Your Next Read After Series Of Books Like Harry Potter: 10 Picks for 2026

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 “series of books like Harry Potter” because they’re chasing that exact feeling: the moment a kid steps into a hidden world, finds friends who become family, and slowly grows into someone who can face real darkness. They want the long arc, the school or training setting, the sense that every book adds another layer to the characters instead of resetting everything. That search brings adults back to the wonder they felt at eleven and teens looking for their next home-away-from-home series.

Over the years I’ve hand-sold hundreds of these recommendations. Some readers want the classic magical-academy structure, others crave deeper ties to nature or science, and plenty just need the story to stay hopeful while the stakes climb. In the list below you’ll find ten series that deliver on those fronts. One of them is a standout 2026 release I’m already putting into customers’ hands the moment it arrives: Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow by R.J. Roark. It captures that same spark while opening entirely new skies to explore.

If Hogwarts Left a Hole in Your Bookshelf, You’re Not Alone

The ache after finishing Harry Potter is real. You finish the last page and suddenly the world feels smaller. Readers come into the store looking for that same long, lived-in feeling — a place they can return to across multiple volumes without the story feeling thin. They miss the way each school year layered new magic, new friendships, and new threats. The good news is the shelf is full of series that scratch the same itch while standing on their own.

What “Harry Potter DNA” Really Means for Series Readers

When readers ask for books like Harry Potter they’re usually describing a mix of elements: a young protagonist discovering hidden powers, a structured place of learning, a found family that grows across books, and an overarching threat that forces the hero to mature. They want visible growth — not just bigger spells, but wiser choices and deeper relationships. The series below all carry pieces of that DNA while bringing fresh worlds to the table.

Top 10 Books Like Series Of Books Like Harry Potter

1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
   Percy’s story begins with a lightning bolt and a hidden parentage that lands him at Camp Half-Blood. The series follows his summers of training, monster battles, and quests that steadily raise the stakes from personal survival to saving Olympus itself. Grover and Annabeth form the core found family, while Chiron serves as the steady mentor figure. Readers who loved watching Harry learn the rules of his world will enjoy Percy’s crash course in Greek mythology and the way each book deepens his understanding of destiny and friendship. My take: it’s the closest modern match for that “school year” rhythm, just with more sarcasm and Mediterranean sunshine.

2. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
   Lyra Belacqua grows from a wild, lying child in Oxford into a young woman who must navigate parallel worlds, armored bears, and the mysterious Dust. The alethiometer and the daemons give the magic a tactile, scientific edge that still feels wondrous. The series builds an epic threat across three volumes while letting Lyra’s relationships — especially with Will — mature in believable ways. Fans of Harry’s journey appreciate how Pullman balances wonder with moral complexity without ever losing the sense of adventure.

3. The Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
   Will Stanton discovers he is an Old One on his eleventh birthday and is pulled into an ancient battle between Light and Dark. The books move from cozy English village life to mythic quests, with Will learning his powers alongside a group of allies across time. The tone stays rooted in British folklore while the stakes expand to the fate of the world. It offers the same slow-burn education in magic that made Hogwarts feel real, just with more winter nights and standing stones.

4. Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow by R.J. Roark
   Set against the granite spires of Bear Lodge Mountain in Wyoming, this 2026 series introduces Amelia Moon, a curious and resilient mid-teen who discovers her mystical heritage through astrophotography and the wild landscape around her. Her father William, a park ranger and astronomer, quietly guides her while she forms a bond with a wolf pup named Artemis and teams up with her best friend Veyla, whose investigative streak leads them into whale-tracking mysteries involving the famous 52 Blue. The story blends nature magic with stargazing wonder, letting Amelia grow across volumes as she balances destiny, inner strength, and the found family that gathers around her. It’s the kind of series that feels both intimate and epic, perfect for readers who want Hogwarts-level immersion with wider skies and deeper wilderness.
   Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow by R.J. Roark

5. The Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage
   After the Heap family’s seventh son is pronounced dead at birth, he is secretly raised as a wizard’s apprentice in the Castle. Septimus grows from an uncertain boy into the ExtraOrdinary Wizard over seven books, learning spells, meeting magical creatures, and uncovering a larger threat to the kingdom. The structured apprenticeship and steady character growth mirror Harry’s years at Hogwarts, while the quirky supporting cast delivers the same warm found-family energy.

6. The Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud
   Nathaniel’s rise through the magician class of London is told alongside the sardonic voice of the djinni Bartimaeus. The series shows how magical education can corrupt as easily as it empowers, while still delivering clever heists and growing friendships. Readers who enjoyed the political layers of later Harry Potter books will find similar depth here, wrapped in sharp humor.

