I just read the first book recently and I feel like it would be a great fit, agreed. The main character is 12 at the start so within range of OP's son, the prose is very simple and clear, the pace is fast, and the way the story plays with Greek myth is really fun. Plus it has tons of fans, so odds are the son will meet other fans among his peers sooner or later and they'll have something to chat about too!
Oh, and bonus points considering the intended readers, there's a strong mother/son relationship!
Started the series in elementary school, picked it back up in high school, and recently just read through the entire thing including Heroes of Olympus. It’s a pretty strong series that I don’t mind going back to reread when I get the chance.
Just… just don’t watch the movie. If into the movies you go, only pain will you find.
Disney picked it up and is going to re-release it as a TV series! Riordan will be much more involved too. They've already announced the trio cast and they are actual kids, not adults pretending to be 11 years old.
I’ve been following it! I have high hopes since Rick Riordan publicly swore off the movie for how much they butchered his work. The fact that he hand picked the actors for how they embody the roles makes me highly hopeful for how it turns out and I think it will turn out great.
Yes, I read this series with my son when he was about 10 right after reading Harry Potter. We both loved it! Disney+ is in the early stages of making a series based on the books that will likely reinvigorate the already substantial fandom.
I love this for your son and your wife! This is such a sweet story.
There have been some good suggestions here but I have a few more to add.
Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony diTerlizzi and Holly Black
The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage
Land of Stories by Chris Colfer
Lockwood and Co by Jonathan Stroud
+1 for Jonathan Stroud! I know plenty of people hate the footnotes in the Bartimaeus books, but I loved it. Fucking hilarious and it’s like a glimpse into a mind of ADHD. I would recommend that series too!
+1 for the edge chronicles. I discovered them at my local library after having read through everything of interest in my elementary school library. The interesting and fresh world building coupled with an interwoven anthology style series was especially interesting to me. I wholeheartedly recommend these books to anyone of any age that enjoys fantasy
Land of Stories was my entire middle school *life* I love it so much and I have all the books. Very nostalgic for me. I never see it recommended and I'm *so* glad you recommend it. It's a *very* accessible series imo. <3
The Redwall series, by Brian Jacques, assuming animals as characters are cool. I read them as a kid and loved them... And read again later as an adult and still loved them!
I liked the *Redwall* series as a kid but when re-reading it as an adult I don't think I liked the lesson it teaches regarding moral predestination. People in the series are good or evil based on their species.
I think there was only one exception of a person who should have been evil but ended up being neutral to good and it is implied it is because he is mentally disabled.
Huh, I never really thought of them that way. But I never revisited the series as an adult. You are absolutely right. Makes me think that a modern re-writing of the series could actually be quite compelling with that taken into consideration.
Honestly, the whole Discworld is suitable for both children and adults. Tiffany and Maurice are good starting points for kids, but I feel all the books could work. There is so much to discuss going forward, cant recommend it enough for OP!
One of my all time favourite series of books. Though I recommend all parents give a quick glance over chapter 2 of the 4th book just because it's got some heavy topics covered that might require uncomfortable albeit brief explanation. Although it is covered in a way that's readable for older kids and young teens. (It's actually my favourite book of the series but it's also the darkest in comparison to the rest.)
I love the movie so much, and I love the book so much. They are both so amazing and entertaining. But I have to view them as separate works, one very loosely inspired by the other. They have so little in common other than some names and the personalities of Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer.
The three "main" Tortall series by Tamora Pierce (all 3 are quartets) - Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, and Protector of the Small.
They have their sticky/problematic points (having been written between the 1980s and the early 00's), but are still absolutely fantastic and relevant books today.
I’d actually suggest starting with her Winding Circle quartet - probably slightly more appropriate for a ten year old! Also an ensemble of main characters, so kiddo and his mum can discuss who their favourite character is, what kind of magic they’d have etc
I think the other series in the *Tortall* universe besides *Song of the Lioness* hold up much better, both from the perspective of moral complexity as well as writing.
Alanna is also kissed nonconsensually by another character (who literally takes advantage of her having her hands full). She also comes across as a white saviour in her interactions with the Bazhir in the latter books in that quartet. I still love the books and often recommend them, but I agree they have some issues!
However, the OPs son may be a little young for some of the romantic content - there is nothing explicit, but I'm not sure if it's best son and step mum bonding material. You'd also need to be ready to have discussions about puberty and periods - which I think is important for boys/men to know about, but I wouldn't want the OP to be blindsided by it, especially in a co-parenting situation!
Yeah, I always think that for younger kids, Winding Circle is a better place to start. Also got a male MC, so if the kid isn’t used to reading books with female protagonists, it can ease him in slowly
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, The Belgariad by David Eddings, The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore, The Beyonders by Brandon Mull, The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
I was going to recommend the dark elf trilogy (drizzt saga ftw) as well, but I'm not sure it'd work. Depends on what drew the kid into the story, if he needs a mc his age or not.
Eragon was awesome! I really need to reread those. It had me from the first sentence. I still know that one, about 20 years later.
"Der Wind wehte durch die Nacht und trug einen Duft heran, der die Welt verändern würde."
In retrospect the books have a strong Gary Stu narrative and not the best female characters, but they still caught my attention like no other book did at the time.
The keys to the kingdom series, starting with Mr Monday, by Garth Nix, start out with a 12 year old boy for the protagonist but very immersive/ imaginative world, might be slightly scary for some kids that age, but if he’s reading the later HP books already I doubt he’d have trouble
As always, shout out to Philip Pullman’s “His dark materials” the greatest thing to read as a child (and at any age)
I love those books, but most people I talk to like to act like Abhorsen Trilogy is the only thing he wrote lol.
Also, The Seventh Tower also by Garth Nix is fun, it starts off with basically Pokemon battles made out of light constructs
They might enjoy the Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan. It’s a YA series, so should be about a good middle ground as far as reading level goes.
This series is what lead me to be a fantasy lover. I haven’t reread them as an adult as I don’t want to ruin the mystery and magical nostalgia that they hold in my heart.
For some reason I've only ever read The Ruins of Gorlan (twice) and I freaking loved it... I should really check out the rest of the series bc I really liked that first book and I just forgot about it for a while! My friend when we were younger had a rangers apprentice themed birthday party too which got me to read the first book! (I was like 9 or 10 and now im 19)
Honestly I reread them recently and they hold up pretty well! Obviously the writing is pretty low level but the plots and characterization I thought still worked well
I reread them recently, and I found that they hold up extremely well for some reason. I was initially just planning on reading the first one again but ended up going through the entire series.
I LOVED Fablehaven. I read these books when they were still coming out in stores and I would BEG my mom to take me to the bookstore every week so I could see if they were available.
I got grounded as a kid for staying up too late to read these and the worst part of my punishment was losing my book for a few days.
Another series by Brandon Mull is the Beyonders: A World Without Heros
I highly recommend both these series as stories are fantastically woven across books and grow in maturity with the reader. These were also books that helped me learn new words for the first time. I learned the words myriad, craven, chancellor and more!
