Books like Harry Potter: 12 classics to read next
These classic books like Harry Potter share its pleasures of secret magic, tested friendships, and finding a home. Start with The Enchanted Castle, where children discover a magical ring and find that wishes bring trouble.
The Enchanted Castle
E. Nesbit
Children uncover a magical ring during a country holiday, bringing the pleasure of secret magic with consequences beyond their games.
4 h 40 min readMedium
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank Baum
Dorothy enters a magical land and meets companions along the road, pairing an unfamiliar world with the search for home.
2 h 40 min readMedium
Five Children and It
E. Nesbit
A grumpy sand-fairy grants five siblings wishes, turning their discovery of secret magic into a series of unexpected troubles.
3 h 40 min readMedium
The Story of the Amulet
E. Nesbit
Through an ancient charm, four children open doors through time, carrying the pleasure of magical discovery into unfamiliar worlds.
4 h 40 min readMedium
The Princess and the Goblin
George MacDonald
Beneath a mountain, goblins plot while a princess finds mysterious help, joining hidden danger with the reassurance of magical protection.
3 h 30 min readEasy
The Water-Babies
Charles Kingsley
Mistreated chimney sweep Tom enters a hidden magical world beneath the water, meeting talking creatures and fairies while learning kindness.
4 h 40 min readMedium
At the Back of the North Wind
George MacDonald
Young Diamond befriends the North Wind, whose journeys above rooftops and across the sea bring a boy into another world.
6 h readMedium
The Adventures of Pinocchio
Carlo Collodi
Pinocchio's encounters with deceitful creatures and a protective fairy combine a boy's magical adventures with danger from sinister figures.
2 h 40 min readEasy
Tom Brown's School Days
Thomas Hughes
At Rugby School, Tom's friendships face the test of bullying, making loyalty and responsibility central to his boarding school life.
7 h 20 min readMedium
A Little Princess
Frances Hodgson Burnett
After her father's death, Sara faces cruelty at boarding school, drawing on imagination and loyal friendship as an orphan seeking belonging.
4 h 30 min readMedium
The Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Behind a locked garden door, lonely Mary discovers friendships, giving an orphan's search for belonging a secret place to grow.
5 h 30 min readMedium
Anne of Green Gables
L. M. Montgomery
Unwanted at first, imaginative Anne finds an island farm home and enduring school friendships, sharing the pleasure of an orphan finding belonging.
7 h 10 min readMedium
What are the best classic books like Harry Potter?
The Enchanted Castle is a strong starting point for secret magic and wishes with consequences. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz offers a magical land and travelling companions, while Tom Brown's School Days focuses on boarding school friendships, bullying, and responsibility.
Which classic book is closest to Harry Potter?
The Enchanted Castle is the closest match here for children uncovering secret magic and facing its consequences. Its country holiday begins with exploration and make-believe before a magical ring changes the stakes. For the boarding school side instead, choose Tom Brown's School Days.
Where should I start if I loved Harry Potter?
Read The Enchanted Castle next for children discovering magic that turns wishes into trouble. If finding a home matters more, start with Anne of Green Gables. For friendships tested by bullying at boarding school, choose Tom Brown's School Days.
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