual story order is: Lord Brocktree; Martin the Warrior; Mossflower; The Legend of Luke; Outcast of Redwall; Mariel of Redwall; The Bellmaker; Salamandastron; Redwall; Mattimeo; The Pearls of Lutra; The Long Patrol; Marlfox; Taggerung; Triss; Loamhedge; Rakkety Tam. Jacques, however, recommends reading them in the order published, not in story order.

TOVE JANSSON (Finnish, 1914 -)

Moomins (RL: ages 4-10+): The adventures of the Moomentrolls, pleasant, funny, playful troll-like creatures living in the north country. They have interesting adventures and a good sense of humor. Clever, witty wordplay. Written in the 1950s.
1. Comet in Moominland (1991)
2. Finn Family Moomintroll (1990) (aka Happy Moomins, 1952)
3. Moominpappa's Memoirs (1994; aka Exploits of Moominpapa): Confined to the house with a nasty cold, Moominpappa fills his time by writing his memoirs and reading them to his family. The amusing account of Moominpappa's adventurous early years introduces unforgettable characters, including the Joxter, the Muddler, the Nibling, Edward the Booble, and the dreaded Hemulen Aunt.
4. Moominsummer Madness (1992)
5. Moominland Midwinter (1992)
6. Tales from Moominvalley
7. Moominpapa at Sea
8. Moominvalley in November (aka Sent in November)

DIANA WYNNE JONES (British, 1934 - )

Chrestomanci Castle: The Diana Wynne Jones Homepage

The Chrestomanci Novels (RL: ages 9-13)
1. Charmed Life (1977): A brother and a sister are whisked away to Chrestomanci Castle, where they learn that their magic is inferior to that of the mysterious Chrestomanci.
2. The Magicians of Caprona (1980): Tonino is the only person in the famous Montana household who wasn't born with an instinct for creating spells, but he has other gifts. His ability to communicate with cats just might help defend the city of Caprona against a mysterious enchanter -- but only if Tonino can learn to cooperate with a girl from the hated Petrocchi family of spell-makers.
3. Witch Week (1982): When a teacher at an English boarding school finds a note on his desk accusing someone in the class of being a witch, magical things begin to happen and an Inquisitor is summoned.
4. Lives of Christopher Chant (1988): Young Christopher, 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.
5. Mixed Magics (2000): The short stories in this book are all based in the world of Chrestomanci, and some of them contain characters from Charmed Life. (RL: ages 8-11)
From the Castle series (RL: ages 12+)
1. Howl’s Moving Castle (1986): The eldest of three sisters, in a land where it is considered to be a misfortune, Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch turns her into an old woman and she finds herself in the castle of the greatly feared Wizard Howl.
Mr. Chesney series (RL: ages 12+)
1. The Dark Lord of Derkholm: Derk, an unconventional wizard, and his magical family become involved in a plan to put a stop to the devastating tours of their world arranged by the tyrannical Mr. Chesney.
2. The Year of the Griffin (2000): When Elda, the griffin daughter of the great Wizard Derk, arrives for schooling at the Wizards' University, she encounters new friends, pirates, assassins, worry, sabotage, bloodshed, and magic misused.
Also by Jones
- The Ogre Downstairs (1974): Johnny regards the gift of a chemistry set from his hated stepfather as a bribe until he and his stepbrother discover that the curious chemicals lead to more and greater trouble each time the set is used. Funny.
- Eight Days of Luke (1975): A teenage boy learns that his new friend possesses supernatural powers, and as they encounter a series of mysterious people, he discovers his friend's true origins
- The Time of the Ghost (1981): A ghost, uncertain of her identity, watches the four Melford sisters hatch a plan to get their parents' attention and slowly becomes aware of the danger from a supernatural power unleashed by the the girls and their friends from the boys' boarding school run by the Melfords. (RL: ages 9-12)
- Aunt Maria (1991): While visiting and caring for Great-Aunt Maria, Mig and Chris discover that their supposedly helpless relative has frightening powers. (RL: ages 12+)

NORTON JUSTER (American, 1929 - )

The Phantom Tollbooth (1961): As Milo heads toward Dictionopolis he meets with the Whether Man, passes through The Doldrums (populated by Lethargarians), and picks up a watchdog named Tock (who has a giant alarm clock for a body). The brilliant satire and double entendre intensifies in the Word Market, where after a brief scuffle with Officer Short Shrift, Milo and Tock set off toward the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the twin Princesses, Rhyme and Reason. (RL: ages 8+)

WELWYN WILTON KATZ (Canadian, 1948 - )

Witchery Hill (1984): Fourteen-year-old Mike Lewis doesn't believe in the supernatural but when witchcraft seems aimed at destroying his friends, he begins to realize that something very strange - and evil - is going on. Takes place on Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Fantasy/horror. (RL: ages 12+)

VICTOR KELLEHER (British, 1939 - )

Brother Night (1991): Rabon and his monstrous brother Lal journey to the twin cities to discover their destiny at the hands of the Sun Lord and the Night Lord. (RL: ages 12+)
The Red King (1990): Petie, a magician, and his slave Timkin, a girl acrobat, along with the magician's well-trained bear and monkey, together seek to destroy the evil Red King.

M[arjorie] BRADLEY KELLOGG (1946 - )

Dragon Quartet (RL: ): The dragons Earth, Water, Fire and Air were raised from the elemental energies at time's beginning to create the World. When they finished their task, they were supposed to sleep until World's End. But long before that time the dragons began to wake.... A quirky time-travel tale.
1. The Book of Earth (1995): Score's power is fading; to prevent his death, he and his friends have to return to Earth to find the amulet that controls his fate. Set in Germanies of 913.
2. The Book of Water (1997): Set in an African country in the year 2013. Water, the older sister of Earth has the special dragon ability of shape-shifting. Earth and Erde have responded to a summons and jumped from 913 to 2013 to join forces with Water and her guide, N'doch, who is Erde's exact opposite.
3. The Book of Fire (2000): More complex than the first two books in the series. Earth and Water and their human guides, Erde and N'Doch, have been drawn through time to a devastated future America where the dragon guide Paia has been transformed into his high priestess. Yet it is not Fire who has summoned his brother and sister. The call has come from another, and the reason is all too clear. Fire has chosen to become a god instead of a guardian.
4. The Book of Air (2003): The four elemental dragons and their human companions come together in a desperate quest to free Air from her as-yet-undiscovered prisonand stop Fire before his devastating reign destroys the world.

