If you liked Harry Potter . . .

[jempd]

. . . you should read The Golden Compass, the first in a trilogy by Phillp Pullman. Darker than HP so not for younger kids. For those of you who like fantasy, a must. I'm only halfway through the first book, given to me and recommended highly by my 13-year-old neice. And it's great--fantasy, adventure, the protagonist is a gutsy, interestingly imperfect, adventurous girl. Animal lovers, Madeline L'Engle fans would also like this. I haven't recommended a fiction book this enthusiastically in a long time.

[rsps]

excellent books, but not for the younger Harry Potter crowd. I'd say 12 and up because of some more difficult concepts. But a fun read.

[peggy]

Thank you for the "heads up" My son is an avid reader and Harry Potter tops the list.
Another we've found to be quite good is the "Redwall" series by Brian Jacques(sp?) and "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" series.

peggy

[battymomma]

i LOVED that trilogy and recommended it recently to two of my closest adult friends!

[Lila]

Yes, Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia are a must read for every child.

[Mallory]

Sounds good. I also like the Xanth seris by Piers Anthony. Very silly lots of puns and magic!!

[abimommy]

IMO Xanth is not for children but silly adults...:) I like them myself.

There is that series....uummm...Series of Unfortunate Events...my sis says they are good but I haven't read them...

[KareninCT]

Also good for younger kids is the Wrinkle in Time series by L'Engle. At least I loved it when I was a kid, hard to say now.

[Naomi]

My favorite recommendation to stave off Harry Potter withdrawal: "So You Want to Be a Wizard" by Diane Duane (and the sequels -- Deep Wizardry, High Wizardry, A Wizard Abroad, and The Wizard's Dilemma). All EXCELLENT books, appropriate to young people but thoroughly readable by adults.

[3boysmom]

My 10 year old and I read the Golden Compass Trilogy together and loved it. Both my 10 and 7 year olds devoured the Series of Unfortunate Events series (seriously, they read a book a day until finished). We just finished Artemis Fowl, the first in a new series...loved that too!

[drachonfire]

I found the Golden Compass Trilogy to be exactly what the People Who Blindly Object To Harry Potter really should worry about. Now, here is a book that really does rip apart organized religion. Admitedly, I don't find it the least bit Satanic, but I am sure many people would if they managed to read the last book!

Loved Secret of Platfor 13- that was so much like Harry Potter that any kid who likes on will like the other.

Narnia is awesome, and so is Madeleine L'Engle's Time Trilogy (which has a fourth book).