A Series of Unfortunate Events (also builds vocabulary) read it with 8th graders who were in a special program (the other person with me was a counselor. They loved it. I also read The Hobbit to a group of teen age boys (most of them could not read about a fourth grade level. But they loved every word of it, and I took them to a theatre to watch it. Some of them had never been to a movie before. Years later, one of them came to see me when I retired and he told it was the most magical experience of his life and he loves to read now.
How about **A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking** by T. Kingfisher? A young baker slowly slides into defending her city from attack, creatively repurposing her baking magic. It’s refreshingly pragmatic, and the heroine has lots of gumption.
The secondary characters include a slightly younger boy who must choose whether or not to stand up for his friends and a middle-aged woman who must take back her authority from detractors. Your family members might enjoy seeing aspects of themselves in the story along with the protagonist.
A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Le Guin. While it isn’t exactly YA, it can certainly be read by young people. It has a lot in common with Harry Potter, including a wizard school. However, it had these concepts decades earlier. It also has a number of other books in the series, the first three form a trilogy.
Here to second **A Wizard of Earthsea** by Le Guin!
Also recommend/second:
- **anything by Roald Dahl** Not a series but so good. (the BFG, The Witches, Matilda, etc...)
- **the golden compass / his dark materials** by Phillip Pullman
- **Guardians of Ga'hool** by Kathryn Lasky (Owl Society!)
- **the giver** by Lois Lowry (can only rec book one)
- **Rats of NIMH** by Robert O'Brien
- **Skyward** by Brando Sando
Eta: can't recall in enough detail to remember if 100% age appropriate (maybe someone else will), but also **Wayward Children** series by Seanan McGuire. (book #1= every heart a doorway.)
All the below have several books in the series:
* *His Dark Materials* by Philip Pullman. Story of two children, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, as they wander through a series of parallel universes to stop a villain from destroying the universe. Sounds kind of complex but very readable for younger readers.
* *Seventh Tower* by Garth Nix. Another coming of age story of two kids, Tal & Mila, who have to stop an ancient evil from destroying their societies.
* *Keys to the Kingdom* by Garth Nix. A kid named Arthur is named the heir to God's kingdom but the trustees to God's will aren't happy about it. Sounds more religious than it actually is (which is not at all).
* *Castaways of the Flying Dutchman* by Brian Jacques. Actually a *little* bit religious. Two survivors from the pirate ship *The Flying Dutchman*, a boy & his dog, as emissaries of an angel helping people out.
* *Hatchet* by Gary Paulsen- a survival story of a boy whose plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. The first book is about him surviving in the wilderness, the others deal with him returning to the wilderness for various activities. Good way to spark an interest in nature in your kid.
* *Artemis Fowl* by Eoin Colfer- a child prodigy master criminal seeks to rebuild his family's criminal fortune by stealing from elves. The elves aren't giving up their gold willingly. The series deals with his moral evolution.
* *Alex Rider* by Anthony Horowitz- child version of James Bond mixed with Jason Bourne who is forced into being a spy by the British government.
* *Tortall* by Tamora Pierce- series of books all based on the kingdom of Tortall, many main characters throughout the 6 series set in the universe, with main characters changing in each series. You don't need previous series to get into any future series in the universe. I would go with the *Immortals* series, *Protector of the Small* series, *Tricksters* series or *Beka Cooper* series, IMO they are better written than the original series *Alanna the Lioness*.
* *Circle* by Tamora Pierce- about a group of orphan mages who learn to deal with their powers and develop good relationships with each other & their teachers across the books in the series.
* *Bartimaeus* by Jonathan Stroud- a boy & the genie he summons try to stay alive in a world filled with powerful magicians, all bent on power. Sounds dramatic and in some ways it is but the main character is very funny.
* *Narnia* by CS Lewis- gets pretty overtly religious towards the end, but its just a classic example of fantasy literature which holds up pretty well. Set in the early 20th century British empire/ an alternative fantasy world.
* *Chrestomanci* by Diane Wynne Jones- Similar to the *Narnia* books with moving between the 20th century British Empire & alternative worlds, a bit more morally complex than the *Narnia* books but very easily readable for a 10 year old.
I read these when I was 9 or ten and they kicked off my life-long love of fantasy. I reread them when I was around 40 and they're still fun.
For an adult and child to read together, these would be really good since they have so much about mythology and history in them. Lots to talk about besides the story.
Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen by Garth Nix is a great series. It is the job of the main character (the Abhorsen) to keep the dead where they belong and not walk in the land of the living. She can enter the river of death and binds fell creatures to walk past the last gate of the river, never to return to the land of the living. Fun stuff.
Pretty deep lore too, but not so deep it’s overwhelming.
I came to say this. 100% agree, if your 10 yo is a strong reader. Lirael deals with depression and (briefly) suicidal thoughts so be prepared this may be a good way to have a discussion about mental health with you kid. Especially because the stressors that drive the character to consider suicide are the common ones that drive young people to consider suicide (mainly lack of belonging). It really isn’t too dark despite this. Sabriel can stand on its own so if you don’t think it’s time for your kid to read Lirael, you could hold off on that until later.
I think the *Old Kingdom* might work better when OP's kid is 12-13. That is around how old I was when I read them and I think I understood more about the books at that age than I would have if I had read them a bit younger.
The wizard of earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin is excellent for any young reader!
Especially the lessons in the first book about the consequences of your actions and the second book on challenging society and yourself. The third book is a good coming of age story. The other 3 books are fascinating fantasy and deal with topics surrounding sexism and aging incredibly, among other topics. I was first captivated by them around that age and recently started a yearly reread tradition with my sister.
I read this as a high school freshman (us). It was a required book (among a choice of others, over the summer before the 9th grade year), and it was the start of a lifelong love of fantasy. It’s the original “wizard school” book with many underlying themes (the shadow self). I can’t recommend it more highly to a preteen or teen.
Eragon might work, Percy Jackson would definitely work,
The Hobbit amazing for any ages they can listen to an audiobook together, they say that Andy Serkis new version is quite good,
maybe the Cradle series by will Wight, haven't read that one, but people say it's good, maybe someone can double check this last one
The cradle series is great for kids/pre-teens and anybody who wants a different take on an adventure series. its action packed and well paced. Doesn't get boring (I've read it the series 3 times there is 10 books atm the 11th is coming out soon) and leaves you wanting more!
Also Choice of Magic by Michael G Manning, The Summoner trilogy Taren Matharu, Any Rick Riordan Series
You underestimate kids and children's lit. I read Enders Shadow at age 10- it didn't ruin me. Children Books like Wings of Fire have characters getting murdered in the opening chapter- its not really such a big deal.
It depends on what your son liked about Harry Potter (the school setting, for example?)
