Books like Demigods & magicians

Demigods & magicians by Rick Riordan reads as adventurous, humorous. These 12 books share its genome — matched by how they actually read, not just their shelf label.

What Demigods & magicians is like to read

A short, breezy crossover romp where Percy and Annabeth meet the Kane siblings to battle mashed-up mythological threats. Reads as episodic team-up adventure aimed at fans of both series. Best for: middle-grade and YA readers who love Riordan's mythology mashups and want a quick crossover adventure.

The Lightning Thief

Rick Riordan · 2005

A fast, funny modern-myth romp narrated by a wisecracking twelve-year-old whose deadpan first-person voice keeps the danger buoyant.

mildly eerieyounger readers

The Kingdom of Fantasy

Elisabetta Dami · 2005

A brightly illustrated, breathlessly narrated romp through a fairy-tale kingdom, with Geronimo's timid mouse-voice bumbling through dragons and trolls in bite-sized chapters.

mildly eerieyounger readers

Peter and the Shadow Thieves

Dave Barry · 2006

A brisk, whimsical adventure that moves fast between short chapters, mixing peril and humor as a band of kid heroes race to stop a shadow-stealing villain.

mildly eerieyounger readersdeep cut

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

J.K. Rowling · 1999

The darkest and most emotionally layered of the early series, trading pure adventure for a mystery about betrayal, memory, and identity — propulsive plotting builds to a time-twist

creepy, not gory

Nightfall

Shannon Messenger · 2017

A propulsive middle-series entry that keeps its tween/teen ensemble sprinting between reveals, alliances, and betrayals — earnest, plot-forward, and emotionally invested in its found family.

mildly eerieYA

How to train your dragon

Cressida Cowell · 2003

A gleefully scrappy Viking romp narrated with doodle-strewn energy and self-deprecating wit — Hiccup's runt-of-the-litter underdog charm carries a fast, funny, illustration-punctuated adventure.

mildly eerieyounger readers

The iron trial

Holly Black · 2014

A propulsive middle-grade/YA magic-school opener built around a trial, an ensemble of young apprentices, and secrets that hook readers into a series.

younger readersdeep cut

Fablehaven

Brandon Mull · 2006

A brother-and-sister discover a hidden preserve of magical creatures and quickly learn the rules exist for good reason — an adventurous middle-grade fantasy with escalating danger

closed-doorcreepy, not goryyounger readers

Tempests and Slaughter (The Numair Chronicles, Book One)

Tamora Pierce · 2018

A warm, slow-building school story following young mages through years of training, friendship, and rivalry at a magical university.

YAcliffhangerdeep cut

Hollowpox the hunt for Morrigan crow

Jessica Townsend · 2020

A warm, whimsical middle-grade fantasy romp full of magical creatures and school-adjacent friend dynamics, with humor drawn from a found-family cast of quirky companions.

mildly eerieYAcliffhanger