CAROL KENDALL (1917 - )

The Minnipins series (RL: ages 10-14): The Minnipins are a sober and sedate people who live well and in safety in an isolated mountain valley, until they become smug and intolerant of differences.
1. The Firelings (?/ 1982): The Firelings, who live precariously on the edge of the Volcano Belcher, must offer the volcano a sacrificial victim or escape through the Secret Way of the Goat.
2. The Gammage Cup (1959/1986): Meet Gummy, Curley Green, the Minnipins, the Periods and Walter the Earl. Can the Minnipins be saved from the Mushrooms or the Hairless Ones?
3. The Whisper of Glocken (1965/1986): Because of a terrible flood, a seemingly unheroic group of little people sets out to restore an ancient treasure and make the valley of the Watercress safe again.

LEONIE KOOIKER (Dutch, 1927 - )

The Magic Stone (1978): Chris finds a magic stone and becomes the focus of interest for an association of witches, one of whom wants him to become her successor. Transl. from Dutch. (RL: ages 9-12)
Legacy of Magic (1981): A modern-day witch's apprentice uses an ancient book of magic in a hunt for some hidden priceless coins. Transl. from Dutch. (RL: ages 9-12)

HANNA KRAAN (Dutch, 1946 - )

Wicked Witch Anthologies (RL: ages 8-12)
1. Tales of the Wicked Witch (1995): A collection of humorous tales follows the adventures of a mischievous witch whose heart of gold always shines through her spells, making her forest companions -- an owl, a hare, and a hedgehog -- love her despite themselves.
2. The Wicked Witch is at it Again
3. Flowers for the Wicked Witch (1998)

URSULA K. LE GUIN (American, 21 Oct 1929 - 22 Jan 2018)

The Earthsea Cycle (RL: ages 12+)
1. A Wizard of Earthsea (1968): Shadowhawk grows to manhood while attempting to subdue the evil shadow-beast he unleashed on the world as an apprentice to the Master Wizard.
2. The Tombs of Atuan (1970): The Wizard Ged comes to the forbidden labyrinth to steal the Ring of Erreth-Akbe and stays to set Tenar free.
3. The Farthest Shore (1972)
4. Tehanu (1976): When Sparrowhawk, the archmage of Earthsea, returns from the dark land stripped of his magic powers, he finds refuge with the aging widow, Tenar, and a crippled girl who carries an unknown destiny.
Also by Le Guin: A Ride on the Red Mare's Back: With the aid of her magic wooden horse, a brave girl travels to the High House in the mountains to rescue her kidnapped brother from the trolls. (RL: ages 9-12)

TANITH LEE ( - )

Unicorn series, featuring 16-year-old Tanaquil, the daughter of an idiosyncratic sorceress but possessing no magic herself. RL: ages 12+
- Black Unicorn (1991): Although she's the daughter of sorceress Jaive, Tanaquil herself has no magic; but she does have the ability to mend anything. When the peeve -- a furry desert animal that is able to speak as a result of Jaive's chronically unregulated magic -- digs up the skeleton of a unicorn, Tanaquil even fixes that, with the aid of wires and gears, only to have her mother's uncontrollable magic bring the construction to life as the terrifying Black Unicorn, which draws Tanaquil to the city. There, she discovers her father, the cold prince Zorander; her sister, princess Lirza; and a broken gate to a perfect world, the unicorn's home. (Kirkus Reviews)
- Gold Unicorn (1996): Learning of the dreaded Empress Veriam's plan to conquer all civilized lands, young Tanaquil is further distraught when she discovers that she is Veriam's half sister and is ordered to use her magic powers to assist the cause.
- Red Unicorn (1998): The young wanderer Tanaquil can mend anything that is broken -- except her own heart. With her beloved engaged to another, she sadly returns home to her sorceress mother. Soon, caught up in her mother's magic, Tanaquil and her mischievous familiar -- a literal pet peeve -- find themselves in a parallel world where she meets Tanakil, a mirror-image princess with murder on her mind.

MADELEINE L'ENGLE (American, 1918 - )

The Official Madeleine L'Engle Website

The Time Quartet (RL: ages 9-12)
1. A Wrinkle in Time (1962): Meg and Charles Wallace Murry and their friend Calvin become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg’s father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.
2. A Wind in the Door (1973)
3. A Swiftly Tilting Planet (1978)
4. Many Waters

C.S. LEWIS (British, 1898 - 1963)

Into the Wardrobe: The C.S. Lewis Web Site

The Chronicles of Narnia (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950): Four English children (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) accidently discover a magic land that lies beyond and through an ordinary wardrobe.
2. Prince Caspian (1951): The four children return to a Narnia much later in time than their last visit. They meet the mouse Reepicheep and assist Prince Caspian in defeating the Telmarines and bringing back the Old Things.
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952): Edmund and Lucy join their cousin Eustace Clarence Scrubb, who becomes an unwilling voyager on a ship with King Caspian.
4. The Silver Chair (1953): Eustace Scrubb, with a friend named Jill Pole, is sent by Aslan to find the imprisoned Rilian -- the true heir to the Narnian throne.
5. The Horse and His Boy (1954): Shasta, aided by the Tarkheena Aravis and two Talking Horses (Hwin and Bree), helps save Archenland from invasion.
6. The Magician's Nephew (1955): Beginning in Victorian London, two children named Polly and Digory -- whose Uncle Andrew is a magician -- meet a Queen during their travels who wants magic for power. They are present at the creation of Narnia, when Aslan gives the gift of speech to the animals.
7. The Last Battle (1956): In the last days, a clever ape has constructed a false Aslan. Even after Jill Pole and Eustace Scrubb help Tirian to expose the deception, confusion reigns.
The actual story order is: The Magician's 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.