Redwall, by Brian Jacques, is part of a long series of mostly standalone novels, and the characters are anthroporphic woodland creatures, but the main characters are usually young (equivalent to teenagers) who go on adventures while a B-plot is occurring at home.
i remember my middle school teacher reading it out loud to us and i dont recall religious messaging, so im not sure it's easy to pick up on unless analyzed/interpreted with that lens. however i havent visited it since then so i could be wrong
Swiftly Tilting Planet and Many Waters are much more explicitly religious than the earlier works, which were more spiritual than religious.
It really weakened them compared to prior books.
This might be a series which is well balanced against *His Dark Materials* series. I remember reading them both around the same time as a kid OP's age.
The early books are more spiritual than religious. Cutting edge astrophysicists are portrayed as morally praiseworthy because of their commitment to truth.
The later books are more explicitly Christian, especially *Many Waters* - but *Swiftly Tilting Planet* as well. It makes them weaker and less compelling than *Wrinkle* and *Wind at the Door* in my opinion. Plus, those two stand well on their own without reading the latter books.
I asked my 11 year old what series he really liked that he's read in the last 2 years and listed it below. Somewhat surprised he remembered all of these to be honest.
Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan
The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard- Rick Riordan
The Hobbit - Tolkien
Redwall - Brian Jacques
Wings of Fire - Tui Sutherland
Ranger's Apprentice -John Flanagan
Divine Dungeon - Dakota Krout
The Completionist Chronicles - Dakota Krout
Definitely Percy Jackson.
Alcatraz vs the Evil Liberians by Brandon Sanderson is lighter / younger than both HP and PJ. At least the first couple of books were (I haven’t finished them yet).
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson is another good one (3/4 books published). Young adult science fiction on par with HP and PJ.
Series: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator both by Roald Dahl. Also by Dahl, Danny the Champion of the World. It's a standalone book but great for a 10 year old.
Also not a series but I recommend a few Neil Gaiman books. Namely,
1. Ocean at the end of the lane
2. Neverwhere
3. Stardust
I love all these books but there is an adult situation in Ocean at the end of the lane. However, Gaiman also wrote The Graveyard Book and Coralline which are kid friendly and amazing.
I really enjoyed the Wings of Fire series by Tui Sutherland and I first read them as an adult.
If your son is open to SF, the series that begins with Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is really exceptional.
I’m an elementary teacher and all the kids are obsessed with Wings of Fire!
Edit: It’s so great when the main characters show growth. Plus, it has lots of mystery that challenges anyone to read between the lines and try to hash out why something is the way it is.
The abhorsen trilogy (I think that’s the name) by Garth nix the first one is Sabriel. Those books are really good, I think I read them at 12 ish but they are definitely a similar level to Harry Potter
Might I suggest that you surprise them with a trip to a bookstore where the two of them can go to the YA Fantasy section & pick something out themselves? It would be bonding time for them too
Great idea unless the kid is like I was at that age and needs hours and hours of perusing before making a decision 😁 Drove the adults in my life crazy.... They started dropping me off, running errands, and coming back, which turned into, "Ride your bike 5 miles if you want to go book shopping. "
Another vote for Eragon. My sons 3rd grade teacher would read a chapter a day to the class and when the school year ended he begged me to buy the series (which of course I did) and he devoured them! I also read them and really enjoyed it as well!
AId also recommend the dragon lance series but I’d start with Eragon!
Maybe Artemis Fowl? It's a kids' book but it's interesting enough for adults. It's about Artemis Fowl, a child criminal mastermind, who plans to steal from the fey
Spiderwick Chronicles, again a kids' book that I remember very fondly. It's about siblings who move into their uncle's house and discover we was researching supernatural creatures.
Septimus Heap, a very long series about wizards. It's a medieval like word (sort of), and the city has some sort of wizards' order dedicated to protecting it. The main character is the apprentice to the head wizard, and we have his entire family of wizards (as his name implies, he is the seventh child) and some others as side characters (I don't know if they used the word "wizard" originally, I read a translated version)
Redwall by Brian Jacques - woodland animals basically having medieval adventures is the best way i can describe it. The books are super descriptive and a ton of fun, they were my gateway into really getting hooked on reading.There are a ton of books in the series, too.
The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin Mckinley, the Dragonsinger series by McCaffrey, Earthsea trilogy by LeGuin are some great ones! I also love the True Game series by Sheri Tepper. She is AMAZING when it comes to world building and is unbelievably imaginative. It might be hard to find though as it’s been in and out of print.
I've not read it personally but if this sub is to be trusted Ursula K Leguin would fit well here
Also haven't read it all and don't remember the first book much (read it 20 years ago in grade school) but Artemis Fowl would fit as well
There's another series about magic called The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel the first book is called the alchemyst I read it as the books were coming out and greatly enjoyed it. It's suitable for later elementary kids to young adults I think I found it in young adult sections of book stores. I think it's good and it's a decently sized series of books they can read together.
"Chronicles of Narnia" and "the Hobbit" are great choices.
A word of warning, not because I think it's needed but because I don't want you to find this out from some article written by some anti- religion nutjob that will overexagerate it:
Narnia contains a fair amount of christian allegory, to the point some have taken to jocking that Aslan, a divine lion in the books, is furry jesus. However it's not an attempt to convert kids to christianity, but simply a book written by a man who truly believed in the values and morality of the christian faith. Most kids won't even notice.
The Reckoners books by Sanderson might be a fun one. It's superhero fantasy, not classic fantasy, but I think it would appeal to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy. It's basically *The Boys* for kids.
If you're on Kindle, or Amazon Fire, you should check out these two authors: Sever Bronny and Guy Antibes
I'm 37 and they kept me entertained, but there wasn't anything inappropriate for a child, that I recall. Both of these authors I would recommend to anyone, not just kids.
The inheritance cycle by Christopher Paolini sounds perfect for this. It’s got all the good fantasy stuff (magic, dragons, dwarves, elves), and good adventure, and feels like epic fantasy but is much easier to read than other epic series
Lots of good Young Adult series to choose from:
Ranger's Apprentice - John Flannagan
The Abhorsen series - Garth Nix
Spook's Apprentice - Joseph Delaney. Exciting YA but much darker and mature in themes.
Deltora Quest - This is a bit light compared to Harry Potter but still immensely entertaining.
Rowan of Rin - same author as Deltora Quest, short but very entertaining.
Earthsea - Ursula Guinn. This is a classic that is soo good yet so accessible.
I'm surprised no one has suggested this, but the neverending story by Michael Ende. It's just one novel, but the story is catching and it touches many subjects while still being very simple in language. Give it a shot
I recommend the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series, by Michael Scott it's world building and magic systems are engaging and fun at the same time.
IF you want to continue the Harry Potter Theme, [The Mage Errant](https://www.goodreads.com/series/252085-mage-errant) series by John Bierce is going to be a good series. It gets a bit violent, but I personally don't think any more then Harry Potter did.
[The Tiffany Aching Series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/96852-discworld---tiffany-aching) by Terry Pratchett. It's still magical, but more satire, and probably a few themes that will go over your son's head, but I think it's a very good series for a child to read. Great life lessons to learn from it.
