8 Books Like Percy Jackson — Scored by Kids, Parents & Teachers

Your kid tore through The Lightning Thief, demanded the rest of the series, and now they’re staring at you asking “what next?” These eight books scratch the same itch — adventure, humor, a protagonist who doesn’t quite fit in — but each brings something Percy Jackson doesn’t. We scored every one across 30 dimensions using our three-scorecard system so you can match the right book to your specific kid, not just “kids who like fantasy.”

Already read all the Riordan books? If your kid has finished Percy Jackson’s five books but hasn’t tried Rick Riordan’s other series — Heroes of Olympus (Percy returns with new friends), The Kane Chronicles (Egyptian mythology), and Magnus Chase (Norse mythology) — start there. They’re the closest match because they’re literally the same author and shared universe. But if you’ve been through the Riordan-verse or your kid wants something different, the eight picks below go beyond Riordan — each one scored and analyzed so you can find the right fit. With the Disney+ Percy Jackson show bringing a wave of new readers into the series, we’re seeing more parents ask this exact question.

Here’s what makes Percy Jackson magnetic: a wisecracking first-person narrator, mythology woven into the real world, nonstop pacing, and a hero who turns his weaknesses into strengths. Our full 30-dimension analysis of The Lightning Thief shows kids rate it 74/100 while parents score it 59/100 — that 15-point gap tells you this is pure kid-fuel. The books below all share at least two of those hooks, but they’ll stretch your reader in different directions.

The Familiar Favorites: Same Energy, Proven Winners

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone — J.K. Rowling

If your kid hasn’t read Harry Potter yet, this is the obvious next step — and the data backs it up. Kids score it 79/100 (five points higher than Percy Jackson), with near-identical appeal: a misfit discovers a magical world, makes loyal friends, and battles evil while navigating a world that doesn’t quite understand them.

Where Harry Potter differs: the writing is richer. Parents rate writing quality significantly higher, and the worldbuilding rewards careful readers who notice details across seven books. Harry is less snarky than Percy — more earnest, more quietly brave. If your kid loved Percy’s humor above all else, Harry might feel slower at first. But kids who push past the first few chapters rarely stop.

The reading level runs slightly higher (Lexile 880L versus Percy’s 740L), so strong 8-year-olds can tackle it while most 9-to-11-year-olds find it comfortable. See our complete analysis of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone for the full scorecard breakdown.

Keeper of the Lost Cities — Shannon Messenger

This is the recommendation we give most often when parents say “my kid finished Percy Jackson in two days.” Keeper matches Percy’s kid score almost exactly (79/100) and delivers the same first-chapter grab — a girl discovers she has secret powers and gets whisked away to a hidden world of elves and magic.

Here’s the difference parents care about: Sophie Foster’s story leans harder into friendship and emotional complexity than Percy’s quest-driven plot. The found-family dynamic is the engine, not the monster battles. Kids who loved Grover and Annabeth’s loyalty — not just the Minotaur fights — will connect deeply here. Shannon Messenger’s series runs eight books, so you’re buying yourself months of reading.

Lexile sits at 720L (slightly easier than Percy Jackson), making this accessible for strong 9-year-olds. Best fit: ages 10-12. Explore our full review of Keeper of the Lost Cities for detailed scores.

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy — Tui T. Sutherland

Wings of Fire is the pick for younger Percy Jackson fans or kids who need a slightly easier entry point. Kids rate it 76/100 — strong — but here’s what parents should know: the kid-parent gap is the widest on this list at 26 points. Kids love the dragon POV, the tribal politics, and the fast pacing. Parents notice the writing is more functional and the violence, while fantasy-level, is more present than in Percy Jackson.

What makes this series special: it’s fifteen books long, and kids who start rarely stop. If your child is 7-10 and ripped through Percy Jackson but found Harry Potter intimidating, Wings of Fire bridges the gap perfectly. The Lexile (700L) is accessible, chapters are short, and the dragon world is endlessly cool at recess.

The series has sold over 80 million copies — that’s not marketing hype, it’s 80 million kids who couldn’t stop turning pages. Once they’re hooked on Clay and the dragonets, they’re reading 3,000+ pages before they realize it. Check our Wings of Fire analysis for the complete picture.

The Deep Cuts: Same Spirit, Different Flavor

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief — A.F. Steadman

Skandar is for the Percy Jackson fan ready for something with more emotional weight. The setup sounds familiar — a boy discovers he’s destined to bond with a magical creature and trains at a special school — but Steadman’s unicorns are savage, elemental beasts, not sparkly horses. And unlike Percy, who barrels through problems with wit, Skandar has to sit with uncertainty.

