Children Books to Read after Harry Potter

After finishing the Harry Potter series, one might be filled with a sense of letdown. What books to read after Harry Potter is finished? Fortunately, there are a number of excellent books for both children and adults which are written in a similar spirit. Many of these books have captivated multiple generations of readers of all ages, and they are all great books to read after Harry Potter.

As is the case with many “children's” books, many of these series can easily be read by adults as well as children. For younger children who are seeking books to read after Harry Potter, authors such as E. Nesbit, T.H. White, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Diana Wynne Jones, Tamora Pierce, and Roald Dahl are all great choices. Fortunately for their fans, many of these authors have written an astounding amount of work, so if readers become particularly besotted with one, it will take a long time to be sated.


Slightly older readers may enjoy the Dark is Rising Series by Susan Cooper, the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, the Inheritance Trilogy by Christopher Paolini, and works of authors such as Madeleine L'Engle, Ursula Le Guin, Garth Nix, and Lloyd Alexander. The Chronicles of Narnia are also fun books to read after Harry Potter, and adults may enjoy the essays of C.S. Lewis on religion and ethics as well.

Some librarians compare His Dark Materials, a trilogy by Philip Pullman, with Harry Potter. The books deal with complex and sometimes mature themes which may not be suitable for very young readers, but for older readers, they are very enjoyable to read, as they capture some of the magic of Harry Potter. Pullman has also written other works of fiction for youth, including the Sally Lockhart series, an entertaining series of books featuring a strong female hero. For readers who want books to read after Harry Potter which feature strong women, Pullman's works are a great choice.

Adults who are in mourning over the end need not fear. The Lord of the Rings is a classic epic fantasy trilogy which many Harry Potter readers greatly enjoy. Assuming that you have already read the Lord of the Rings, you might also want to look into the works of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Many of their books are also suitable for young adult readers. For readers who enjoy a more science fiction bent, Robert Heinlein and Larry Niven have both written large numbers of epic and often quite entertaining books.