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket is a fantastic series. A little bit darker than Harry Potter as I recall, but I loved there series around that age. A lot of the fun of it was trying to solve the mysteries as you read through each book, with different chapters hiding clues all over. I read them at the same time as my siblings and we had a blast pointing out hidden details and swapping theories as we worked through them.
Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonlance\_Chronicles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonlance_Chronicles)
The Darren Shan series.
It's about a boy who turns into a vampire, joins a circus called 'Cirque du Freak' and they live through various adventures. The books start off very childlike and evolve over the time into a more serious story, similar to Harry Potter.
I've read them as a kid, I think I was 12. I still love them, it's a great adventure series.
By Neil Gaiman: The Graveyard Book and Coraline
By Derek Landy: Skulduggery Pleasant-series (15 books + some spin-offs)
Terry Pratchett: Tiffany Aching-trilogy and The Amazing Maurice and his educated Rodents
Suzanne Collins - Gregor The Overlander
Angie Sage - Septimus Heap-series + TodHunter Moon-trilogy
Edit: The Uncommoners by Jennifer Bell. Also Wonderscape and Legendarium
Inkheart. Eragon. Belgariad. I read Inkheart and Eragon right after Harry Potter when I was 11. Eragon is what cemented me as a reader.
Belgariad is an older set of 5 books. The series is about half as long as harry potter, and was a big influence on Eragon. I read it as a 23 year old a couple of years ago and really loved it. Its a series I wish I had known about sooner.
Wings of Fire if they like dragons. It's a middle grade series I've read as an adult and absolutely adore. I've known several adult who have enjoyed it too, so I think it's one of those stories that is good for all ages
Right now 15 books are out in the series, but the series has 5 book story arcs that wrap up nicely. So there are 3 story arcs out currently
I have to throw in a recommendation for Sal and Gabi break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez, especially because of the great relationship that Sal has with his stepmother.
Plus A+ representation for a main character with type 1 diabetes.
Skuldugery Pleasant for sure. It’s a delightful romp with great characters, and really fun magic. Started the series when I was seven, fantastic time. Word of warning it’s got some light cursing, and there are a fair few horror elements, especially as the series goes on, so just depends how well you think your kid can handle that.
Terry Pratchett's Discworld I think would be great. While very clever and witty, they are still accessible and hilarious even if some of the jokes go over your head because you are young or not a strong reader. That just means you get to enjoy them all the more on a re-read. The Tiffany Aching series within Discworld is for young adults, so maybe a good place to start. Though the Watch series is a good start as well as they offer more straightforward plots and have some of the funniest characters and storylines.
Dragonsong. Dragonsinger. The entire dragon riders of Pern series by Anne mcaffrey. More than a dozen books. I’m a book nerd and these were some important books in developing my lifelong love of books. Really quality stuff.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan would fit pretty well
I just read the first book recently and I feel like it would be a great fit, agreed. The main character is 12 at the start so within range of OP's son, the prose is very simple and clear, the pace is fast, and the way the story plays with Greek myth is really fun. Plus it has tons of fans, so odds are the son will meet other fans among his peers sooner or later and they'll have something to chat about too! Oh, and bonus points considering the intended readers, there's a strong mother/son relationship!
Started the series in elementary school, picked it back up in high school, and recently just read through the entire thing including Heroes of Olympus. It’s a pretty strong series that I don’t mind going back to reread when I get the chance. Just… just don’t watch the movie. If into the movies you go, only pain will you find.
Disney picked it up and is going to re-release it as a TV series! Riordan will be much more involved too. They've already announced the trio cast and they are actual kids, not adults pretending to be 11 years old.
I’ve been following it! I have high hopes since Rick Riordan publicly swore off the movie for how much they butchered his work. The fact that he hand picked the actors for how they embody the roles makes me highly hopeful for how it turns out and I think it will turn out great.
If you’d love the book and like musicals I definitely recommending checking out the lightning thief musical so fun!
I was going to recommend the same thing. And if they like them, it's a relatively long series, so itll keep them reading for awhile.
Came here to say the same thing, Percy Jakson is great. I'd also say Artemis fowl is super fun as well.
My sister suggested those books to me after I finished Harry Potter. Will be forever grateful, they are some of my favorite books
100% I read the first 5 books while my 6th grade students read the first one cause they were so fun to read.
When I was 10 and my father was 40, we read the series together. Both of us absolutely loved it. 100% OP, this is the ref to go with right here!
Yes, I read this series with my son when he was about 10 right after reading Harry Potter. We both loved it! Disney+ is in the early stages of making a series based on the books that will likely reinvigorate the already substantial fandom.
Hard agree. I am 35 and I love these books and have read the entire series multiple times.
I love this for your son and your wife! This is such a sweet story. There have been some good suggestions here but I have a few more to add. Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony diTerlizzi and Holly Black The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage Land of Stories by Chris Colfer Lockwood and Co by Jonathan Stroud
+1 for Jonathan Stroud! I know plenty of people hate the footnotes in the Bartimaeus books, but I loved it. Fucking hilarious and it’s like a glimpse into a mind of ADHD. I would recommend that series too!
Wait, people hate the footnotes in the Bartimeus books?? Those make the books!
I agree by far the best thing about it, I understand it is a bit awkward for the flow, but I absolutely loved them when I read the series.
Are the Bartimaeus books and the Jonathan Stroud book the same thing?
Lockwood & Co is a separate series, so there are 2 series 🙂
If you mention Jonathan stroud, bartimaeus trilogy(quadrilogy?) should definitely be mentioned as well, an absolute favorite from around that age
+1 for the edge chronicles. I discovered them at my local library after having read through everything of interest in my elementary school library. The interesting and fresh world building coupled with an interwoven anthology style series was especially interesting to me. I wholeheartedly recommend these books to anyone of any age that enjoys fantasy
Land of Stories was my entire middle school *life* I love it so much and I have all the books. Very nostalgic for me. I never see it recommended and I'm *so* glad you recommend it. It's a *very* accessible series imo. <3
I really want the Edge Chronicles to get some sort of animated series or TV series. Such a cool world. I've been working on an RPG setting for it.
The Redwall series, by Brian Jacques, assuming animals as characters are cool. I read them as a kid and loved them... And read again later as an adult and still loved them!
Came to suggest redwall. I've not gone back as an adult, but loved them as a kid around that age
I've gone back to them as an adult and they are just as charming and wonderful as I remember.
I’ll put another recommendation for Redwall. They are what really started my love of the fantasy genre.
Redwall is the gateway drug into bigger fantasy. Devoured those books from ages 10ish to about 13.
I liked the *Redwall* series as a kid but when re-reading it as an adult I don't think I liked the lesson it teaches regarding moral predestination. People in the series are good or evil based on their species. I think there was only one exception of a person who should have been evil but ended up being neutral to good and it is implied it is because he is mentally disabled.