ANNE LINDBERGH (American, 22 June 1906 - 7 Feb 2001)

Travel Far, Pay No Fare: When twelve-year-old Owen finds that his nine-year-old cousin has a magic bookmark, he joins her when she enters different stories in hopes of finding a way to prevent their parents' upcoming marriage. (RL: ages 9-12)

PATRICIA MACLACHLAN (American)

Tomorrow's Wizard (1982): A wizard, his unorthodox apprentice, & a wise horse make 5 important wishes come true in surprising ways. (RL: ages 9-12)

MARGARET MAHY (New Zealander, 1936 - )

The Changeover (1984 U.K.): When her little brother becomes very ill, fourteen-year-old Laura seeks the help of the strangely compelling older boy at school who she is convinced has supernatural powers. Involved demonic possession and some romance.
The Blood-and-Thunder Adventure on Hurricane Peak (1989 U.S.): Tangled events lead the students of the Unexpected School on Hurricane Peak to foil the wicked Sir Quincey and his accomplices.

GEORGESS MCHARGUE (American)

Stoneflight (1975): Janie uses her power to put life in the stone animals that decorate New York buildings to escape her parents' quarreling, but when the animals start to turn her into stone she learns that having feelings is the price of remaining human. (RL: ages 9-12)

PATRICIA A. MCKILLIP (American)

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld (1974): Raised on Eld mountain with only her father's magical menagerie for company, a young wizard is drawn irrevocably into the human world with all its sorrows and delights when a baby comes into her care. (RL: ages 12+)

ROBIN MCKINLEY (American)

McKinley's Home Page

Damar series (RL: ages 11+)
1. The Blue Sword (1982): Harry, bored with her sheltered life in the remote orange-growing colony of Damar, discovers magic in herself when she is kidnapped by a native king with mysterious powers.
2. [Prequel] The Hero and the Crown (1984): With the guidance of the wizard, Luthe, and the help of the blue sword, Aerin wins the birthright due her as the daughter of the Damarian King and a witch of the demon-hunted North.

L. E. MODESITT, JR. (American, 1943 - )

Recluce, The Unofficial L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Web Site

Saga of Recluce: This series is well-respected for Modesitt's 'elaborate and intelligent working out of a system of magic and a system of technology parallel to it.' The classic theme of youngsters growing to adult power and responsibility is repeatedly retold in terms of magic skill, focusing on the apparent good guys -- who are 'black' magicians using order-magic (cooling, healing, strengthening) -- and who constantly oppose the White Order of chaos wizards whose talent is fire and dissolution. (RL: Adult)
1. The Magic of Recluce (1991)
2. The Towers of the Sunset (1992): Prequel to Magic of Recluse, this book is set centuries earlier and tells the story of the founding of the magical society on the island of Recluce.
3. The Magic Engineer (1993): Dorin, a young engineer, is more interested in machinery than both his family and government think appropriate. His exile takes him close to the borders of the lands of Chaos, where a young wizard with more skill and time to waste than good sense has notions of founding an empire.
4. The Order War (1994): A young Black Engineer must oppose a formidable coalition of White Wizards that is threatening to overrun the last bastion of order in Recluce. Defeated and driven into exile, he has to call on all available magic as well as appropriate technology to ensure even his own survival, let alone the remotest chance of the victory of order.
5. The Death of Chaos (1995)
6. Fall of Angels (1996) [Prequel]
7. The Chaos Balance (1997): Plot follows Fall of Angels.
8. The White Order: Follows the boyhood of the future wizard Cerryl, detailing his early adventures and revelations about his heritage.
9. The Colors of Chaos (1998): The story of wizard Cerryl's further education in life and love and his rise to power in the magicians' guild of Fairhaven.
10. Magi'i of Cyador (2000) [Prequel]
11. Scion of Cyador (2000) [Prequel]
The actual story order is: Magi'i of Cyador, Scion of Cyador, Fall of Angels, The Chaos Balance, The Towers of Sunset, The White Order, The Magic Engineer, Colors of Chaos, The Order War, The Magic of Recluce, The Death of Chaos.

GERALD MORRIS (American (Wisconsin))

The Squire's Tales: Setting is Medieval England. (RL: 12+)
1. The Squire's Tale (2000): In medieval England, fourteen-year-old Terence finds his tranquil existence suddenly changed when he becomes the squire of the young Gawain of Orkney and accompanies him on a long quest, proving Gawain's worth as a knight and revealing an important secret about his own true identity.
2. The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf (2000): Rollicking treatment of a lesser-known episode from Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur.
3. Parsifal's Page (2001): More Arthurian retelling, this one based on the German classic Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach.
4. The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady (2001): Sir Gawain and his squire Terence must meet with the invincible Green Knight in a contest that could easily be Gawain’s last. Along the way Gawain and Terence cross paths with many odd men. Even odder creatures from the Other World will teach Terence about his past, and perhaps a little about his future. Gawain and Terence must rescue a not-too-typical damsel-in-distress, Lady Eileen, from the evil Marquis of Alva. In Lady Eileen, Terence may have met his match, in more than one way.
5. The Ballad of Sir Dinadan (2003): Another retelling of Arthur stories. Begins with the stories of Tristram and Iseult, especially as told in Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg, and in Malory.
6. The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight (2004): A reworking of the French romance The Knight of the Cart by Chretien de Troyes.
7. The Lioness and Her Knight (2005)

JILL MURPHY (British)

Worst Witch Series (RL: ages 8-12)
1. The Worst Witch (1974): Mildred Hubble is making an awful mess of her first year at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches.
2. The Worst Witch Strikes Again (1980): Mildred is in deep trouble again, right at the start of a new semester at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, all because of the new girl, Enid Nightshade, who isn't as well-behaved as she appears.
3. A Bad Spell for Worst Witch (1982): Mildred Hubble is off to a good start in her second year at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches and is determined to shed her embarrassing reputation as the worst witch the school has ever seen.
4. The Worst Witch at Sea (1995)

EDITH NESBIT (British, 1858 - 1924)

The Edith Nesbit Society

Nesbit was J.K. Rowling's favourite author as a child.

