TL;DR: Amulet is the ultimate "gateway drug" for kids who would rather be playing The Legend of Zelda than reading a chapter book. It’s a 9-book graphic novel epic by Kazu Kibuishi that finally concluded in 2024. It’s visually stunning, emotionally heavy (starts with a parent’s death), and features some of the coolest steampunk-meets-magic world-building in modern fiction. Best for: Ages 8-13. Pairs well with: Bone and Lightfall.
If you’ve spent any time in a middle school library lately, you’ve seen the "Amulet shelf." Or rather, the empty space where the Amulet books are supposed to be. For over fifteen years, this series has been the undisputed heavyweight champion of the "I don't like reading" crowd.
But calling it a book for reluctant readers is almost an insult. It’s a cinematic masterpiece that happens to be printed on paper. If your kid is currently obsessed with Roblox lore or spends their time watching Studio Ghibli video essays, this series is their love language.
The story kicks off with a punch to the gut. Emily and Navin Hayes lose their father in a tragic car accident (it’s depicted on-page and it’s intense). Fast forward a bit, and their struggling mother moves them into a creepy ancestral home that belonged to their great-grandfather.
Naturally, there’s a secret door. Their mom gets kidnapped by a giant, multi-eyed tentacle monster, and the kids have to descend into an underground world called Alledia to save her. Emily finds a magical amulet that speaks to her, offering power but carrying a very "One Ring" vibe of potential corruption.
From there, it evolves into a massive resistance-war epic involving mechanical rabbits, giant walking houses, elf princes with daddy issues, and airship battles. It’s essentially Star Wars meets Lord of the Rings with the aesthetic of Final Fantasy.
We talk a lot about "brain rot" content—those high-stimulation, low-substance YouTube loops that leave kids acting like zombies. Amulet is the antidote.
Kazu Kibuishi is a world-class illustrator. The panels are lush, the pacing is fast, and the stakes feel real. Kids love it because it respects their intelligence. It doesn't talk down to them. It deals with grief, the ethics of war, and the fear of losing your own identity to power.
It also bridges the gap between gaming and reading. The way the magic system works and how the world is "unlocked" feels very much like a high-end RPG. If you’re worried your kid is spending too much time on Coolmath Games or Minecraft, handing them a copy of The Stonekeeper is the most effective "screen-free" pivot you can make.
For parents who have been buying these books for years, the release of Waverider (Book 9) in early 2024 was a massive deal. Kibuishi took several years to finish the finale, and the community was vibrating with anticipation.
Without spoiling anything, the finale leans heavily into the sci-fi elements of the series. It ties up the lore of the Stonekeepers and gives Emily and Navin a definitive ending. If your kid started the series years ago and fell off, now is the time to get them the box set so they can actually finish the journey.
Once a kid finishes the ninth book, they usually hit a "reading hangover." Here are the best pivots to keep that momentum going:
If Amulet is the modern epic, Bone is the classic. It starts off looking like a funny cartoon about three cousins lost in a desert, but it turns into a massive, high-stakes fantasy war. It’s the gold standard of graphic novels for this age group.
This is the closest thing to the Amulet "vibe" currently on shelves. The art is breathtaking, featuring a world where the sun has gone out and people rely on magical lamps. It’s cozy but adventurous.
If your kid likes the creature designs and the "warring factions" aspect of Amulet, they will disappear into the Wings of Fire universe. The graphic novel adaptations are excellent for kids who find the prose novels a bit daunting.
While it’s a prose novel (with illustrations), it shares the "nature vs. technology" themes found in Amulet. It’s a great next step for a kid ready to move into more text-heavy stories.
Ask our chatbot for more graphic novel recommendations based on your kid's interests
While the series is marketed for ages 8-12, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- The "Scare" Factor: Some of the monsters are legitimately creepy. We’re talking "shadow creatures with glowing eyes" and "body-snatching parasites." If you have a particularly sensitive 7 or 8-year-old, you might want to flip through the first book together.
- The Emotional Weight: The opening scene involves a car hanging off a cliff and a father falling to his death. It’s handled with grace, but it’s heavy. For a child who has recently experienced loss, this might be a "read-together" situation.
- Complexity: By Book 5 or 6, the plot gets pretty dense. There are political machinations, flashbacks, and multiple storylines. Younger kids might just look at the cool pictures of robots, while older kids will actually track the "who's-betraying-who" of it all.
One of the best things about Amulet is that it’s a shared experience. Unlike some "brain rot" YouTube channels that are physically painful for adults to watch, you will actually enjoy reading this.
It’s a "Community" Book. In most schools, Amulet is a social currency. About 60-70% of middle-grade readers have either read it or are currently waiting for it at the library. It gives kids something to talk about that isn't just Fortnite skins.
The "Real Reading" Debate. If anyone tells you graphic novels don't count as reading, show them a page of Amulet. The vocabulary is sophisticated, and the "visual literacy" required to follow the action is a legitimate cognitive skill. It’s a bridge to more complex literature, not a shortcut.
Check out our guide on why graphic novels are great for brain development
If your kid is deep in the Alledia rabbit hole, here are a few questions to get them talking (and prove you’re the "cool" parent who actually knows what’s going on):
- "Do you think Emily should trust the Voice in the Amulet?" (This kicks off a great conversation about power and intuition).
- "Which of the mechanical helpers is your favorite?" (Everyone loves Miskit, but Silas’s inventions are wild).
- "What do you think about the Elf Prince, Trellis? Is he a villain or just misunderstood?" (This hits on the "redemption arc" trope which is everywhere in modern media).
Amulet is a rare 10/10 in the world of middle-grade media. It’s beautiful, it’s meaningful, and it actually competes with the "dopamine hits" of digital gaming.
If you have a kid who feels "stuck" between being a little kid and a teenager, this is the series that will meet them exactly where they are. It’s not just a book; it’s an entry point into a lifelong love of epic storytelling.
- Grab Book 1: The Stonekeeper is usually available at any local library or bookstore.
- Check the Finale: If they’ve already read the first eight, make sure they know Book 9: Waverider is finally out.
- Explore the Genre: If they finish the series, check out our guide to the best graphic novels for middle schoolers.
Ask our chatbot if Amulet is too scary for your specific child