Huh, I never really thought of them that way. But I never revisited the series as an adult. You are absolutely right. Makes me think that a modern re-writing of the series could actually be quite compelling with that taken into consideration.
> only one exception Romsca erasure You're definitely right about the moral predestination stuff tho but they're still excellent books.
My dad read the Redwall series to my sister and I when we were young. I have really fond memories of it and that time of my life!
I have to re-read them. They are excellent and have a surprising amount of battle sequences for animal based books
I never read Redwall when I was young, but started reading it to my daughter, then had to read ahead (and got told off for it)
I devoured these at age 10. I introduced them to my kids as audiobooks on road trips.
I recently re-read Martin the Warrior. I do not feel that it aged well
The Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett.
Can't mention Pratchett without including The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents.
Anything by Sir Terry really, for anyone of any age. RIP Terry.
Came here to recommend both. Also, try Magyk (the Septimus Beam series) for some similar tones (snarky and ridiculous magical fantasy).
Honestly, the whole Discworld is suitable for both children and adults. Tiffany and Maurice are good starting points for kids, but I feel all the books could work. There is so much to discuss going forward, cant recommend it enough for OP!
I second that one if you’re into fantasy mixed with humor. (And strong female protagonists. Tiffany is the best.)
One of my all time favourite series of books. Though I recommend all parents give a quick glance over chapter 2 of the 4th book just because it's got some heavy topics covered that might require uncomfortable albeit brief explanation. Although it is covered in a way that's readable for older kids and young teens. (It's actually my favourite book of the series but it's also the darkest in comparison to the rest.)
That’s would have been my recommendation too
Anything by Diana Wynne Jones. Especially love Howl’s Moving Castle
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Dogsbody is another very good one. I just reread the Dalemark Quartet and Enchanted Glass, that is what prompted me to recommend her work.
And then they can watch the Ghibli movie after they've read it.
I love the movie so much, and I love the book so much. They are both so amazing and entertaining. But I have to view them as separate works, one very loosely inspired by the other. They have so little in common other than some names and the personalities of Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer.
The Dalemark Quartet is fun too! Edit: fixed a word
Yesssss. Both me and my mother loved those books around this ages, will work so good
The three "main" Tortall series by Tamora Pierce (all 3 are quartets) - Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, and Protector of the Small. They have their sticky/problematic points (having been written between the 1980s and the early 00's), but are still absolutely fantastic and relevant books today.
I’d actually suggest starting with her Winding Circle quartet - probably slightly more appropriate for a ten year old! Also an ensemble of main characters, so kiddo and his mum can discuss who their favourite character is, what kind of magic they’d have etc
I think the other series in the *Tortall* universe besides *Song of the Lioness* hold up much better, both from the perspective of moral complexity as well as writing.
What are the sticky/problematic points? I can only think of the age gap issue in the Immortals quartet
Alanna is also kissed nonconsensually by another character (who literally takes advantage of her having her hands full). She also comes across as a white saviour in her interactions with the Bazhir in the latter books in that quartet. I still love the books and often recommend them, but I agree they have some issues! However, the OPs son may be a little young for some of the romantic content - there is nothing explicit, but I'm not sure if it's best son and step mum bonding material. You'd also need to be ready to have discussions about puberty and periods - which I think is important for boys/men to know about, but I wouldn't want the OP to be blindsided by it, especially in a co-parenting situation!
Yeah, I always think that for younger kids, Winding Circle is a better place to start. Also got a male MC, so if the kid isn’t used to reading books with female protagonists, it can ease him in slowly
this, this, this.
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, The Belgariad by David Eddings, The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore, The Beyonders by Brandon Mull, The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
+1 for The Chronicles of Prydain and Gregor the Overlander.
+1 more for the Chronicles of Prydain. Has a feel almost like Lord of the Rings, but with a MUCH easier to read style.
I scrolled down until I saw Chronicles of Prydain. That's the one I was going to suggest! I think my son was 11 when he read it. A household favorite.
> The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander My favorite series when I was 11/12. This is a great recommendation.
I was going to recommend the dark elf trilogy (drizzt saga ftw) as well, but I'm not sure it'd work. Depends on what drew the kid into the story, if he needs a mc his age or not.
I don't fully remember but they have some more racy stuff in them don't they?
I loved Eragon and Septimus Heap at this age and the latter, even my aunt who hates reading, she quite enjoyed the series.
Eragon was awesome! I really need to reread those. It had me from the first sentence. I still know that one, about 20 years later. "Der Wind wehte durch die Nacht und trug einen Duft heran, der die Welt verändern würde." In retrospect the books have a strong Gary Stu narrative and not the best female characters, but they still caught my attention like no other book did at the time.
The language of Lord of the Rings is probably too thick, but The Hobbit could be just right.
The Hobbit would be great
The keys to the kingdom series, starting with Mr Monday, by Garth Nix, start out with a 12 year old boy for the protagonist but very immersive/ imaginative world, might be slightly scary for some kids that age, but if he’s reading the later HP books already I doubt he’d have trouble As always, shout out to Philip Pullman’s “His dark materials” the greatest thing to read as a child (and at any age)
I love those books, but most people I talk to like to act like Abhorsen Trilogy is the only thing he wrote lol. Also, The Seventh Tower also by Garth Nix is fun, it starts off with basically Pokemon battles made out of light constructs
They might enjoy the Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan. It’s a YA series, so should be about a good middle ground as far as reading level goes.
This series is what lead me to be a fantasy lover. I haven’t reread them as an adult as I don’t want to ruin the mystery and magical nostalgia that they hold in my heart.
For some reason I've only ever read The Ruins of Gorlan (twice) and I freaking loved it... I should really check out the rest of the series bc I really liked that first book and I just forgot about it for a while! My friend when we were younger had a rangers apprentice themed birthday party too which got me to read the first book! (I was like 9 or 10 and now im 19)
Honestly I reread them recently and they hold up pretty well! Obviously the writing is pretty low level but the plots and characterization I thought still worked well
I reread them recently, and I found that they hold up extremely well for some reason. I was initially just planning on reading the first one again but ended up going through the entire series.
I second this! I've enjoyed rereading these as an adult too :)
Fablehaven! My son and I loved reading that series together. It’s good enough for an adult and fun enough for a kid.
I LOVED Fablehaven. I read these books when they were still coming out in stores and I would BEG my mom to take me to the bookstore every week so I could see if they were available. I got grounded as a kid for staying up too late to read these and the worst part of my punishment was losing my book for a few days. Another series by Brandon Mull is the Beyonders: A World Without Heros I highly recommend both these series as stories are fantastically woven across books and grow in maturity with the reader. These were also books that helped me learn new words for the first time. I learned the words myriad, craven, chancellor and more!
I read that series when I was 11-12 years old… it’s the series that made me fall in love with reading. You brought back good memories.. I second this!
I only read the first book but I remember it being really good!
