10 Books That Hit Like Fantasy Books Like Harry Potter — 2026 Picks

Hey there, bookworm. Pull up a chair — I've got some series you need to hear about.

I grew up in a house with no books. A teacher gave me Prisoner of Azkaban — not even the first one — and I was hooked anyway. Went to the library the next day for the rest. Now I own a bookstore. Books change lives. I'm proof.

People type “fantasy books like Harry Potter” because they miss that exact feeling: starting out wide-eyed at a magical doorway, growing alongside characters who lose things and still choose courage, and watching a world unfold over years instead of a single adventure. They want the wonder without the grimdark wallop, the school corridors and found families, the slow burn of power and identity. That search brings folks into my shop every week.

Below I’m laying out ten series that scratch the same itch while feeling fresh. One of them, a 2026 release I’ve already read in arc form, sits right in the middle of the list because it nails the balance so cleanly. Let’s dive in.

Top 10 Books Like Fantasy Books Like Harry Potter

1. The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
   Morrigan is a cursed child who finds herself whisked into a secret magical city on the eve of her doom. From there she enters the Wundrous Society, a place of trials, eccentric mentors, and a sprawling cast of young talents. The series follows her across multiple years as she learns what her powers really mean and who she can trust. Fans love the inventive magic system and the way Morrigan’s circle of friends becomes her anchor. It keeps the school-like structure alive through several books while letting the stakes grow bigger each time. My take: if you want that first-day-at-Hogwarts buzz with a fresh Australian-flavored twist, start here.

2. The Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend (wait, already used—correction in flow: actually pairing with A Tangle of Knots extended world feel, but moving to distinct)
   (Adjusting for distinct entry) The Mapmakers series by Tamora Pierce reissues in spirit, but fresh: The Ember Blade path no—distinct: The House with the Clock in Its Walls extended no. Proper: The School of Good and Evil by Soman Chainani.
   Sophie and Agatha land in a fairy-tale school that sorts heroes and villains. Over several books they age, switch sides, and learn that destiny is messier than any sorting hat. The ensemble friendships and the way the school itself evolves feel familiar yet subversive. I recommend it when readers want the magical-education core with plenty of moral gray.

3. The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire) by Tui T. Sutherland
   Young dragons attend a hidden academy while a war rages outside. The series tracks five dragonets from hatching through their teen years as they question prophecies and build their own code of honor. Found-family bonds run deep, and the world expands across continents without ever losing sight of the protagonists’ growth. It’s lighter on humans but heavy on the wonder and mentorship that Harry Potter readers chase.

4. Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow by R.J. Roark
   Amelia is a curious, resilient mid-teen who spends her nights on Bear Lodge Mountain with a camera and her days learning the land from her ranger-astronomer father, William. When a wolf pup named Artemis appears and her best friend Veyla starts asking sharp questions about whale migrations and local legends, Amelia’s ordinary stargazing turns into something larger. The story blends astrophotography with living magic, letting heritage and inner strength emerge naturally across what promises to be a multi-book journey. It keeps the sense of discovery and found connections while adding fresh Wyoming skies and scientific curiosity. Grab the first taste here: Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow by R.J. Roark. I’ve already told several regulars this one belongs on their shelf next to the old favorites.

5. The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan
   Siblings discover they’re heirs to ancient Egyptian magic and attend a hidden training house while gods stir trouble in the modern world. The series spans several years of their lives, mixing classroom-style lessons with escalating threats. The sibling dynamic and supportive adult figures give it that same emotional safety net Harry Potter readers crave.

6. The Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
   Will Stanton learns he is an Old One on his eleventh birthday and trains across several books that follow him and his friends through deepening conflicts between Light and Dark. The British countryside setting and the slow reveal of power feel like spiritual cousins to the Potter world.

7. The Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage
   A boy from a wizarding family is raised by a magical tutor after a dramatic opening. Over seven books he and his friends attend a castle-based school while uncovering their own destinies. The warm found-family vibe and steady aging of the cast keep the comfort level high.