The Five Children series (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The Five Children (??)
2. The Five Children and It (1902): A cranky Psammead grants wishes to the five children who unearth him -- wishes that never quite turn out as expected and usually have hilarious consequences. Read The Five Children & It online.
3. The Phoenix and the Carpet (1904)
4. The Story of the Amulet (1906): When Cyril, Robert, Anthea and Jane rescue their old friend the Psammead from a pet shop, the grateful sand fairy leads them to half an amulet which has the power to take them back in time in search of the other half -- and the complete amulet can give them their heart's desire! But magic can cause problems in real life, especially when the Queen of Babylon visits the children in London.
Also by Nesbit:
- The Enchanted Castle (1907): Pretending a castle they've discovered is enchanted, three children come upon a 'sleeping princess' in the garden (It's Mabel, the housekeeper's niece, who is also doing some pretending). When Mabel shows them a secret treasure room, enchantment becomes a reality. Charming, funny. Chosen as the 5th Best Children's Book of the Half-Century (1900-1950) by Amazon.
- The Story of the Treasure Seekers (1899): Read Treasure Seekers online.
- The Book of Dragons (1899)
- Deliverers in their Country (1899): When an unusual spell of warm weather hatches out several hundred thousand dormant dragons, Britain seems doomed to a fiery death. But young Harry and Effie do not give up, and eventually earn the gratitude of the entire nation.
- The Magic City (1910): An extremely unhappy 10-year-old magically escapes into a city he has built out of books, chessmen, candlesticks, and other household items. (RL: ages 9-12)

WILLIAM NICHOLSON (British)

The Wind on Fire trilogy: Well-written multi-layered fantasy, compared to Pullman's The Golden Compass and the Harry Potter series. Two more books are planned. (RL: ages 10+)
1. The Wind Singer (2000): In the city of Aramanth, hard work means progress for the citizens toward improved life stations, but some families, like the Haths, believe more in ideas and dreams than in endless toil and ratings. Kestrel Hath and her twin brother Bowman, along with their friend Mumpo, rebel, setting the orderly city on its ear.
2. Slaves of the Mastery (2001): Follows heroes Kestrel and Bowman when they become separated. A psychic connection binds the twins and eventually draws them back together as they fight the evil powers that have taken over their homeland.

JENNY NIMMO (British, 1942/44? - )

Snow Spider Trilogy (RL: ages 11-14): Welsh mythology is central to the stories.
1. The Snow Spider (1986): Gifts from Gwyn's grandmother on his tenth birthday open up a new world to him, as he discovers he has magical powers that help him heal the breach with his father that has existed since his sister's mysterious disappearance four years before.
2. Emlyn's Moon (1987; aka Orchard of the Crescent Moon): Nia, the middle child in a large family, becomes entangled with the boy magician Gwyn as she tries to find a niche for herself and befriend the outcast child Emlyn. Intertwines themes of Welsh magic and mythology, family life, and the struggle for personal identity. Considered the best of the trilogy.
3. The Chestnut Soldier (1989): A fantasy set in Wales tells the story of the returned soldier, Evan Llyr, who has been taken over by the spirit of an ancient and evil warrior. Fourteen-year-old Gwyn must reluctantly use his magic powers to free Evan.
4. The Snow Spider Trilogy (1993)

GARTH NIX (Australian, 1963 - )

Garth Nix Website

The Seventh Tower (RL: ages 8-12)
1. The Fall (2000): Tal, a Chosen of the Orange Order, is about to enter the spirit world of Aenir when his father disappears with the family's only primary Sunstone, which Tal needs for his ascension.
2. Castle (2000): Tal and Milla are struggling to make it to the Castle, each on a dangerous mission.
3. Aenir (2001): As they grapple with their individual fates, Tal and Milla become entangled in a revolution being planned against the Chosen of the Castle. But nothing is as it seems, and the revolution may be the cover for something much more sinister.
4. Above The Veil (2001): As they grapple with their individual fates, Tal and Milla become entangled in a revolution being planned against the Chosen of the Castle. But nothing is as it seems, and the revolution may be the cover for something much more sinister.
Also by Nix:
- Sabriel (1995): The daughter of a mage journeys into the Old Kingdom and fights to free her father from the Land of the Dead. (RL: ages 12+)
- Shade's Children (1997): In his brutal world, your 14th birthday is your last. Malevolent Overlords rule the earth, directing hideous, humanoid creatures to harvest the brains and muscles of teens for use in engineering foul beasts to fight senseless wars. Young Gold-Eye escapes this horrific fate, fleeing the dormitories before his Sad Birthday. He is rescued from certain doom by other refugees who live in an abandoned submarine and work for Shade, a strange, computer-generated adult who provides food and shelter in exchange for information that the children gather on dangerous forays into Overlord territory. But what does Shade really want? (RL: ages 12+)
- Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr (2001): This sequel to Sabriel picks up the story with Sabriel's teenage son, Sameth, the intense young Lirael and their intertwined destinies. Raised by the psychic Clayr, misfit Lirael is miserable about not being able to see the future. She unearths her fate by looking into the past.

MARY NORTON (British, 1903-1992)

Bed-Knob and Broomstick (1957): With the powers they acquire from a spinster who is studying to be a witch, three children go on a number of exciting and gruesome trips. From the author of the well-known Borrowers series. (RL: ages 9-12)

PAT O'SHEA

The Hounds of the Morrigan: When a ten-year-old boy finds an old book of magic in an Irish bookshop, the forces of good and evil gather to do battle over it.