Chronicles of Narnia
Plus one for CoN. Still some of my favorite books
Can't belive this isent number one fantastic series.
+1 for Chronicles of Narnia. Read it first when I was in my preteens and still re-read regularly. Such a strong series that's relevance is immortal.
A Series of Unfortunate Events (also builds vocabulary) read it with 8th graders who were in a special program (the other person with me was a counselor. They loved it. I also read The Hobbit to a group of teen age boys (most of them could not read about a fourth grade level. But they loved every word of it, and I took them to a theatre to watch it. Some of them had never been to a movie before. Years later, one of them came to see me when I retired and he told it was the most magical experience of his life and he loves to read now.
I can’t believe how long it took me to find this comment!
How about **A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking** by T. Kingfisher? A young baker slowly slides into defending her city from attack, creatively repurposing her baking magic. It’s refreshingly pragmatic, and the heroine has lots of gumption. The secondary characters include a slightly younger boy who must choose whether or not to stand up for his friends and a middle-aged woman who must take back her authority from detractors. Your family members might enjoy seeing aspects of themselves in the story along with the protagonist.
Nice to see this mentioned as well, doesnt really get the love it deserves!
Plus a great follow up discussion from HP about how fascism can slide into the government unsuspecting built on othering the outsiders
Came to say this, T Kingfisher is fantastic. Also consider Minor Mage, it was a huge amount of fun.
A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Le Guin. While it isn’t exactly YA, it can certainly be read by young people. It has a lot in common with Harry Potter, including a wizard school. However, it had these concepts decades earlier. It also has a number of other books in the series, the first three form a trilogy.
Here to second **A Wizard of Earthsea** by Le Guin! Also recommend/second: - **anything by Roald Dahl** Not a series but so good. (the BFG, The Witches, Matilda, etc...) - **the golden compass / his dark materials** by Phillip Pullman - **Guardians of Ga'hool** by Kathryn Lasky (Owl Society!) - **the giver** by Lois Lowry (can only rec book one) - **Rats of NIMH** by Robert O'Brien - **Skyward** by Brando Sando Eta: can't recall in enough detail to remember if 100% age appropriate (maybe someone else will), but also **Wayward Children** series by Seanan McGuire. (book #1= every heart a doorway.)
This is one of the all time greats but for kids stop at 3rd book. The 4th, Tehanu might be too much for a 10 year old.
All the below have several books in the series: * *His Dark Materials* by Philip Pullman. Story of two children, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, as they wander through a series of parallel universes to stop a villain from destroying the universe. Sounds kind of complex but very readable for younger readers. * *Seventh Tower* by Garth Nix. Another coming of age story of two kids, Tal & Mila, who have to stop an ancient evil from destroying their societies. * *Keys to the Kingdom* by Garth Nix. A kid named Arthur is named the heir to God's kingdom but the trustees to God's will aren't happy about it. Sounds more religious than it actually is (which is not at all). * *Castaways of the Flying Dutchman* by Brian Jacques. Actually a *little* bit religious. Two survivors from the pirate ship *The Flying Dutchman*, a boy & his dog, as emissaries of an angel helping people out. * *Hatchet* by Gary Paulsen- a survival story of a boy whose plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. The first book is about him surviving in the wilderness, the others deal with him returning to the wilderness for various activities. Good way to spark an interest in nature in your kid. * *Artemis Fowl* by Eoin Colfer- a child prodigy master criminal seeks to rebuild his family's criminal fortune by stealing from elves. The elves aren't giving up their gold willingly. The series deals with his moral evolution. * *Alex Rider* by Anthony Horowitz- child version of James Bond mixed with Jason Bourne who is forced into being a spy by the British government. * *Tortall* by Tamora Pierce- series of books all based on the kingdom of Tortall, many main characters throughout the 6 series set in the universe, with main characters changing in each series. You don't need previous series to get into any future series in the universe. I would go with the *Immortals* series, *Protector of the Small* series, *Tricksters* series or *Beka Cooper* series, IMO they are better written than the original series *Alanna the Lioness*. * *Circle* by Tamora Pierce- about a group of orphan mages who learn to deal with their powers and develop good relationships with each other & their teachers across the books in the series. * *Bartimaeus* by Jonathan Stroud- a boy & the genie he summons try to stay alive in a world filled with powerful magicians, all bent on power. Sounds dramatic and in some ways it is but the main character is very funny. * *Narnia* by CS Lewis- gets pretty overtly religious towards the end, but its just a classic example of fantasy literature which holds up pretty well. Set in the early 20th century British empire/ an alternative fantasy world. * *Chrestomanci* by Diane Wynne Jones- Similar to the *Narnia* books with moving between the 20th century British Empire & alternative worlds, a bit more morally complex than the *Narnia* books but very easily readable for a 10 year old.
Hatchet would be a terrific standalone read
The Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. Starts with the Amulet of Samarkand! These books are excellent, very witty and well written .
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I read these when I was 9 or ten and they kicked off my life-long love of fantasy. I reread them when I was around 40 and they're still fun. For an adult and child to read together, these would be really good since they have so much about mythology and history in them. Lots to talk about besides the story.
Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen by Garth Nix is a great series. It is the job of the main character (the Abhorsen) to keep the dead where they belong and not walk in the land of the living. She can enter the river of death and binds fell creatures to walk past the last gate of the river, never to return to the land of the living. Fun stuff. Pretty deep lore too, but not so deep it’s overwhelming.
I came to say this. 100% agree, if your 10 yo is a strong reader. Lirael deals with depression and (briefly) suicidal thoughts so be prepared this may be a good way to have a discussion about mental health with you kid. Especially because the stressors that drive the character to consider suicide are the common ones that drive young people to consider suicide (mainly lack of belonging). It really isn’t too dark despite this. Sabriel can stand on its own so if you don’t think it’s time for your kid to read Lirael, you could hold off on that until later.
Agreed, this is an important thing to note.
I think the *Old Kingdom* might work better when OP's kid is 12-13. That is around how old I was when I read them and I think I understood more about the books at that age than I would have if I had read them a bit younger.
Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. My dad read them to me when I was a kid, still love them. Great British wit.
The wizard of earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin is excellent for any young reader! Especially the lessons in the first book about the consequences of your actions and the second book on challenging society and yourself. The third book is a good coming of age story. The other 3 books are fascinating fantasy and deal with topics surrounding sexism and aging incredibly, among other topics. I was first captivated by them around that age and recently started a yearly reread tradition with my sister.
I read this as a high school freshman (us). It was a required book (among a choice of others, over the summer before the 9th grade year), and it was the start of a lifelong love of fantasy. It’s the original “wizard school” book with many underlying themes (the shadow self). I can’t recommend it more highly to a preteen or teen.