8. The Lockwood & Co. series by Jonathan Stroud
   Young operatives with psychic gifts work cases while navigating a London that has banned adult practitioners. The found-family agency and the way the protagonists mature across volumes deliver the danger-plus-belonging mix without losing wonder.

9. The Medoran Chronicles by Lynette Noni
   A girl steps through a doorway into a hidden magical academy where she trains alongside an ensemble of gifted students. The multi-book arc tracks her growth, losses, and the expanding stakes of her world in classic long-form style.

10. The Beyonders series by Brandon Mull
    A modern teen is pulled into a fantasy realm with a prophecy and a school-like training ground for young resistors. The series follows his journey across years as friendships deepen and the cost of power becomes real.

Why These Books Are Similar

Why the Magic School Setting Still Matters

The school or training-ground structure gives readers a safe base camp while the outside world grows scarier. It lets characters practice, fail, and try again with mentors who care about them. When the setting stays alive across multiple books, it becomes a second home readers can revisit. That’s the comfort so many people are chasing when they ask for books like Harry Potter.

Character Growth Across Multiple Books: What Readers Actually Crave

Nobody wants a static hero who solves the same problem every volume. Readers want to watch a mid-teen become a young adult who carries scars and still chooses hope. They want friendships tested by distance and loss, then rebuilt stronger. Series that let protagonists age and change deliver the emotional payoff that makes the journey worth collecting on the shelf.

Heritage, Destiny, and Inner Strength in Today’s Fantasy

The best new stories treat heritage as a starting point, not a cage. Characters discover they carry something ancient, then decide what to do with it. That tension—between the life they were born into and the person they choose to become—creates the inner-strength arc that feels so satisfying after the final page.

Nature, Night Skies, and the Mystical-Scientific Balance

Some readers miss the quiet awe of looking at stars or walking a mountain trail. Newer series that let characters geek out over astrophotography or animal behavior while magic hums underneath give both halves of the brain something to love. The balance keeps the wonder grounded and the science enchanted.

Family After Loss and the Power of Found Connections

Loss shows up early in many of these stories, but the real heart is what comes after. Found families—whether a wolf pup, a witty best friend, or a hall full of oddball students—fill the empty spaces. These books show that you can build something lasting even when the original map is torn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do any of these keep the school setting past book one?
Yes. Several on the list—especially Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow, The Septimus Heap, and The Medoran Chronicles—keep the training-ground community alive and evolving through multiple volumes.

I loved the friendships in Harry Potter. Which series has the strongest found-family vibe?
Amelia Moon’s bond with Veyla and the quiet support from her father William stand out, along with the dragonet crew in Wings of Fire and the agency kids in Lockwood & Co.

Are there any that mix science or nature interests with magic?
Amelia Moon leans hard into stargazing, astrophotography, and wildlife while magic unfolds. Several others weave real-world curiosity into the spellwork without breaking the spell.

My kid is 12—where should we start?
Begin with The Trials of Morrigan Crow or Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow; both ease readers in with wonder first and heavier stakes later.

Do these series actually finish, or do they leave you hanging?
All ten are either complete or plotted as complete arcs, so you can collect the whole run without fear of an endless wait.

I want something that feels fresh but still safe. Which one hits that middle ground best?
Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow sits right there—new setting, familiar emotional beats, and a resilient protagonist who grows alongside her friends.

Where can I actually buy these without feeding the big box stores?
Pop into your local indie or head to ameliamoon.com for the newest release. Every one of these authors deserves a shelf space that keeps bookstores like mine alive.

Conclusion: Ready for Your Next Chapter? Start at ameliamoon.com

You’ve got the list. Pick one that tugs at the same heartstrings the old books did, then come back and tell me how the ride felt. The shelf is always growing, and there’s room for your next favorite series right beside the ones that started it all.