MERVYN LAURENCE PEAKE (British, 1911-1968 )

Mervyn Peake.Org / BBC - Gormenghast

Gormenghast Trilogy (RL: ages 12+): Set in an imaginary kingdom ruled according to ancient ritual, the novels trace the hero Titus's quest for freedom in pages, illustrated by Peake, that are marked by eerily beautiful imagery.
1. Titus Groan (1946)
2. Gormenghast (1950)
3. Titus Alone (1959)

PHILIPPA PEARCE (British, 1920 - 21 Dec. 2006)

Tom's Midnight Garden (1958): When an antique grandfather clock strikes 13, Tom is led into a magical discovery involving angels, ghosts, and a new friend named Hetty. Won the Carnegie Medal. Considered a masterpiece. (RL: ages 8-12)

TAMORA PIERCE (American, 13 December 1954 - )

Tamora Pierce's Web Page

Circle of Magic series (RL: ages 12+)
1. Sandry's Book (1997): Four young misfits find themselves living in a strictly disciplined temple community where they become friends while also learning to do crafts and to use their powers, especially magic.
2. Tris' Book (1998): With the defenses of Winding Circle Temple seriously weakened by an earthquake, Tris and her fellow mages-in-training try to join their different magic powers to protect the Winding Circle community from a pirate attack.
3. Daja's Book (1998): While at Gold Ridge castle to the north of Winding Circle, Daja and the three other mages-in-training who have become her friends develop their unique magical talents as they try to prevent a devastating forest fire from consuming everything in its path.
4. Briar's Book (1999): Briar, a young mage-in-training, and his teacher Rosethorn must use their magic to fight a deadly plague that is ravaging Summersea.
The Immortals (RL: ages 12+)
1. Wild Magic: The Immortals (1992): The mage Numair, the knight Alanna, and Queen Thayet enlist thirteen-year-old Daine's help to battle the dreadful immortal creatures that have recently begun to attack the kingdom of Tortall.
2. Wolf-Speaker (1994): With the help of her animal friends, Daine fights to save the kingdom of Tortall from ambitious mortals and dangerous immortals.
3. The Emperor Mage (1995): When she is sent as part of the delegation from Tortall to negotiate a peace treaty with Carthak, fifteen-year-old Daine must use her powers to communicate with animals for more than healing the Carthak emperor's dying birds.
4. The Realms of the Gods (1996): This conclusion to the three previous books about Daine and her wild magic solves many of her problems and hints at the love that lies in her future.
The Song of the Lioness Quartet (RL: ages 12+): Involves a female knight errant who must complete dangerous quests.
1. Alanna: The First Adventure:
2. In the Hand of the Goddess ( ):
3. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man ( ):
4. Lioness Rampant (1988): Alanna continues to create her own life as a female warrior when she and new companions journey to the Roof of the World seeking the powerful Dominion Jewel, perhaps the last hope of saving her country from dissension and hostile magic.

CHARLOTTE POMERANTZ

The Downtown Fairy Godmother (1978): When Olivia wishes for a fairy godmother, she encounters a Fairy Godmother Grade C, still in training and limited in powers, who takes her on her rounds in New York City.

ELIZABETH MARIE POPE

The Perilous Gard: While imprisoned in a remote castle in 1588, a young girl becomes involved in a series of events that leads to an underground labyrinth peopled by the last practitioners of druid magic. Setting: Tudor England. (RL: ages 11+)

TERRY PRATCHETT

Terry Pratchett/Discworld Web Site

The Bromeliad Trilogy (RL: ages 9-12): Similar in some ways to The Borrowers series, but with a quirky modern twist.
1. Truckers: To the thousands of tiny nomes who live under the floorboards of a large department store, there is no Outside. Then a devastating piece of news shatters their existence: the Store is to be demolished. It's up to Masklin to mastermind an unbelievable escape.
2. Diggers: A Bright New Dawn is just around the corner for thousands of tiny nomes when they move into the ruined buildings of an abandoned quarry. Or is it?
3. Wings: Somewhere, a ship is waiting to take the nomes home. And one nome, Masklin, knows that they've got to try and contact this ship. It means going to Florida (wherever that is), then getting to the launch of a communications satellite (whatever that is). The first step is to try and hitch a ride on a new kind of truck, a truck with wings -- Concorde.
Equal Rites (1987/88): The third installment in the Discworld series, centering on Granny Weatherwax, a happy-to-be-rural witch. Weatherwax becomes the unwilling guardian of Esk, the eighth child of an eighth son, after a rapidly expiring wizard passed along his powers and staff to the infant without realising she is a girl.

PHILLIP PULLMAN (British, 19 October 1946)

His Dark Materials (RL: ages 12+): Highly acclaimed series for older readers.
1. The Golden Compass (1995): 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. Also published as Northern Lights
2. The Subtle Knife (1997): Will's enemies will do anything for information about his missing father, a soldier and Arctic explorer who has been very much airbrushed from the official picture. Now Will must get his mother into safe seclusion and make his way toward Oxford.
3. The Amber Spyglass (2000): Will has been joined by two winged companions who are determined to escort him to Lord Asriel's mountain redoubt.
Also by Pullman:
- The Shadow in the North
- Clockwork: A magical tale featuring a tormented clock-maker, a deadly knight in armour, a mechanical prince, and the sinister Dr. Kalmenius, who some say is the devil. Involves puzzles and riddles. excerpt from Clockwork (RL: ages 8-11)
- The Firework-Maker's Daughter: Headstrong Lila discovers that anyone who want to be a true firework-maker must face down the Fire-Fiend of Mount Merapi and bring back some of the royal sulfur, so she sets off fearlessly to face pirates and demons and anything else that gets in her way. Chapter One of The Firework-Maker's Daughter

EMILY RODDA (Australian)

Rowan series (RL: ages 9-12?): This series is being reprinted 2001-2002.
1. Rowan of Rin (1994)
2. Rowan and the Travelers
3. Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal (1997)
4. Rowan and the Zebak
Deltora Quest series (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The Forest of Silence (2001): The evil Shadow Lord has invaded Deltora and stolen the kingdom¹s seven gems of great and mysterious power. With only a hand-drawn map to guide them, Lief and Barda begin their difficult quest to recover the stolen gems and rid their land of the tyrant. (RL: ages 9-12)
2. The Lake of Tears (2001): Now joined by their unruly new companion Jasmine, Lief and Barda set off on a treacherous journey through the territory ruled by the monster sorceress Thaegan.
3. Shifting Sands
4. City of Rats
5. Dread Mountain
6. The Maze of the Beast
7. The Valley of the Lost
8. Return to Del

