Yesterday, my 13yo son began his 4th re-read of the Harry Potter series after finishing Suzanne Collins‘ Underland Chronicles for the second time. While I’m shocked that he’s become such a great reader, I’m also surprised that he’s asked for more of the same—new series in a similar vein that will keep him reading.
This request began my journey to uncover new-to-us series that meet our individual requirements as both reader and parent—and I’m happy to invite you along on the journey!
The Right Way to Search
I first Googled “best fantasy series for teens,” but man that resulted in a mixed bag of nonsense! Search results came back with lists too vulgar for 13yo boys, not to mention the host of snarky “responses” to those lists. It made me realize that it’s a murky world of vloggers out there—most of whom don’t share my own tastes.
Thankfully, Grok exists to help me comb through the roughage with my own specifications. Through a series of prompts, I ended up with 5 guidelines when considering series we’ve loved or hated. In summary, as a parent, I want my kids to read stories…
…with engaging storytelling
…with a strong moral compass
…with a focus on traditional virtues
…without modern ideological agendas
…without overtly pagan elements, and
…with a touch of humor.
Summary of Prompts and Results
Prompt 1: Create a list of book series in line with The Wingfeather Saga, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games—series with good morals but which lack the ideological slant of, say, His Dark Materials.
- The Green Ember series by S.D. Smith — Rabbit characters are hunted by wolves with themes of courage, loyalty, freedom, heroism, and sacrifice for the greater good.
- The 100 Cupboards series by N.D. Wilson — Magical attic cupboards lead to different worlds, with themes of family, identity, and the moral implications of power. [See my review here.]
- Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series by Michael Scott — An immortal alchemist and his wife fight magical forces seeking to control time, with themes of responsibility and the consequences of actions.
- The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart — A group of gifted children solve puzzles, with themes of moral dilemmas, teamwork, and friendship. [See my review here.]
- The Farsala Trilogy by Hilari Bell — A clash of cultures in ancient Persia at war, with themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the ethics of leadership.
- The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan — An orphan turned apprentice in Medieval times, with themes of duty, honor, the fight against tyranny, and the process of maturing.
- The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins — A boy falls into the animal-filled underworld of New York City, with themes of prophecy, war, and moral dilemmas.
- His Majesty’s Dragons series by Naomi Novik — Dragons in a Napoleonic War setting, with themes of loyalty, duty, and the ethical treatment of sentient beings.
Prompt 2: Create a list of series like The 39 Clues but for older kids and with more fantasy—series that lack the overt paganism of Percy Jackson.
- Repeats: Green Embers, The Ranger’s Apprentice, the Farsala Trilogy, and His Majesty’s Dragons
9. The Ascendance series by Jennifer A. Nielsen — An orphan contends for his land’s throne, with themes of intrigue, deception, loyalty, politics, and power.
10. The Books of Umber by P.W. Catanese — A boy and an explorer uncover ancient secrets and battle beasts across dimensions, with themes of bravery and maturity.
Prompt 3: What series contain my guidelines already listed, yet also blended with humor?
- Repeat: The Green Ember series
11. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (a standalone novel within a larger universe of books) — Bilbo’s first adventure with the dwarfs and Smaug, with themes of courage, friendship, and the battle between good and evil. [See my review here.]
12. The Redwall books by Brian Jacques — Forest animals battle their enemies in a Medieval world, with themes of friendship, courage, and the battle of good vs. evil. [See my review here.]
13. The Chronicles of Prydian by Lloyd Alexander — An assistant pig-keeper’s quest across mythical lands, with themes of heroism, humility, and maturity.
14. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede — A princess becomes a dragon’s princess and rescues princes, with themes of responsibility, courage, initiative, and independence.
15. The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell — Adventures in a world of sky ships and fantastical beasts, with themes of destiny, friendship, power, and courage.
With these suggestions, I’ve been able to add 15 more fantasy series to my list of 5 favorites for a full list of 20 (see the photo)—that’s 20 youth fantasy series my kids can explore without dad worrying!
As a slight disclaimer, I haven’t yet read most of these myself, so don’t hold me to them just yet. As far as I can tell, none of these series are overtly religious, yet they meet my standards as epics of moral virtue without overt paganism or liberal agendas.
How about You?
- Which of these series have you already read and loved?
- Which would you add?
- Are there any you’d remove from this list?
Let me know in the comments below!
Note: Some links on this page will take you to Amazon—these are paid Amazon Associate links.
©2024 E.T.
What about the Divergent series. It’s great as well..
Thanks! I’ll check that out.
With respect, may I point out that in your comparison graphic you’ve a typo that lists the title of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel as “Nicholas Flavel” and you’ve given the writer as Naomi Novik when the author is Michael Scott. Aside from those little hiccups, it’s great seeing a dad who encourages and enjoys reading with & to his kids, keep up the great work!
You may absolutely point it out and I’ll try to make those fixes (or remove it completely 🙂 Thanks!