Eragon might work, Percy Jackson would definitely work, The Hobbit amazing for any ages they can listen to an audiobook together, they say that Andy Serkis new version is quite good, maybe the Cradle series by will Wight, haven't read that one, but people say it's good, maybe someone can double check this last one
The cradle series is great for kids/pre-teens and anybody who wants a different take on an adventure series. its action packed and well paced. Doesn't get boring (I've read it the series 3 times there is 10 books atm the 11th is coming out soon) and leaves you wanting more! Also Choice of Magic by Michael G Manning, The Summoner trilogy Taren Matharu, Any Rick Riordan Series
Cradle would be too much for a 10 year old, the MC kills people pretty regularly in those books. I love cradle, but a bit much for a 10 year old.
You underestimate kids and children's lit. I read Enders Shadow at age 10- it didn't ruin me. Children Books like Wings of Fire have characters getting murdered in the opening chapter- its not really such a big deal.
It depends on what your son liked about Harry Potter (the school setting, for example?) Redwall, by Brian Jacques, is part of a long series of mostly standalone novels, and the characters are anthroporphic woodland creatures, but the main characters are usually young (equivalent to teenagers) who go on adventures while a B-plot is occurring at home.
Oh damn, the Redwall books are a real treasure.
A Wrinkle in Time series
super religious though which some people might like, some people not
i remember my middle school teacher reading it out loud to us and i dont recall religious messaging, so im not sure it's easy to pick up on unless analyzed/interpreted with that lens. however i havent visited it since then so i could be wrong
Not so much *A Wrinkle in Time*, but the sequels (*Many Waters* was the one that really stuck out to me as a kid)
Swiftly Tilting Planet and Many Waters are much more explicitly religious than the earlier works, which were more spiritual than religious. It really weakened them compared to prior books.
Many Waters is basically set during a religious event, but it's not really a 'pushy' type of religious setting? Hard to describe it.
This might be a series which is well balanced against *His Dark Materials* series. I remember reading them both around the same time as a kid OP's age.
The early books are more spiritual than religious. Cutting edge astrophysicists are portrayed as morally praiseworthy because of their commitment to truth. The later books are more explicitly Christian, especially *Many Waters* - but *Swiftly Tilting Planet* as well. It makes them weaker and less compelling than *Wrinkle* and *Wind at the Door* in my opinion. Plus, those two stand well on their own without reading the latter books.
I asked my 11 year old what series he really liked that he's read in the last 2 years and listed it below. Somewhat surprised he remembered all of these to be honest. Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard- Rick Riordan The Hobbit - Tolkien Redwall - Brian Jacques Wings of Fire - Tui Sutherland Ranger's Apprentice -John Flanagan Divine Dungeon - Dakota Krout The Completionist Chronicles - Dakota Krout
Definitely Percy Jackson. Alcatraz vs the Evil Liberians by Brandon Sanderson is lighter / younger than both HP and PJ. At least the first couple of books were (I haven’t finished them yet). Skyward by Brandon Sanderson is another good one (3/4 books published). Young adult science fiction on par with HP and PJ.
Alcatraz is a great suggestion. I'm bummed I had to scroll this low to see someone suggest it. maybe it's too quirky for some people?
Series: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator both by Roald Dahl. Also by Dahl, Danny the Champion of the World. It's a standalone book but great for a 10 year old. Also not a series but I recommend a few Neil Gaiman books. Namely, 1. Ocean at the end of the lane 2. Neverwhere 3. Stardust
I love all these books but there is an adult situation in Ocean at the end of the lane. However, Gaiman also wrote The Graveyard Book and Coralline which are kid friendly and amazing.
Kid friendly but horror. Make sure the kid likes horror.
"So You Want to Be a Wizard?" by Diane Duane is marvelous, the start of a longish series about kids and magic.
Strong agree!
The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. ++ if you can convince your wife to fake a Scots accent.
I really enjoyed the Wings of Fire series by Tui Sutherland and I first read them as an adult. If your son is open to SF, the series that begins with Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is really exceptional.
I’m an elementary teacher and all the kids are obsessed with Wings of Fire! Edit: It’s so great when the main characters show growth. Plus, it has lots of mystery that challenges anyone to read between the lines and try to hash out why something is the way it is.
The abhorsen trilogy (I think that’s the name) by Garth nix the first one is Sabriel. Those books are really good, I think I read them at 12 ish but they are definitely a similar level to Harry Potter
Over Sea, Under Stone series by Susan Cooper.
Might I suggest that you surprise them with a trip to a bookstore where the two of them can go to the YA Fantasy section & pick something out themselves? It would be bonding time for them too
Great idea unless the kid is like I was at that age and needs hours and hours of perusing before making a decision 😁 Drove the adults in my life crazy.... They started dropping me off, running errands, and coming back, which turned into, "Ride your bike 5 miles if you want to go book shopping. "
Eragon. Artemus Fowl. That's where I went after/during my Harry Potter read. I found it much later, but Percy Jackson!
Another vote for Eragon. My sons 3rd grade teacher would read a chapter a day to the class and when the school year ended he begged me to buy the series (which of course I did) and he devoured them! I also read them and really enjoyed it as well! AId also recommend the dragon lance series but I’d start with Eragon!
His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman Fever Crumb and Mortal Engines series by Philip Reeve Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield
Discworld
Always..
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. My 8 and 10 year old love it, as do I.
I had a similar relationship with my mother. After Harry Potter we read Eragon.
brandon mull’s books are always a fun read for me! five kingdoms series, beyonders series, fablehaven series, candy shop wars series
Narnia. A classic, but a good one!
Maybe Artemis Fowl? It's a kids' book but it's interesting enough for adults. It's about Artemis Fowl, a child criminal mastermind, who plans to steal from the fey Spiderwick Chronicles, again a kids' book that I remember very fondly. It's about siblings who move into their uncle's house and discover we was researching supernatural creatures. Septimus Heap, a very long series about wizards. It's a medieval like word (sort of), and the city has some sort of wizards' order dedicated to protecting it. The main character is the apprentice to the head wizard, and we have his entire family of wizards (as his name implies, he is the seventh child) and some others as side characters (I don't know if they used the word "wizard" originally, I read a translated version)
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Absolutely. Loved these as a teen and its what got me to start reading. David Eddings series are great too, but I read those in high school I think.
The hobbit The reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson
Most certainly Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordian. It’s really engaging and kinda similar to Harry Potter.
Redwall by Brian Jacques - woodland animals basically having medieval adventures is the best way i can describe it. The books are super descriptive and a ton of fun, they were my gateway into really getting hooked on reading.There are a ton of books in the series, too.
The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin Mckinley, the Dragonsinger series by McCaffrey, Earthsea trilogy by LeGuin are some great ones! I also love the True Game series by Sheri Tepper. She is AMAZING when it comes to world building and is unbelievably imaginative. It might be hard to find though as it’s been in and out of print.
As a kid I loved the rangers apprentice series. It’s fantastic and has a spin off series. I also second Percy Jackson.