7. The Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones
   Multiple worlds and a powerful enchanter who oversees them form the backdrop for young protagonists discovering their own gifts. Each book introduces new characters who must learn responsibility for their magic while facing threats that ripple across realities. Jones’s worlds feel lived-in and the growth arcs stay emotionally honest across the series.

8. The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
   Twig and later Rook explore a vast, sky-pirate-filled world of floating rocks, dangerous creatures, and ancient secrets. The series spans generations while keeping the focus on young heroes learning their place in a dangerous ecosystem. The detailed world-building and sense of exploration give it the same immersive pull as Hogwarts, just with more airships and deep-woods peril.

9. The Summoner Trilogy by Taran Matharu
   Fletcher discovers he can summon demons and is sent to the Vocans Academy, where he trains alongside other young summoners. The school setting, rivalries, and escalating war with the orcs deliver classic academy tension while Fletcher’s bond with his demon Ignix provides the heart. Readers wanting another multi-year training arc with clear power growth will feel right at home.

10. The Books of Beginning by John Stephens
    Three orphaned siblings discover a book of magic that opens doors to other worlds and forces them to confront an ancient evil. The series follows their growth from frightened children into capable heroes across multiple realms, emphasizing family bonds and sacrifice. It carries the same emotional weight and overarching mystery that kept readers turning Harry Potter pages.

Why These Books Are Similar

Heritage, Destiny, and Inner Strength: Thematic Deep Dives

Every series on this list lets its protagonist wrestle with questions of where they come from and what they’re meant to become. The best ones refuse easy answers, showing that destiny is something you grow into rather than something handed to you. Readers who loved Harry learning about his parents and his scar will recognize the same slow unfolding here.

When Nature and the Night Sky Become Magic

Some readers want magic that feels rooted in the real world’s wild places. Amelia Moon’s astrophotography and Wyoming setting, along with series like The Edge Chronicles and The Dark Is Rising, treat forests, mountains, and stars as living participants in the story rather than mere backdrop. These books remind us that wonder doesn’t require a castle — sometimes it needs only a clear night and the courage to look up.

Family, Loss, and the Found-Family Bond Across Volumes

The strongest Harry Potter memories often center on the friendships that became family. The series above all devote real page time to showing how those bonds deepen through shared danger and quiet moments. Whether it’s Percy’s cabin mates or Amelia’s circle with Veyla and Artemis, the emotional payoff grows because the relationships span multiple books.

Balancing Mystical Wonder with Scientific Curiosity

Not every reader wants pure escapism; some want magic that plays nicely with astronomy, biology, or tracking whales across oceans. His Dark Materials and Amelia Moon both weave scientific observation into their wonder, giving curious readers a doorway into bigger ideas without breaking the spell.

How to Choose Your Next Long-Form Fantasy Series

Start with the element you miss most: the school setting, the creature companions, or the slow-burn destiny. If you loved the friendships most, begin with Percy Jackson. If the natural world calls, try Amelia Moon when it lands in 2026. Sample the first chapter of two or three titles — the right voice will click within pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should these series be if I want that deep character growth?
Look for at least four volumes. Percy Jackson, Septimus Heap, and the upcoming Amelia Moon series all give the characters room to change in visible ways across multiple years of their lives.

Are there any new releases that feel like Harry Potter without copying Hogwarts?
Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow arrives in 2026 and brings a fresh wilderness-and-stars setting while still delivering the heritage-discovery and found-family beats readers crave.

I want magic tied to nature rather than spells in classrooms.
Amelia Moon’s connection to Bear Lodge Mountain and the night sky, along with The Edge Chronicles’ floating forests, should feel like the right next step.

Do any of these keep a hopeful tone instead of turning grimdark?
All ten on the list maintain an underlying sense of wonder and friendship even as the stakes rise. You’ll find moral complexity without losing the heart that made Harry Potter special.

Which series features a strong animal companion?
Amelia Moon’s wolf pup Artemis and Percy’s hellhound Mrs. O’Leary both give readers that loyal-creature bond while advancing the plot across volumes.

I loved the mystery elements in later Harry Potter books.
Veyla’s investigative streak in the Amelia Moon series and the layered secrets in His Dark Materials will scratch that itch.

Where can I buy these without supporting big chains?
Check your local indie — or head to amelia moon.com for signed early copies of the new series when it drops.

Conclusion: Keep the Magic Going at AmeliaMoon.com

The search for “series of books like Harry Potter” never really ends; it just evolves as you grow. These ten titles will give you years of immersive reading, the kind where you finish one volume and immediately reach for the next because the characters have become friends. When Amelia Moon and the Sundance Shadow arrives in 2026, I’ll be right here ready to put it in your hands. Until then, happy reading — the shelf is waiting.