Although the rush of kids reading the Harry Potter series has waned, many parents still ask me what I would recommend for children who loved Harry's adventures and would like to read something similar - not to mention the new crop of eight- to 10-year-olds who are discovering Harry, Hermione and Ron for the first time and then branching out.
The familiar theme of wizards and magic is found in The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas, recommended for children in Grades 4 to 6. Conn is a young, homeless boy living on the streets of Wellmet who picks pockets to survive. One day, he mistakenly picks the pocket of master wizard Nevery Flinglas and takes his magic talisman, his "locus magicalicus." Nevery is amazed when the boy is not killed and takes him home, first as his servant and, later, sends him to school as his apprentice.
While Nevery chooses Conn as apprentice, other wizards choose to have familiars. Recommended for Grades 4 to 6, The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson tells the story of three animal companions that are also able to perform magic. Before attending school, children go to an unusual pet store, where they choose their familiar. Unfortunately Jack chooses a stray cat, Aldwyn, that is hiding in the shop and has no magical talents whatsoever. When disaster strikes, Aldwyn must use his street smarts to save the day.
With a story line similar to Harry Potter's, Henry H. Neff introduces Max McDaniels in book one of The Tapestry series, The Hound of Rowan. Ordinary student Max discovers a faded tapestry during a visit to Chicago's Art Institute with his father. After witnessing a strange vision within the tapestry, he finds an envelope in his pocket congratulating him on his registration as a "Potential" and promising a visit from a regional representative. He is soon offered a scholarship to Rowan Academy, a private boarding school in New England. While there are similarities to J.K. Rowling's work, I found the series has its own charm and held my attention easily. Halfway through the first book, I had stopped making comparisons to Harry Potter and was fully engrossed in Max's story. Recommended for kids in Grades 5 and higher.
Recommended for Grades 4 to 6, Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway is a reversal of the usual fantasy story. In a world where magical people and abilities are considered normal, children attend Judging Day to discover their magical potential. But a few children, such as Abby, are discovered to be "Ords," ordinary children with no magical powers. Instead of being special, however, these children are shunned. Cast out or sold as slaves by their families, their life expectancy is short. Fortunately for Abby, she has a loving family that sends her to a special school - but with kidnappers and carnivorous goblins at every turn, her days may be numbered.
These are but a few of the many Harry Potter read-alikes. For more suggestions, visit your local public library.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published every Wednesday. Barbara Weston is children's librarian at Coquitlam Public Library.