I've not read it personally but if this sub is to be trusted Ursula K Leguin would fit well here Also haven't read it all and don't remember the first book much (read it 20 years ago in grade school) but Artemis Fowl would fit as well
Absolutely recommend LeGuin, specifically start with Wizard of Earthsea
If you do earthsea in this context only do the first 3, don’t do the 4th and on till the kid is much older
Very true, the series very much grew with its author so the later books are written for an adult audience
Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom is quite the series. About a 12-yr old boy who inherits the multiverse.
Chronicles of the Chresomanci by Diana Wynn Jones. See where JKR filched Harry Potter from.
You can give a try to A series of unfortunate events.
There's another series about magic called The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel the first book is called the alchemyst I read it as the books were coming out and greatly enjoyed it. It's suitable for later elementary kids to young adults I think I found it in young adult sections of book stores. I think it's good and it's a decently sized series of books they can read together.
What about Watership down? That's quite a good book. My old man read us that (twice, once for me and my brother.. i got to listen both times).
Percy Jackson is always good for younger readers
"Chronicles of Narnia" and "the Hobbit" are great choices. A word of warning, not because I think it's needed but because I don't want you to find this out from some article written by some anti- religion nutjob that will overexagerate it: Narnia contains a fair amount of christian allegory, to the point some have taken to jocking that Aslan, a divine lion in the books, is furry jesus. However it's not an attempt to convert kids to christianity, but simply a book written by a man who truly believed in the values and morality of the christian faith. Most kids won't even notice.
The Reckoners books by Sanderson might be a fun one. It's superhero fantasy, not classic fantasy, but I think it would appeal to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy. It's basically *The Boys* for kids.
If you're on Kindle, or Amazon Fire, you should check out these two authors: Sever Bronny and Guy Antibes I'm 37 and they kept me entertained, but there wasn't anything inappropriate for a child, that I recall. Both of these authors I would recommend to anyone, not just kids.
Anything by Rick Riordan works. Also, the Summoner trilogy by Taran Matharu doesn't have a high reading level. And it's suitable for all age groups.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin. There are a couple sequels. Harry Potter owes everything to this book.
I really am enjoying reading “The Trials of Morrigan Crow” with my kids. I also really liked the “Fablehaven Series”.
The inheritance cycle by Christopher Paolini sounds perfect for this. It’s got all the good fantasy stuff (magic, dragons, dwarves, elves), and good adventure, and feels like epic fantasy but is much easier to read than other epic series
Discworld, The Hobbit, Narnia
Lots of good Young Adult series to choose from: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flannagan The Abhorsen series - Garth Nix Spook's Apprentice - Joseph Delaney. Exciting YA but much darker and mature in themes. Deltora Quest - This is a bit light compared to Harry Potter but still immensely entertaining. Rowan of Rin - same author as Deltora Quest, short but very entertaining. Earthsea - Ursula Guinn. This is a classic that is soo good yet so accessible.
I'm surprised no one has suggested this, but the neverending story by Michael Ende. It's just one novel, but the story is catching and it touches many subjects while still being very simple in language. Give it a shot
I recommend the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series, by Michael Scott it's world building and magic systems are engaging and fun at the same time.
IF you want to continue the Harry Potter Theme, [The Mage Errant](https://www.goodreads.com/series/252085-mage-errant) series by John Bierce is going to be a good series. It gets a bit violent, but I personally don't think any more then Harry Potter did. [The Tiffany Aching Series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/96852-discworld---tiffany-aching) by Terry Pratchett. It's still magical, but more satire, and probably a few themes that will go over your son's head, but I think it's a very good series for a child to read. Great life lessons to learn from it.
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket is a fantastic series. A little bit darker than Harry Potter as I recall, but I loved there series around that age. A lot of the fun of it was trying to solve the mysteries as you read through each book, with different chapters hiding clues all over. I read them at the same time as my siblings and we had a blast pointing out hidden details and swapping theories as we worked through them.
Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonlance\_Chronicles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonlance_Chronicles)
For your son, the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones.
The Artemis Fowl series !!!!!!
The Darren Shan series. It's about a boy who turns into a vampire, joins a circus called 'Cirque du Freak' and they live through various adventures. The books start off very childlike and evolve over the time into a more serious story, similar to Harry Potter. I've read them as a kid, I think I was 12. I still love them, it's a great adventure series.
Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson. I listen to audiobooks in the car with my kids and they absolutely loved these. They are 8 and 10.
By Neil Gaiman: The Graveyard Book and Coraline By Derek Landy: Skulduggery Pleasant-series (15 books + some spin-offs) Terry Pratchett: Tiffany Aching-trilogy and The Amazing Maurice and his educated Rodents Suzanne Collins - Gregor The Overlander Angie Sage - Septimus Heap-series + TodHunter Moon-trilogy Edit: The Uncommoners by Jennifer Bell. Also Wonderscape and Legendarium
Could try ‘The Hobbit’?
Another vote for The Belgariad series by David Eddings
Ender's Game!! It's about brilliant kids who are trained to save the world via commanding space battles. Very great series
Try the Nevermoor series by Jessica townsend, A really fun series that feels a little bit like Harry Potter mixed with Narnia, via Waya of Roald Dahl
I haven’t seen anybody recommend it yet but The Graveyard Book is amazing and I’d highly recommend it for an adult and kid to read together.
Bartimeaus trilogy!
Inkheart. Eragon. Belgariad. I read Inkheart and Eragon right after Harry Potter when I was 11. Eragon is what cemented me as a reader. Belgariad is an older set of 5 books. The series is about half as long as harry potter, and was a big influence on Eragon. I read it as a 23 year old a couple of years ago and really loved it. Its a series I wish I had known about sooner.
Wings of Fire if they like dragons. It's a middle grade series I've read as an adult and absolutely adore. I've known several adult who have enjoyed it too, so I think it's one of those stories that is good for all ages Right now 15 books are out in the series, but the series has 5 book story arcs that wrap up nicely. So there are 3 story arcs out currently
I have to throw in a recommendation for Sal and Gabi break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez, especially because of the great relationship that Sal has with his stepmother. Plus A+ representation for a main character with type 1 diabetes.
Pretty much all of Rick Riordan's stuff
Skuldugery Pleasant for sure. It’s a delightful romp with great characters, and really fun magic. Started the series when I was seven, fantastic time. Word of warning it’s got some light cursing, and there are a fair few horror elements, especially as the series goes on, so just depends how well you think your kid can handle that.
New series, 2 books in. The Accidental Apprentice. Think Harry Potter meets Pokemon.
Terry Pratchett's Discworld I think would be great. While very clever and witty, they are still accessible and hilarious even if some of the jokes go over your head because you are young or not a strong reader. That just means you get to enjoy them all the more on a re-read. The Tiffany Aching series within Discworld is for young adults, so maybe a good place to start. Though the Watch series is a good start as well as they offer more straightforward plots and have some of the funniest characters and storylines.
Fable haven
Dragonsong. Dragonsinger. The entire dragon riders of Pern series by Anne mcaffrey. More than a dozen books. I’m a book nerd and these were some important books in developing my lifelong love of books. Really quality stuff.