It’s been more than a decade since the last Harry Potter book was released in the United States.

Related properties have tried to fill the void—the publication and stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the Hogwarts Mystery game, the Fantastic Beasts franchise—but there’s just nothing like a magical book.

So, here are a few new suggestions for stories that are enchanting in their own right, and that might give you a bit of that magical buzz. Middle-grade fiction for kids comes first, and the rest is a blend of YA and adult fiction. All of these were published within the last few years; check out our 2016 Harry Potter readalike post for earlier picks.

If You Want Magical Series for the Pre-Teens in Your Life…

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

What if instead of teaching wizards and witches, a magical school taught kids to be the heroes and villains in fantasticals fairy tales?

Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson

Witches are the enemy at this magical school—and so are dragons, which threaten the safety of the kingdom.



The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

Influenced by Bengali folktales, this funny and exciting story traces the journey of Kiran to the Kingdom Beyond Seven Oceans and Thirteen Rivers to rescue her parents. Only the first book in this series is out so far, but stay tuned—it deserves a serious fan base.



"True story" fairy tale retellings by Liesel Shurtliff

The heroes of your favorite fairy tales—Red (as in, Riding Hood); Rump (as in, Rumplestiltskin); Jack (as in, “and the beanstalk”)—come alive.



If You Want More about Magic and Wizards…

Sorcerer to the Crown series by Zen Cho

Race, class, and gender take center stage in this historical fantasy, set in a 19th-century England where a new Sorcerer Royale, himself a freed slave, can’t stop the drain on the country’s magical supply. That’s women’s work, and Prunella Gentleman steps up with a plan to refresh the dwindling stores.

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard

Everyone knows that New York City is magic. But in this fantastical page-turner, its magic is fading fast, and only one magician understands how to stop the darkness from taking over. (Adult)

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Magic during an apocalypse? This is the first book in a trilogy that flips back and forth in time, weaving fantastical elements into royal politics and a dystopian mystery.

If You Want More Young Heroes Saving the World…

Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra

Check out a different Chosen One: Kyra, a Markswoman in the Order of Kali. She’s the only person to survive after everyone in her village is killed, and now she’s poised to lead her elite sisterhood.



The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

Nahri—the hero of this fantasy, full of action and adventure—knows she’s more of a trickster than a real magician. But when an enigmatic djinn shows up and reveals the new world of a legendary city, Nahri needs to decide how (and whether) to wield magic for herself.



Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

Xifeng will stop at nothing to fulfill her destiny as the empress of Feng Lu, including sacrificing herself. (One of NYPL’s Best Books for Teens in 2017!)

If You Want More Really Absorbing Fantasy…

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Miryem is a good foil for Harry—a reluctant hero with the weight of her world on her shoulders. Loosely based on Rumplestiltskin myth, this story about a Jewish girl who can turn silver to gold is also somehow about poverty, class, gender, abuse, and a freezing parallel universe with the creepiest citizens since the White Walkers. (And if you’ve never read Uprooted, which is another step away from Harry Potter but still amazing, go forth!)



The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwell

Another woman-centered retelling of a well-known classic. In this Robin Hood take-off, Lady Silviana of Loughsley bands together with a group of strong women to fight back against her brother, who’s just become the sheriff.



Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

So, this one might be a little closer to Hunger Games than Harry Potter, but we can’t resist including it because of Emmett Atwater—the protagonist of the story, who’s part of a gang of teens sent to a new planet to mine a dangerous mieral—and the strong supporting characters fighting against him and backing him up. The sequel, Nyxia Unleashed, came out earlier this year; watch for the third book in the trilogy in 2019.



The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

Students at Magnalia House study the five passions: art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge. Brienna chooses knowledge, but when she accepts the patronage of a mysterious man determined to bring a rightful queen back to power, she’s thrown into the middle of a complicated political intrigue.

Thanks to YA expert Susen Shi for her amazing suggestions!

Photo from Flickr user Hung Chieh Tsai.

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations.