Books like The hidden kingdom [graphic novel]

The hidden kingdom [graphic novel] by Barry Deutsch reads as whimsical, adventurous. These 12 books share its genome — matched by how they actually read, not just their shelf label.

Bone

Jeff Smith · 1997

Both explore family

Nimona

N.D. Stevenson · 2015

A fast, funny graphic-novel romp mixing heroic fantasy and sci-fi, following a brash shapeshifting sidekick and her villain boss through action and unexpected plot twists.

deep cut

Flight, Volume Two

Kazu Kibuishi · 2005

A diverse collection of short graphic stories celebrating flight and magic across fantastical settings, emphasizing imaginative world-building and creative visual storytelling from multiple artists.

younger readersdeep cut

The nameless city

Faith Erin Hicks · 2016

A visually rich graphic novel about two girls from opposing sides of a conquered city building trust as political unrest and ancient mysteries swirl around them, blending adventure

younger readersdeep cut

The witch boy

Lee Knox Ostertag · 2017

Both explore magic & family

Hilda y el trol

Luke Pearson · 2010

A gentle, whimsical romp through folklore-tinged encounters, told with light humor and visual charm; low stakes but full of curious wonder.

mildly eerieyounger readerscomplete story

Owly

Andy Runton · 2004

Shares the vspare thread

Cardboard

Doug TenNapel · 2012

A gentle, imaginative graphic novel about grief and creativity, where a boy and his grandfather's cardboard creations turn heartwarming and a little dangerous.

mildly eerieyounger readerscomplete story

Shrek!

William Steig · 1990

A gleefully grotesque romp: a hideous ogre swaggers through a fairy-tale landscape terrifying everyone he meets on his way to find an equally repulsive bride.

complete storydeep cut

Coraline

Neil Gaiman · 2002

A child's ordinary boredom spirals into a twisted parallel world where she must outwit a button-eyed predator — suspenseful, uncanny, and emotionally grounded, with genuine stakes that never tip into gore.

intensely scaryyounger readerscomplete story

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Sherman Alexie · 2007

A diary-voiced, cartoon-illustrated teen monologue that swings from laugh-out-loud jokes to sudden grief within a page — propulsive, warm, and quietly devastating.

YAcomplete story

Seconds

Bryan Lee O'Malley · 2001

A graphic novel about a young chef given magical do-overs whose attempts to perfect her life spiral into escalating, increasingly strange consequences — whimsical premise curdling into something darker.

mildly eeriecomplete storydeep cut