TL;DR: The "I need a book right now" Cheat Sheet
If your kid just finished the Battle of Hogwarts and is looking for that next hit of dopamine, here are the heavy hitters:
- For the kid who wants a massive world: Percy Jackson & The Olympians
- For the kid who loves the "Chosen One" trope but wants it modern: Amari and the Night Brothers
- For the kid who prefers dragons to wizards: Wings of Fire
- For the visual reader (Graphic Novels): Amulet
- For the Netflix binger: The Owl House or Hilda
We’ve all been there. Your kid finishes Harry Potter and suddenly their entire personality is "Gryffindor." They’re trying to turn the TV on with a stick and asking when their owl is coming. But then... the void sets in.
Finding a follow-up to the Wizarding World is tricky. You want that same sense of wonder and "found family," but maybe without the baggage of the original series' creator or the slightly dated 90s British boarding school vibes. Plus, in 2026, a book isn't just a book—it’s a gateway to a Roblox server, a Discord community (if they're old enough), and a million "lore" videos on YouTube.
Here is how to navigate the post-Potter landscape with books that actually reflect the world our kids live in now.
If Harry Potter was the blueprint, these series are the high-def upgrades. They have massive fanbases, digital tie-ins, and heroes that don't all look the same.
Ages 8-12 This is the gold standard. If your kid hasn't started this yet, start here. It’s about a kid who discovers he’s a demigod (son of Poseidon) and heads to Camp Half-Blood.
- Why it works: It’s funny. Like, actually laugh-out-loud funny. Percy has ADHD and dyslexia, which the book frames as "battle reflexes" and a brain hard-wired for Ancient Greek. It’s incredibly validating for neurodivergent kids.
- The Digital Vibe: There is a massive Percy Jackson (Disney+) series now, which is way better than the old movies.
Check out our guide on whether the Percy Jackson show is too scary for 7-year-olds
Ages 8-12 This is the closest thing to the "Hogwarts feeling" I’ve read in years. Amari is a girl from a housing project who gets an invitation to a summer camp for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs.
- Why it works: It deals with "modern" magic—think Men in Black meets Harry Potter. It also tackles themes of prejudice and "illegal" magic in a way that feels very relevant to 2025. Amari is a powerhouse protagonist that kids absolutely root for.
- Parent Tip: This is a great one for audiobooks if you’re on a road trip.
Ages 7-12 If your kid is obsessed with Roblox, they probably already know about this. It’s a massive series about dragon tribes at war.
- Why it works: It’s basically Game of Thrones for elementary schoolers (but, you know, without the HBO-level trauma). The world-building is intense.
- The Digital Connection: The Wings of Fire game on Roblox is huge. It’s a role-playing game (RPG) where kids fly around as their favorite dragon types. It’s a great example of how reading leads directly into digital play.
Let’s be real: some kids find a 400-page novel "mid" or "straight brain rot." If you’re struggling to get them off YouTube Shorts, try these visual masterpieces.
Ages 7-12 This graphic novel series is the "gateway drug" to reading. It follows Emily and Navin as they travel to an underground world of robots, talking animals, and a very powerful (and dangerous) stone amulet.
- The Vibe: High-stakes, cinematic, and gorgeous. It feels like a Studio Ghibli movie in book form.
Ages 9+ A beautifully illustrated graphic novel about a world where your hair length determines your magic power. It’s queer-friendly, inclusive, and deals with standing up to "the system."
Ask our chatbot for more graphic novel recommendations for 3rd graders
Sometimes the "alternative" isn't a book; it's a show that sparks the same imaginative fire. If you’re tired of the loud, fast-paced screaming of some YouTube creators, these are the "slow-burn" magic shows.
Ages 7+ Luz, a quirky human girl, accidentally stumbles into a portal to a magical world. Since she doesn't have magic, she has to learn it through "glyphs" (drawing symbols).
- Why Parents Love It: It celebrates being an outsider. It’s also one of the most diverse and inclusive shows Disney has ever made. It’s "weird" in the best way—very "Ohio" as the kids might say (meaning: strange/chaotic, though the slang changes every five minutes).
Ages 5-10 Based on the Hilda graphic novels, this show is cozy, magical, and focuses on folklore rather than "wands and spells."
- Why it works: It teaches empathy. Hilda often solves problems by talking to the "monsters" rather than fighting them. It’s the ultimate "low-stim" magic show.
When a kid gets into a fantasy series today, they don't just read the book and put it away. They go deep. Here’s what to watch out for:
- The Wiki Trap: Sites like Fandom.com are great for looking up "Who is the god of the Underworld in Percy Jackson?" but they are also ad-heavy and full of spoilers. If your kid is sensitive to spoilers, keep them off the wikis.
- The "Power Scaling" Videos: On YouTube and TikTok, there’s a whole genre of "Who would win: Percy Jackson or Harry Potter?" These are mostly harmless, but the comment sections can get toxic with "gatekeeping" fans.
- Roblox RPGs: Many of these book series have unofficial fan games on Roblox. Most are great for creativity, but some have "gacha" elements (paying Robux for a random chance at a rare dragon or spell).
If your family is moving away from Harry Potter because of the controversies surrounding the author, it’s a great opportunity for a "no-BS" conversation with your elementary schooler.
You can say: "We love this story, but the person who wrote it has said some things that hurt people’s feelings and don't align with how we treat others. That’s why we’re looking for new stories by authors who make sure everyone feels included."
Kids are surprisingly good at understanding the "separate the art from the artist" concept when you lay it out simply.
The "Boy Who Lived" will always be a classic, but the world of middle-grade fantasy has exploded since 1997. We now have heroes who are Black, Brown, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and—most importantly—written for the way kids consume media today.
Start with Percy Jackson if you want a safe bet, or Amari and the Night Brothers if you want that fresh "first day at magic school" feeling.
- Library Trip: Have your kid look at the covers of Amulet and Wings of Fire.
- Screen Time Swap: Trade 30 minutes of YouTube for one episode of The Owl House.
- Check the Community: If they start a series, see if there's a Common Sense Media review for the specific book to check for "scary" levels.
Ask our chatbot for a personalized reading list based on your kid's favorite video games