There comes a moment in every young reader’s life—a rather bittersweet moment, truth be told—when the final page of the final Percy Jackson book has been turned, and one is left sitting in the awful silence that follows the end of a perfectly wonderful adventure. It is the same feeling, we suspect, that befalls those who have sailed on the winds to Neverland and must return home for supper.
But take heart, dear reader! For the shelves of the world are positively brimming with other tales of gods and monsters, of young heroes who discover they are far more extraordinary than they ever supposed, and of magical worlds hiding just beneath the surface of our ordinary one.
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
What if everything you believed about yourself turned out to be delightfully, terrifyingly wrong? Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has been telepathic since she was five years old, which has brought her nothing but headaches and loneliness. Then a mysterious boy reveals a staggering truth: Sophie is not human at all, but an elf hidden away in the human world.
She is whisked to the Lost Cities—a realm of elves, goblins, and gnomes—where she must navigate a new school, a conspiracy swirling around her very existence, and the small matter of would-be kidnappers. With nine books and counting, this series offers endless adventures for those who have exhausted Percy’s world and hunger for more.
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
Aru Shah has a terrible habit of stretching the truth. When classmates dare her to prove that a museum lamp is cursed, she lights it—and accidentally unleashes an ancient demon intent on awakening the God of Destruction. Oops, as they say.
Now Aru must discover her connection to the legendary Pandava brothers of Hindu mythology and save the world before time runs out. Eoin Colfer himself declared this book “mind-bending and brilliant,” and Time Magazine named it one of the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. When such praise is heaped upon a tale, one ought to listen.
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Here is something rather unusual: a hero who begins as a villain. Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius, and above all, a criminal mastermind. When he kidnaps Captain Holly Short of the fairy Lower Elements Police, he expects ransom gold and an easy victory. He does not expect the fairies to fight back with technology that would make mortal inventors weep with envy.
What follows is a battle of wits between a boy who believes himself the cleverest person alive and an underground fairy civilization that has survived for millennia. Rick Riordan himself recommends this series for its fantasy and humor, and with eight books to devour, there is mischief aplenty.
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
The real Nicholas Flamel died in 1418. At least, that is what history would have you believe. But what if the legendary alchemist who created the Philosopher’s Stone never died at all?
Twins Sophie and Josh Newman discover their San Francisco bookshop employer is the immortal Flamel himself, and they are pulled into a war between ancient Elders who wish to reclaim dominion over Earth. The series weaves together figures from myth, legend, and history—gods, monsters, and historical figures you may recognize—into a breathless modern adventure. Fans of both Percy Jackson and The Da Vinci Code will find much to love here.
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
After her uncle’s death, Stephanie discovers that his horror novels were not fiction at all. The world contains living skeletons, sorcerers, vampires, and a rather charming detective named Skulduggery Pleasant, who happens to be a fire-throwing skeleton himself.
Together they must stop a villain named Nefarious Serpine from destroying the world—because there is always someone trying to destroy the world, isn’t there? Rick Riordan recommends this series “without hesitation,” praising its humor and heart. The banter between Stephanie and Skulduggery alone is worth the price of admission.
The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
Young Nathaniel is a magician’s apprentice with revenge burning in his heart. To achieve it, he summons Bartimaeus, an ancient djinni of tremendous power and even more tremendous ego. The djinni’s sharp wit and sardonic commentary—delivered through delightfully cheeky footnotes—make this series unlike any other.
Set in an alternate London ruled by magicians, the trilogy explores themes of power and ambition while delivering action, drama, and plot twists that feel neither clichéd nor predictable. Rick Riordan calls it “brilliant stuff,” and for once, I find no reason to disagree with him.
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Before Suzanne Collins wrote The Hunger Games, she wrote this: the story of Gregor, a boy who falls through a grate in his New York apartment building and tumbles into the Underland—a vast realm beneath the city where humans coexist uneasily with giant rats, spiders, and cockroaches.
A prophecy declares that Gregor has a role to play in this world’s uncertain future, and his father’s mysterious disappearance may be connected to it all. Rick Riordan says his sons devoured this series, and Kirkus Reviews called it “luminous, supremely absorbing.” Sometimes the most extraordinary adventures begin with nothing more than a fall.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Tristan Strong is grieving the death of his best friend when he accidentally punches a hole between worlds—as one does—and tumbles into Alke, a realm where African American folklore and West African gods are terrifyingly real. Brer Rabbit, John Henry, and Anansi the spider god all await, and so does a darkness threatening to consume everything.
A New York Times bestseller and Coretta Scott King Award honor book, this tale introduces mythology that many readers will encounter for the first time. Jason Reynolds called it “a brilliant action adventure rooted in African American lore.”
The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes
Zane Obispo explores the dormant volcano near his New Mexico home, seeking escape from the bullies who mock his limp. What he does not know is that the volcano is a gateway to another world, and Maya prophecy declares him destined to either save the world or destroy it.
When the new girl at school transforms into a hawk and a demon attacks them in a cave, Zane realizes his life will never be ordinary again. This Rick Riordan Presents adventure brings Maya mythology to vivid life, complete with gods who are neither entirely good nor entirely evil.
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
Lily’s grandmother is ill, and when the family moves in to care for her, a magical tiger from Korean folklore appears with a bargain: return something Grandmother once took from the tigers, and she will be healed.
But deals with mystical creatures are rarely straightforward, as any reader of fairy tales knows. This Newbery Medal winner weaves Korean folklore into a story of family, heritage, and the power of storytelling itself. It is gentler than Percy Jackson, but no less magical for those seeking mythology beyond the Greek.
The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer
Twins Alex and Conner fall through a cherished book of fairy tales and discover a world where Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty are queens, Goldilocks is a wanted fugitive, and the Big Bad Wolf Pack seeks revenge on all who wronged them.
To return home, they must gather items from across this strange land—items that will activate the legendary Wishing Spell. The USA Today declared there is “more in Colfer’s magic kingdoms than Disney has dreamt of,” and with six books to explore, readers will find plenty of adventure awaiting them.
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
Amari Peters receives a mysterious package from her missing brother: a key to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, a hidden world of magic, monsters, and secret missions. There she discovers she possesses illegal magic—powers that make everyone fear and distrust her.
To find her brother and prove herself, Amari must survive training, face those who would see her fail, and confront truths about the supernatural world that will change everything. Winner of the Barnes & Noble Children’s Book Award, this debut has been compared to a combination of Harry Potter and Men in Black.
Finding Your Next Great Adventure
The wonderful thing about stories is that they never truly end. When one adventure finishes, another awaits just around the corner—or between the pages of the next book on your shelf.
Whether you seek Greek gods reimagined, Hindu demons unleashed, African folklore brought to life, or fairy tales turned wonderfully strange, these books offer worlds as rich and magical as anything Rick Riordan has created. All that remains is to choose your next adventure and begin.