GILLIAN RUBINSTEIN (Australian)

Under the Cat's Eye: A Tale of Morph and Mystery (1998): About to be deported to India, Jai's parents drop him off at Nexhoath, a seedy boarding school, for safekeeping, never suspecting that headmaster Drake is a demonic creature using technology from a parallel world to steal the inner hopes and sense of purpose from students and faculty. (RL: ages 9-12)

JON SCIESZKA (American)

Time Warp Trio (RL: ages 7-10): Juvenile yet clever humour, suspense, magic.
1. Knights of the Kitchen Table (1991): The Time Warp Trio find that a birthday book from Joe's magician uncle has unexpected results when opened.
2. Not-So-Jolly Roger (1991)
3. The Good, the Bad and the Goofy (1992)
4. Your Mother Was a Neanderthal (1993)
5. 2095 (1995)
6. Tut, Tut (1996)
7. Summer Reading is Killing Me (1998)
8. It's All Greek to Me (1999)
9. See You Later, Gladiator (2000): Food-fights, a two-on- one (two giant hairy gladiators against one puny time warper) test of strength, and a romp through the forbidden Temple of Vesta make up the activities of the three bumbling heroes in ancient Rome.
10. Sam Samurai (2001): Set in 17th century Japan.
11. Hey Kid, Want to Buy a Bridge? (2002): Set in New York City in 1877, with Thomas Edison as character.

PAMELA F. SERVICE (American, 1945 - )

Magic
1. Winter of Magic's Return: An Arthurian legend set in the future, where the world is enveloped in a nuclear winter. Involves a teenage Merlin.
2. Tomorrow's Magic: Sequel to Winter of Magic's Return. A late-teens Merlin and his two teenage companions, plus Arthur, attempt to reunite the various duchis, kingdoms and principalities that England has become, against Arthur's old enemy Morgan Le Fay.

JOSEPHA SHERMAN

Gleaming Bright (1994): When her kingdom is threatened by invasions and famine, a princess and an enchanted stag search for Gleaming Bright, a wizard’s gift that grants wishes. (RL: ages 12+)

DODIE SMITH

I Capture the Castle: One of J.K. Rowling's favourites. Cassandra and her eccentric family live in a crumbling English castle, leased when her famous writer father was still famous and still writing. Now, the family can barely scrape together a decent tea. Their lives become intertwined with the wealthy Cotton brothers, two young Americans who Cassandra believes are perfect matches for herself and her lovely but picky sister Rose, although the brothers may have other ideas. Hilarious and touching comedy of manners, capturing the adolescent longings of first love, along with all the funny and not so funny moments that go with it. Written in journal format. (RL: ages 12+)

L[isa] J. SMITH

The Night of the Solstice (1987): Four children must rescue a good sorceress from captivity in a parallel world so she can prevent the wicked sorcerer Cadal Forge from entering their own world and enslaving it. (RL: ages 12+)

SHERWOOD SMITH

Sherwood Smith on the Web

Wren (RL: ages 12+)
1. Wren to the Rescue (1990): An orphan (Wren), a prince, and an apprentice wizard set out to save a kidnapped princess; unfortunately, Wren is turned into a dog in the process.
2. Wren's Quest (1993): Read chapter one of Wren's Quest
3. Wren's War (1995): Read chapter one of Wren's War

LEMONY SNICKET

Lemony Snicket on the Web (and one of the funniest author websites I've ever seen)

A Series of Unfortunate Events: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted, but their lives are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, involving as they do a hurricane, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, a lumpy bed, a deadly serpent, a large brass reading lamp, a long knife, and a terrible odor. These aren't for the faint of heart, but if you appreciate word play and wicked humor, you'll love these books! (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The Bad Beginning (1999): Read an excerpt of The Bad Beginning.
2. The Reptile Room (1999)
3. The Wide Window (2000)
4. The Miserable Mill (2000)
5. The Austere Academy (2000)
6. The Ersatz Elevator (2001)
7. The Vile Village (2001)
8. The Hostile Hospital (2001)
9. Carnivorous Carnival (2002)
10. The Slippery Slope (2003)
11. The Grim Grotto (2004)

ZILPHA KEATLEY SNYDER

Black and Blue Magic: Clumsy Harry Houdini Marco receives a magic gift from their temporary boarder, Mr. Mazzeeck, who turns out to be more than he first appeared.

S.P. SOMTOW

The Wizard’s Apprentice (1993): Aaron Maguire, a rich Hollywood teenager, knows all about movie magic, but when he becomes a wizard’s apprentice he discovers the real thing is more complicated. [Author is known for vampire books.] (RL: ages 12+)

NANCY C. SPRINGER (1948 -)

Red Wizard (1990): In his search for the perfect shade of red, an incompetent wizard accidentally transports Ryan (and a crayon) into his magic world, where Ryan finds himself facing a dangerous young warlock named Rudd. (RL: ages 9-12)

MARY STANTON

Unicorns of Balinor series (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The Road to Balinor: After a terrible riding accident, Ari cannot remember anything of her past and is sent to live on a farm with foster parents. What Ari doesn’t know is that she is not from our world, but from Balinor, a land of sorcerers and unicorns.
2. Sunchaser’s Quest
3. Valley of Fear
4. By Fire, By Moonlight
5. Search for the Star
6. The Secrets of the Scepter
7. Night of the Shifter’s Moon

WILLIAM STEIG

Dominic (1984): Dominic is a one-of-a-kind dog. One day this exuberant, restless, freedom-loving fellow decides there isn't enough going on in his neighborhood to satisfy his need for adventure. And off he goes, meeting along the way a prophetic witch-alligator, a catfish who gives him a long, sharp spear that will make him invincible in serious combat; and the infamous criminal Doomsday Gang. Humourous and up-lifting. (RL: ages 6 and up)

PAUL STEWART

Beyond the Deepwoods (1998): Twig was adopted by a family of woodtrolls, but now that he's older, his mother decides Twig must go away for his own safety. Twig's travels lead him to encounters with goblins, trogs, people-eating trees, and many other bloodthirsty creatures! Blood and guts mixed with fantasy. Well-written. First of a series. (RL: ages 9-13)

BRAD STRICKLAND

See JOHN BELLAIRS

MARY TANNEN

Finn series: Setting is Celtic Ireland. (RL: ages 8-12)
1. The Wizard Children of Finn (1981): Thanks to a magic book, Fiona and her brother Bran travel back in time to Celtic Ireland, where young Finn McCool is struggling to become leader of the Fianna, a famous band of warrior heroes.
2. The Legend of Finn: The two children travel back to ancient Ireland again, this time to learn a secret about their past.