Here’s what catches parents off guard: this book rewards patience. The first 50 pages are worldbuilding, and action-hungry readers may stall. But kids who push through find an emotional payoff Percy Jackson doesn’t attempt. Our data shows Skandar is one of the rare books where parents actually score higher than kids (71 vs. 63) — meaning the things adults value in fiction (emotional sophistication, thematic depth) are stronger here.

Best for ages 10-13. If your kid races through books looking for the next fight scene, start with something else. If they loved the quieter moments in Percy Jackson — learning about his dad, the prophecy’s weight — Skandar will land. See the full Skandar review.

Amari and the Night Brothers — B.B. Alston

Amari is what you get when you combine Percy Jackson’s pacing with themes Percy doesn’t touch. Amari Peters discovers her missing brother was part of a secret supernatural agency — and she’s been recruited too. The kid score (70/100) reflects strong engagement, and the completion signal is high: fast pacing plus genuine stakes keeps pages turning.

What sets this apart: Amari is a Black girl navigating a magical world where prejudice follows her from the real one. B.B. Alston doesn’t shy away from racism and systemic injustice, but weaves these themes into a page-turning adventure rather than a lesson. For families who want their Percy Jackson alternative to reflect a wider world, this is the pick.

Best fit: ages 10-13. Kids who liked Percy’s underdog energy and “I’ll prove everyone wrong” arc will connect with Amari immediately. Explore the complete Amari analysis.

The Graveyard Book — Neil Gaiman

This is the literary pick on the list — the one that stretches your reader the most. A baby escapes a murderer, gets adopted by ghosts in a graveyard, and grows up learning supernatural skills from the dead. It’s weird, it’s beautiful, and it won a Newbery Medal for good reason.

The scores tell an unusual story: parents rate The Graveyard Book 78/100 — higher than kids (71/100). That reversed gap is rare and means this is a book parents genuinely enjoy alongside their children. The writing is atmospheric and precise where Percy Jackson is punchy and fast. If your kid only likes books that read like action movies, this might not land. But if they’ve ever lingered on a paragraph because it sounded beautiful, Gaiman will hook them.

Best for ages 10-12. The vocabulary is sophisticated and themes run deeper than most middle-grade fiction. Perfect for the Percy Jackson fan who’s also a bit of an old soul. Here’s our Graveyard Book analysis.

The Classics: Timeless Adventures That Still Deliver

The Hobbit — J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit is the grandfather of everything Percy Jackson stands on. Before demigods, there was Bilbo Baggins — a comfortable homebody dragged into an adventure he never wanted. The scores are remarkably balanced (kid: 71, parent: 70, teacher: 72), which is nearly unique on this list. Everyone agrees this book works.

Fair warning for Percy Jackson fans: Tolkien’s prose is denser and more deliberate than Riordan’s punchy style. There are songs. There are descriptions of landscapes. Kids accustomed to Percy’s breathless pacing may need a chapter or two to adjust. But the adventure is real, the dragon is terrifying, and Bilbo’s journey from timid to brave resonates with every kid who’s ever felt too small for the world.

Best for ages 9-12, though the archaic prose style means some 9-year-olds may need a read-aloud companion. If your child finishes The Hobbit, they’ll eventually want The Lord of the Rings — and that’s a reading milestone worth celebrating. See our Hobbit analysis.

A Wrinkle in Time — Madeleine L’Engle

Wrinkle is the curveball recommendation. It shares Percy Jackson’s core structure (kid discovers extraordinary heritage, goes on a quest to rescue a parent) but delivers it through science fiction and philosophy instead of mythology. Meg Murry is stubborn, imperfect, and fiercely loyal — kids who loved Annabeth Chase’s intensity will recognize a kindred spirit.

The balanced scores (kid: 70, parent: 72, teacher: 73) suggest broad appeal, but here’s the honest truth: A Wrinkle in Time demands abstract thinking. The tesseract, the concept of evil as conformity, the climax where love literally defeats darkness — these ideas thrill some kids and lose others entirely. If your child asks “why” questions constantly, this is their book. If they prefer “what happens next,” try Keeper of the Lost Cities instead.

Best for ages 10-13. Lexile 770L puts it right in Percy Jackson territory. Our Wrinkle in Time review has the full breakdown.

