Books like 'The Real Boy'
Readers who enjoyed The Real Boy by Anne Ursu & Erin Mcguire also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy action / adventure mystery high fantasy magic children friendship fairy-tale coming-of-age cats
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The Brightest Night by Tui T. Sutherland
26 ratingsThe dragonets struggle to fulfill the prophecy and -- somehow -- end the war in this thrilling new installment of the bestselling WINGS OF FIRE series!It all comes down to this: The Dragonets of Destiny must finally bring the epic war to an end, reconcile the seven tribes, and choose the next queen of Pyrrhia... and make it out alive... -
Moon Rising by Tui T. Sutherland
24 ratingsThe New York Times-bestselling series soars to even greater heights with a new prophecy and five new dragonets ready to claim their destiny!Peace has come to Pyrrhia . . . for now...Categorized as:
animals children friendship magic myths retellings action-adventure anthropomorphism -
Winter Turning by Tui T. Sutherland
24 ratingsDaring mission... or deadly mistake?Winter has been a disappointment to his royal IceWing family his whole life. When his sister, Icicle, runs away from Jade Mountain Academy, fleeing terrible crimes and possibly planning to commit more, Winter knows that they both need a second chance to make things right -- if only he can find her...Categorized as:
animals children friendship magic myths retellings action-adventure anthropomorphism -
The Lost Continent by Tui T. Sutherland
20 ratingsFor centuries there have been rumors of another continent on the dragons' planet -- another land far across the ocean, populated by tribes of dragons very different from those we know. But there's never been any evidence, and most dragons dismissed the rumors as fairy tales. Until now. Because it turns out the stories are true. And the other tribes are coming...Categorized as:
animals children friendship magic myths retellings action-adventure anthropomorphism -
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The Hive Queen by Tui T. Sutherland
20 ratingsGrowing up in the hives, Cricket has always had a million questions... -
How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury by Cressida Cowell
18 ratingsWinner, 2017 APA Audie Awards - Middle GradeBook 12 is the epic finale to the New York Times best-selling How to Train Your Dragon series!The Doomsday of Yule has arrived, and the future of dragonkind lies in the hands of one boy with nothing to show but everything to fight for. Hiccup's quest is clear.. -
The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan
30 ratingsWhen Horace travels to the exotic land of Nihon- Ja, it isn't long before he finds himself pulled into a battle that is not his - but one he knows in his heart he must wage. A kingdom teeters on the edge of chaos when the Nihon-Ja emperor, a defender of the common man, is forcibly overthrown, and only Horace, Will, and his Araluen companions can restore the emperor to the throne... -
The Land of Stories #1-6 by Chris Colfer
12 ratingsDive into the complete #1 New York Times bestselling series The Land of Stories with this beautiful gift set.Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, twins Alex and Conner leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about... -
Island of Graves by Lisa McMann
18 ratingsOn the brink of war, the fates of both Artimé and Quill are at stake in book six of the New York Times bestselling Unwanteds series, which Kirkus Reviews called “The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter.”Alex and Aaron Stowe are at a crossroads.Everything Aaron has worked so hard to build in Quill has crumbled... -
The Twelve Dancing Princesses by K.M. Shea
14 ratingsQuinn is a loyal soldier of Farset, willing to risk her life on behalf of her country and squad. So, when a fellow soldier volunteers for a dangerous mission, