Books similar to 'Harry Potter': Magical stories for both kids and adults

Do you remember the first book you really connected with?

For many, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling was that book. Readers grew up alongside Harry, Ron and Hermione, resonating with the sense of belonging created in the walls of Hogwarts. And it's not just for kids – many discover the "Harry Potter" books for the first time in adulthood or realize what they've been missing by only watching the movies.

If you're searching for a similar read, we've got a recommendation for everyone from middle-grade fantasies for young readers to adult contemporaries with Potter-like themes and whimsical classics for all ages. 

Books like ‘Harry Potter’ 

There are six other “Harry Potter” books (and a few spin-offs) to dive into if you loved “The Sorcerer’s Stone,” but if you’ve completed the series and are want to keep the magic going, check out these 10 books. 

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‘The Secret of Platform 13’ by Eva Ibbotson

In this 1994 book, an abandoned railway platform door opens for just nine days every nine years, connecting London to a magical kingdom where humans, mermaids, ogres, fey and other creatures coexist. But when the island’s prince is kidnapped, an unlikely alliance of an ogre, hag, wizard and fey will have only days to sneak around London to save him. 

‘Midnight for Charlie Bone’ by Jenny Nimmo

If your favorite part of the “Harry Potter” sorcery was the enchanted photos, you’ll love the middle-grade “Children of the Red King” series. The first book opens with Charlie Bone, a kid who can hear people in photographs talking. In this world, the powers of the Red King are passed down through descendants unexpectedly. When Charlie's aunts send him to Bloor Academy, a school for geniuses, he’ll discover being magically gifted comes with both power and danger.

‘The Goldfinch’ by Donna Tartt

If you’re looking for a grown-up “Harry Potter,” check out this best-selling contemporary novel. In “The Goldfinch,” thirteen-year-old Theo survives an accident that tears every aspect of his life apart. Left with only a small painting to remember his mother, he goes to live with a wealthy family and gets drawn into a criminal underworld.

‘Legendborn’ by Tracy Deonn

“Legendborn” has a lot in common with the “Harry Potter” series – a school that’s a home away from home, magical creatures and a secret student society.

In Tracy Deonn’s fantasy novel, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews is looking to escape the grief and painful memories in her hometown while at a residential program for gifted high schoolers. But when she witnesses a magical attack on her first night – a flying demon and a secret society of students hunting the creatures down – it triggers her own unique, buried magic. By infiltrating the secret Legendborn society, Bree will be forced to face the truth about her mother’s death and her own powers.

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‘The Sword of Summer’ by Rick Riordan

This is the first book in the middle-grade “Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard” series by “Percy Jackson” author Rick Riordan. “The Sword of Summer” follows Magnus Chase, who has been surviving on his own on the streets of Boston for two years. When his uncle tracks him down, he reveals Magnus is the son of a Norse god and his birthright is a powerful weapon that’s been lost for thousands of years. 

‘The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches’ by Sangu Mandanna

This cozy fantasy novel is perfect for Potterheads who loved the “found family” aspect of the series. Mika Moon, one of the few witches in Britain, is an orphan who has to hide her magic. Her only connection to the magical world is an online account where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch, assuming no one will take her seriously. But when someone does, Mika finds herself breaking all the rules as she heads to the mysterious Nowhere House to teach young witches.

‘A Wizard of Earthsea’ by Ursula K. Le Guin

Published almost 30 years before J.K. Rowling’s first "Harry Potter" book, “A Wizard of Earthsea” is the first of the critically acclaimed “Earthsea Cycle” series by fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin. This novel centers on the great sorcerer Ged, who, as a power-hungry, reckless youngster, tampered with deep secrets and cast a shadow over the world. “A Wizard of Earthsea” follows his journey through dragons, power and “death’s threshold” to restore balance in Earthsea.

‘The Serpent’s Secret’ by Sayantani DasGupta

Like Harry, Kiranmala in “The Serpent’s Secret” unearths her powers on a middle-school birthday. In the first book of the “Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond” series, Kiranmala discovers her parents have disappeared. In their place is a demon ravaging her house trying to devour her. Also at her door are two princes, insisting they've shown up to rescue her. Kiranmala gets swept into a magical dimension where she'll have to solve riddles, battle demons, find her parents and save the world. 

‘Charmed Life’ by Diana Wynne Jones

Another fantasy classic that predated “Harry Potter,” the “Chrestomanci” series from 1977 follows two siblings, Cat and Gwendolen. Cat has always been second to his sister, the most promising young witch on Coven Street. But when the pair are summoned to live in Chrestomanci Castle, the witches of the castle refuse to praise Gwendolen’s talents and she dreams up a scheme that turns the world upside down.

‘Akarnae’ by Lynette Noni

This young adult fantasy follows Alex, a sixteen-year-old who is supposed to be starting at a new school but instead finds herself entering the magical world of Medora. Eager to become a part of this strange and foreign society, Alex begins studying at Akarnae Academy, a boarding school for gifted teenagers. But after a series of sinister events, it becomes apparent that there’s something dangerous bubbling below the surface. Only Alex can save the Medorans, but it also may cost her the home she’s left behind.

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