How These Books Compare

Book	Format	Lexile	AR Level	Age Range	Kid Score	Parent Score	Key Appeal
The Lightning Thief	Novel	740L	4.7	9-14	74	59	Kid-driven (15pt gap)
Harry Potter 1	Novel	880L	5.5	7-14	79	66	Kid-favorite (13pt gap)
Keeper of the Lost Cities	Novel	720L	5.4	9-13	79	63	Kid-favorite (16pt gap)
Wings of Fire 1	Novel	700L	4.8	6-12	76	50	Biggest kid-parent gap (26pt)
Skandar 1	Novel	830L	5.7	9-14	63	71	Parent-preferred (-8pt gap)
Amari 1	Novel	600L	5.0	9-15	70	62	Kid-driven + diverse (8pt gap)
The Graveyard Book	Novel	820L	5.1	9-14	71	78	Parent-preferred (-7pt gap)
The Hobbit	Novel	1000L	6.6	6-14	71	70	Balanced appeal (1pt gap)
A Wrinkle in Time	Novel	770L	4.7	9-14	70	72	Balanced appeal (-2pt gap)

The comparison reveals something interesting: Percy Jackson has the highest kid-parent gap (15 points) of any book on this list except Wings of Fire (26 points). If your child loved Percy Jackson and you found it a bit thin, books like The Graveyard Book, Skandar, and The Hobbit — where parents score as high or higher than kids — might be the sweet spot where you both enjoy reading time.

The Bottom Line

Percy Jackson works because it makes a kid with ADHD and dyslexia feel like a hero. The best “books like Percy Jackson” don’t just copy that formula — they extend it. Harry Potter and Keeper of the Lost Cities deliver the same rush with richer worlds. Wings of Fire catches younger readers. Skandar and The Graveyard Book push emotional boundaries. The Hobbit and A Wrinkle in Time prove the adventure formula is timeless. And Amari shows that the hero’s journey belongs to everyone.

Start with the book that matches where your kid is right now — not where you wish they were reading. A 9-year-old who needs fast pacing? Wings of Fire. A 12-year-old ready for depth? The Graveyard Book. A kid who just wants more Percy? Keeper of the Lost Cities. Every book on this list was chosen because our 30-dimension scoring showed it shares real DNA with The Lightning Thief — not just a surface-level “it’s fantasy.”

Your child devoured Percy Jackson — but the next pick matters. Go too similar and they’re bored; too different and they bounce. Tell us what they loved and we’ll find the sweet spot — books that stretch them just enough to stay hooked, based on how your kid actually reads, not just their age or grade level.

Frequently Asked Questions

What book series is most similar to Percy Jackson?

Keeper of the Lost Cities matches Percy Jackson’s appeal most closely — our data shows nearly identical kid scores (79 vs. 74), the same “outsider discovers hidden world” structure, and a similarly addictive series format with eight books. Harry Potter is the other top match, with even higher kid engagement at 79/100 and the same “magical school” foundation that Percy Jackson fans love.

What age should kids start reading books like Percy Jackson?

Most books on this list work best for ages 9-13, matching Percy Jackson’s sweet spot. Wings of Fire skews younger (ages 7-10) with simpler prose and shorter chapters, making it ideal for early Percy Jackson fans. The Hobbit and The Graveyard Book suit older readers (10-13) who are ready for more sophisticated writing and deeper themes.

Are there books like Percy Jackson with diverse characters?

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston features a Black girl protagonist navigating a supernatural world while confronting real-world prejudice — our reviewers scored it 70/100 for kid appeal with strong themes of identity and belonging. Rick Riordan’s own imprint publishes mythology-based series featuring protagonists from Hindu, Korean, Yoruba, and Maya traditions.

What should my reluctant reader try after Percy Jackson?

Percy Jackson scores 9/10 on our “reluctant reader rescue” metric, so you need something equally accessible. Wings of Fire (Lexile 700L, short chapters, dragon appeal) and Keeper of the Lost Cities (Lexile 720L, immediate hook, friendship-driven) are the safest picks. Avoid The Hobbit and A Wrinkle in Time for reluctant readers — both demand patience that new readers may not have built yet.

Is Harry Potter harder to read than Percy Jackson?

Yes, moderately. Harry Potter’s Lexile score (880L) runs about 140 points higher than Percy Jackson’s (740L), and the prose style is denser with more descriptive passages. However, Harry Potter remains one of the most completed long books in children’s fiction — the story’s pull compensates for the reading challenge. Most kids who handled Percy Jackson at age 10 can tackle Harry Potter comfortably.

Should I let my kid read the Percy Jackson books out of order?

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series should be read in order — each book builds directly on the previous one’s plot and character development. Start with The Lightning Thief and read through to The Last Olympian. After finishing the original five books, readers can branch into Rick Riordan’s connected series (Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles, Magnus Chase) which can be read in any order relative to each other.

What order should my kid read books like Percy Jackson?

If your child just finished The Lightning Thief, here’s a suggested reading path: finish all five Percy Jackson books first, then try Heroes of Olympus (Percy returns with new characters). From there, branch based on your kid’s taste: Harry Potter or Keeper of the Lost Cities for more magical school stories, Wings of Fire for faster-paced adventure, or Skandar for something emotionally richer. Save The Hobbit and A Wrinkle in Time for when they’re ready for denser prose — usually around age 11-12. The key is matching the next book to where your reader is right now, not jumping to the hardest option.