J[OHN] R[ONALD] R[EUEL] TOLKIEN (British)

Lord of the Rings.Com

Middle Earth (RL: ages 10+): The last three books are The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
1. Silmarillion
2. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (1937): Whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in his hobbit-hole by Gandalf the wizard and a company of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon.
3. The Fellowship of the Ring
4. The Two Towers
5. The Return of the King

P.L. TRAVERS (aka Helen Lyndon Goff, Australian, 1899-1996)

Mary Poppins (1934/1981 revised): The wind brings two English children a new nanny who slides up the bannister and introduces them to some delightful people and experiences. There are at least seven sequels to this book. (RL: ages 9-12)

MEGAN WHALEN TURNER

Megan Whalen Turner: Newbery Honor Book Award 1997

Queen's Thief (RL: ages 9-12)
- The Thief (1996): Eugenides (Gen) flaunts his ingenuity as a thief and relishes the adventure that takes him to a remote temple of the gods where he atempts to steal a precious stone. Newbery Honor Book.
- The Queen of Attolia (2000): Sequel to The Thief. Caught between two rival queens in a landscape based on that which surrounds the Mediterranean Sea, Eugenides is loyal to Eddis as her Queen's Thief, but is in love with the beautiful and seemingly ruthless Attolia. As the web of intrigue and shifting allegiances expands, and war is imminent, Gen risks everything on an audacious and cunning military strategy to bring the two queens together.

JEAN URE (British, 1943 - )

Wizard (RL: ages 8-12)
1. The Wizard in the Woods (1992): Second-class junior wizard Ben-Muzzy makes a little mistake during his Junior Wizard exams and ends up in another land with twins Joel and Gemma, who are also lost.
2. The Wizard in Wonderland (1993): When the Airy Fairies steal Ben-Muzzy's broomstick, the friends face high adventure trying to retrieve it to return home.
3. The Wizard and the Witch (1995): It's All Spells' Night, the broomstick is waiting and Junior Wizard Ben-Muzzy and the twins Joel and Gemma to go with him, flying away to Proverbial Village, meeting Smellibots, Teeny Meanies, big furry Wallopers and, of course, the grungy old witch herself.

VIVIAN VANDE VELDE

Magic Can Be Murder (RL: 12+): Nola and her mother travel from village to village trying to avoid accusation of witchcraft. Nola is only a little bit magical; she can really do only only one spell: by plucking a person's hair and suspending it in a bucket of water, she can see everything that person is doing. But at one stop, Nola accidentally leaves one of her spells going -- and starts worrying that someone will find the bucket of fortune telling. When she goes back to set things right, she finds that a murder has been committed in her absence and she is right in the middle of a medieval murder investigation.

HOLLY WARRINER

Spellcasters Series (RL: ages 9-12)
1. Witch at the Door (1998): Everyone wonders about 12-year-old Lucinda, the new girl in town. She definitely seems out of the ordinary. And she is -- she's a witch. Soon Lucinda is using her special bewitching powers to help find her Aunt Delilah, who has disappeared.
2. Full Moon Magic (1998):
3. Witch's Brew (1998): Tess's horse, Witches' Brew, is scheduled to compete in the Lakeville horse show. But suddenly the mare starts acting crazy, kicking and foaming at the mouth. Could the mare be under a spell? And who is the mysterious red-cloaked figure Sally sees vanish into thin air? The girls suspect that Lucinda's archenemy, an evil witch named Augusta, may be in town.
4. Julian's Jinx (1998):
5. Witches on Ice (1999): When Lucinda goes ice skating for the first time, she's determined not to use witchcraft to improve her technique. And that means no magic spells. But when her evil grandmother and wicked cousin Rafe show up all the way from Salem, Lucinda may need her magic powers for more serious reasons.
6. Phoebe's Fortune (1999):

SYLVIA WAUGH

Mennyms series (RL: ages 9-12)
1. The Mennyms (1993): The Mennyms, a family of life-size rag dolls living in a house in England and pretending to be human, see their peaceful existence threatened when the house's owner announces he is coming from Australia for a visit. [Dates listed for books in this series are all reprint dates.]
2. Mennyms in the Wilderness (1996)
3. Mennyms Under Siege (1997)
4. Mennyms Alone (1998)
5. Mennyms Alive (1999)

KATHRYN WESLEY

The 10th Kingdom (2000; also a movie): Virginia, a New York waitress, didn't know the adventure that would unfold the day she hit a dog with her bike. She and her single parent father, Tony, follow the magical Prince-turned-dog into a world straight out of Grimm's Fairy Tales. They soon find Happily Ever After isn't, as they are pursued by Trolls and an Evil Queen, and joined by a werewolf who can't decide whether he wants to love or eat Virginia. Through page after page of striking comedy, fast-paced chases pitfalls and magic spells, they fight to save all the 10 Kingdoms and find out about their true destinies.

T.H. WHITE

Camelot (RL: ages 12+)
1. The Sword in the Stone (1939): Merlin the Sorcerer teaches young King Arthur about magic and history.
2. Queen of Air and Darkness (aka The Witch in the Wood, 1939)
3. The Ill-Made Knight (1940)
4. The Book of Merlyn (1977)
5. The Once and Future King (1958): Actually a compilation of Books I-III, plus Candle in the Wind.

