7 magic school series to buy young readers that aren’t ‘Harry Potter’

With the holiday season approaching, what books would make ideal gifts for the avid young readers in your life?

An evergreen answer used to be JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series. However, given Rowling’s increasing anti-trans rhetoric, it’s more than understandable if you want to distance yourself from her and avoid giving her financial support. However, don’t worry: if you’re looking for a great magical school series that will satisfy fantasy lovers And Providing solid coming-of-age stories, we have seven amazing options for you.

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From middle-grade novels to YA novels, here, in no particular order, are seven magical school series that any budding fantasy fan will love.

1. Earth cycle Ursula K. by Le Guin

We are Ursula K. Can’t talk about great magical school books without mentioning the excellence of Le Guin a wizard of earthseaThe first novel of the Prithvi Sagar cycle, a wizard of earthsea Introduces readers to the young wizard Ged, who is training at a school for wizards on the island of Roke.

Whereas a wizard of earthsea And the rest of the series doesn’t really cost He Even after spending a lot of time in school, the time we get at Roke is nothing short of magical. Furthermore, all of this serves as a wonderful stepping stone from which to explore the rest of the world of Earthsea, as well as the interesting magic system created by Le Guin. He’s a legend of science fiction and fantasy and the Earthsea cycle for a reason A great starting point for young readers who are looking for authors to follow throughout their lives.

2. The Scholomance Trilogy by Naomi Novik

What if Hogwarts was actually in an extra-dimensional void, had no teachers or supervising adults, and was filled with monsters trying to eat every student? then you get skolomance Trilogy.

Author Naomi Novik rewrites the rules of magical schoolbooks in this award-winning series that follows young sorceress Galadriel “El” Higgins. Not only is El trying to escape the bloodthirsty demons that haunt the halls of Scolomance, she’s also trying to avert a dark fate. As we know, he’s prophesied to destroy the world of magic users, so no pressure! L’s voice is extremely raspy and blunt, and Novick uses the scholomance and its magical resources as a vehicle to explore the effects of classicism. Thought-provoking and whimsical in tone, the Scolomance series It’s worth a read for any fantasy fan. However, be warned: these get darker, so this trilogy is more for older readers.

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3. The Legendborn Cycle by Tracy Dion

Fans of Arthurian legend will eat up Tracy Dion legendbornA novel that brings swords and sorcery to a residential program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. One of the event’s attendees is Bree Matthews, a black high school student who gets UNC’s “Legendborn”. It is a predominantly white secret society made up of descendants of King Arthur and his knights. Somehow, Bree is connected to them.

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As Bree discovers her place within the Arthurian legend, she realizes she has more power than she initially thought. The result is a powerful coming-of-age story that doesn’t skimp on thrills, but also takes time to examine heady subjects like intergenerational trauma. Between its clever twists on familiar myths, fascinating magic system, and thoughtful handling of the weighty subject matter, legendborn is a modern fantasy that is a must read. While the time Brie actually spends on her program is limited primarily to legendborn Themselves, the other novels in the Legendborn cycle are equally worth reading.

4. School for Good and Bad Series By Soman Chainani

Fairy tales get a new twist in Soman Chainani school of good and evilAbout a school that trains the next generations of villains and heroes. When best friends Sophie and Agatha are chosen to go to school, they realize something is wrong. Princess-like Sophie ends up in the school of evil, while witch Agatha is sent to the school of good. There must be some mistake, right? A coming-of-age story about sticking tight to your friends, rejecting people’s expectations, and coming into your own.

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5. Magic Quartet Cycle by Tamora Pierce

Tamora Pierce is one of the greatest writers of fantasy for young audiences, so it stands to reason that her take on the magic school subgenre would be excellent. The scene is from Circle of Magic Quartet, about four magicians learning to hone their powers at the Winding Circle Temple. Each of the four come from extremely different backgrounds, and each has a different magical trait, creating a wide range of characters that everyone can love.

If you’re looking for even more of Pierce’s opinions on fantasy schools, you have several options. lioness’s song The series follows aspiring knight Alana as she undergoes rigorous knightly training. storm and slaughter (Prequel to Immortals Quartet) Introduces the young wizard Arram during his time at the Imperial University of Karthak. Basically, when it comes to Pierce and fantasy, you can’t go wrong.

6. The Children of the Red King Series by Jenny Nimmo

Of all the entries on this list, Jenny Nimmo’s Children of the Red King series comes closest to your harry potter without actually existing harry potterIt is also the story of a boy with an unhappy family life, who discovers that he has magical powers and gets a chance to attend a magical school, In the case of Children of the Red King, the boy is Charlie Bone, and the school is Bloor’s Academy, attended by the magically gifted descendants of the famous Red King, As Charlie becomes accustomed to Bloor’s world, she will make fast friends, discover devastating family secrets, and embark on dazzling adventures, Yes, the similarities to Harry Potter are obvious, but take it from someone who was obsessed with these books as a child: they’re a blast in their own right,

7. Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

I know, I know, it’s more than a spell camp series than a spell School series. But Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians Deserves eternal applause. After all, lightning Thief Turns 20 in 2025, yet it’s as beloved as ever. And with good reason!

These stories of gods and daring quests are almost magical reading experiences, bringing the world of Greek mythology into our everyday lives and turning children into heroes. Riordan originally created the character Percy Jackson for his son, who has ADHD and dyslexia. In the world of the series, these learning disabilities are the personifications of demi-gods, allowing people with ADHD and dyslexia to see themselves in these heroes. Since then, Riordan has continued to broaden the viewpoints depicted in her novels, with follow-up series highlighting diverse backgrounds and LGBTQ characters. With epic adventure and an author who works to be more inclusive, Percy Jackson and the Olympians Perfect for young fantasy lovers.



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