9 Read Alikes for Magic Tree House Fans
It’s been 30 years since the first Magic Tree House book, Dinosaurs Before Dark was published! And they are still some of the most popular books among early readers. With that in mind, I wanted to share some other series that kids may enjoy that are at a similar level. This is a great tip for all readers – when looking for similar books search for “read alikes” and you’ll find all sorts of great lists by librarians and book bloggers! These chapter book series have supporting illustrations, a lot of white space, and a larger font that makes transitioning from easy readers to middle grade books a lot easier for young readers.
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9 Read Alikes for Magic Tree House Fans
The Absent Author
(A to Z Mysteries) by Ron Roy
A is for Author . . . A famous writer is coming to Green Lawn! Dink rushes to the bookstore to meet his favorite author, Wallis Wallace, and get all his books signed. But the author never shows up! Where is Wallis Wallace? Itās up to Dink and his friends Josh and Ruth Rose to track him down.
Rise of the Earth Dragon
(Dragon Masters) by Tracey West
8-year old Drake is snatched up by King Roland’s soldier and taken to the castle. He is to be trained as a Dragon Master. At the castle, he is joined by three other young Dragon Masters-in-training: Ana, Rori, and Bo. The Dragon Masters must learn how to connect with and train their dragons–and they must also uncover their dragons’ special powers. Does Drake have what it takes to be a Dragon Master? What is his dragon’s special power?
Willa the Wisp
(The Fabled Stables) by Jonathan Auxier
Welcome to the Fabled Stables, a magical building filled with one-of-a-kind creatures. Creatures including the Gargantula, the Yawning Abyss, the Hippopotamouse . . . and Auggie. Auggie is the only human boy at the Stables, and he takes care of all the other animals. The Fabled Stables have a mind of their own, and every so often, the building SHAKES and SHUDDERS, TWITCHES and SPUTTERS–it’s making room for a new arrival! It’s Auggie’s job to venture out and rescue a new creature from mortal danger. But will he be able to complete his mission before it’s too late? With some help from Fen (a literal stick-in-the-mud) and his animal companions, Auggie saves the day and makes a new friend in the process.
The Mount Rushmore Calamity
(Flat Stanley Worldwide Adventures) by Jeff Brown
The whole Lambchop family is off to see Mount Rushmore. But when Flat Stanley and his brother, Arthur, team up with a scrappy cowgirl named Calamity Jasper, their vacation turns into the Wild West experience of a lifetime. Pretty soon, they find themselves in a real tight spotāeven for a flat boy like Stanley!
Clover’s Luck
(Magical Animal Adoption Agency) by Kallie George
Despite her name, Clover has always felt decidedly unlucky. So when she stumbles upon a mysterious cottage in the Woods, she can hardly believe her good fortune. It’s the Magical Animal Adoption Agency, and it houses creatures of all kinds. Fairy horses, unicorns, and a fiery young dragon are just the beginning!
Mr. Jams, the Agency’s owner, agrees to hire her as summer helper and Clover hopes her luck has finally changed. But when she’s left alone to care for the Agency, a sneaky witch comes after the magical creatures! Will Clover outsmart her in time to protect the animals?
Miss Daisy Is Crazy
(My Weird School) by Dan Gutman
In the first My Weird School bookĀ ever, second-grade teacher Miss Daisy is in over her head at Ella Mentary School. She doesn’t even know how to add or subtract.
But the students, like A.J. and his friends, have other things on their minds. Principal Klutz has promised their class that if they read a million pages in books, they can turn the school into a video-game arcade for one whole night,
The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet
(The Secrets of Droon) by Tony Abbott
When Neal and Julie agree to help Eric straighten up his basement, they never imagine that they’re in for more than getting a little dusty. But as the three kids follow a soccer ball into the small room under the basement stairs, the floor suddenly evaporates to reveal a rainbow staircase to another world!
Before they have a chance to look around, they are caught in the midst of a battle. Shiny red men riding giant lizards are shooting arrows straight at them. They are saved by Princess Keeah of Droon who tells them the red men are warriors for the evil Lord Sparr. She promises to help them get home if they will carry a message for her.
The message is delivered successfully but the brave Keeah has been captured by Lord Sparr. Equipped with a cape of invisibility, a six legged camel/horse, and a talkative spider-troll named Max, the three children manage to sneak in and rescue Keeah.
Astride a magic carpet, Julie, Eric, Neal, and Keeah fly to the stairs that will take the three “Upper World” children back home. The kids are astonished to discover that no time has passed back in their own world. But even as they marvel at their adventure, they realize that Princess Keeah has left them a secret message: Your dreams will tell you to return!
Stealing the Sword
(Time Jumpers series) by Wendy Mass
Chase and Ava find an old suitcase filled with strange objects. One of the objects looks like a dragon-headed doorknob… Suddenly Chase and Ava find themselves jumping back in time to King Arthur’s castle! They meet the king’s wizard Merlin and soon discover what the dragon-headed doorknobĀ reallyĀ is. It turns out they have an important job to do: They must save the king! But a bad guy is after them… How will Chase and Ava get back home? They will need to act fast to find out!
The Knights of the Kitchen Table
(Time Warp Trio) by Jon Scieszka
Joe’s been caught up in a book before, but this is ridiculous!Ā Joe’s Book, a gift from his magician uncle, doesn’t just tell stories, it zaps Joe and his friends Sam and Fred right into the middle of them. And when these thoroughly modern kids meet King Arthur and become Knights of the Round Table, the result can only be thoroughly amusing mayhem.
If youāre interested in purchasingĀ any of the titles above from my list of 9 Read Alikes for Magic Tree House Fans, please use my affiliate links forĀ Amazon or Bookshop. When you purchase from the links above, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.
One Comment
Jane the Raincity Librarian
Wow, this is actually super timely, my coworker’s nephew is coming to the end of the series and she’s looking to help him branch out!! Thanks for the awesome resource!