BARBARA WILLARD

Spell Me A Witch (1979): The Witch Belladonna is worried because The Three, some famous and powerful witches, are on their way to inspect her Academy for Young Witches. (RL: ages 8-11)

ELIZABETH WINTHROP

Elizabeth Winthrop Online

Castle in the Attic series: Take place in the Middle Ages. (RL: ages 8-12)
1. The Castle in the Attic: Given a toy medieval castle as a gift, William is magically transported to another world of wizards and dragons.
2. The Battle for the Castle (1993): William must save the kingdom from an army of rats.

PATRICIA C. WREDE (American)

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (RL: ages 12+)
1. Dealing With Dragons (1990; aka Dragonsbane in U.K.): The unconventional Princess Cimorene runs away to avoid marriage to a polite but dull-witted prince and becomes Cook and Librarian to the King of Dragons. Early in her new career, she joins forces with a briskly competent witch and a stone prince to rescue the dragons from evil wizards.
2. Searching for Dragons (1991): With the aid of King Mandanbar, Princess Cimorene rescues the dragon Kazul and saves the Enchanted Forest from a band of wicked wizards.
3. Calling on Dragons (1993): Queen Cimorene turns to her friends Morwen, Telemain, and Kazul for help when troublesome wizards make their way back into the Enchanted Forest and begin to soak up its magic.
4. Talking to Dragons (1995): Queen Cimorene sends her sixteen-year-old son Daystar into the Enchanted Forest with the only weapon that can combat an evil wizard's magic in an effort to restore the balance of power in the kingdom.
Also by Wrede: Mairelon the Magician: A young pickpocket in Regency London travels across England with a magician who is trying to clear his name.

JANNY WURTS

The Grand Conspiracy (2001): Arithon s'Ffalenn, Master of Shadow, trained mage and masterbard, is the last Prince of Rathain. He is the target of powerful enemies. His half-brother, Lysaer s'Ilessid, is now hailed as an avatar. His fanatical following has formed an Alliance of Light sworn to destroy the Master of Shadow. The Prime Enchantress of the Koriani Order seeks his capture to defeat her arch rivals. Entanglements of spellcraft and conspiracy converge to bring Arithon down. (RL: adult)

LAURENCE YEP (1948 - )

Shimmer and Thorn: Stories involve a dragon princess, two human children, a witch, sea monsters, magicians, and a monkey wizard. (RL: ages 12+)
1. Dragon of the Lost Sea (1982): A dragon princess, Shimmer, has lost her home (the Inland Sea) and is on a quest to recapture the mist stone from an evil witch named Civet. Shimmer and her human boy companion share many adventures fighting magical paper cutouts, battling mages and witches, and more.
2. Dragon Steel (1985): Returning to her underwater dragon kingdom expecting to be rewarded for capturing an enchantress, Shimmer and young Thorn instead must continue their quest to restore the dragon princess’s clan to its ancestral home.
3. Dragon Cauldron (1991): Shimmer, the Monkey wizard, the witch Civet, and two human children (Thorn and Indigo) are all seeking the Smith and his wife Snail Woman in their fabulous flying mountain: only their old magic can repair the fabulous Dragon Cauldron so that it can once again hold the sea and pour it back to form the dragons' home.
4. Dragon War (1992): Three companions -- the dragon princess, Monkey, and Indigo -- must outsmart the Boneless King and Shimmer's renegade brother, Pomfret, and must also win back the trust of Sambar, the dragon king, so united the dragons can all fight against the great evil.

JANE YOLEN (American, 11 Feb. 1939 - )

Jane Yolen's Official Web Site

The Pit Dragon Trilogy (RL: ages 12+)
1. Dragon’s Blood (1982): A bond servant in Master Sarkkhan’s dragon barns on the planet Austar IV, young Jakkin Stewart hopes to obtain his freedom by stealing a dragon hatchling and secretly training it to become a champion fighter.
2. Heart’s Blood (1984): When a plea arrives from his beloved Akki, Jakkin becomes a spy and risks his dragon Heart's Blood, her five hatchlings, and his freedom to go to the rescue.
3. A Sending of Dragons (1987): Falsely accused of sabotage, Jakkin and Akki are left to certain death in the wilderness of the planet Austar IV but, with the aid of five baby dragons, manage not only to survive but also to gain unusual powers and insights.
The Young Merlin Trilogy (RL: ages 9-12)
1. Passager (1996): A foundling rediscovers his identity through the help of the falconer who adopts him.
2. Hobby (1992): Merlin is a twelve-year-old who has lived for four years in the falconer's home until a devastating fire sends him on his way into an adventure with a street magician and his wife.
3. Merlin (1997): Takes place just following Book II. Merlin comes upon a tribe of wild people -- wodewoses -- who capture him and put him in a cage where he is supposed to tell them the future.
Also by Yolen:
- Wizard's Hall (1991): A young apprentice wizard (Henry, aka Thornmallow) saves the wizards' training hall from an evil wizard. (RL: ages 9-12)
- The Wizard's Map (1999): Three children visiting relatives in Scotland become involved in the plans of a diabolical wizard. The first in the Tartan Magic series. (RL: ages 9-12)
- The Wizard of Washington Square (1969): A boy, a girl, a dog, an inept wizard, a nasty antiques dealer, a walking table, and a great white alligator are all part of this 'complete romp.'

MARY FRANCES ZAMBRENO

Jermyn Graves (RL: ages 11-15)
1. A Plague of Sorcerers (1991): A magic plague is wreaking havoc in the Empire, and only an newly apprenticed wizard, Jermyn Graves, and Delia, his skunk familiar, can stop it.
2. Journeyman Wizard: A Magical Mystery (1994): 17-year-old Jermyn continues his education as a spellmaker. Not even pretty Brianne, grandaughter of his magic mistress Lady Jean Allons, or Jermyn's own dainty skunk-familiar Delia can dispel the gloom -- particularly when it appears that the backlash from one of Jermyn's own spells is responsible for Lady Jean's death.

Other 'If You Like Harry Potter, You Will Like...' lists include:

Other Links

Original Booklists

For Reading Groups

Harry Potter Readalikes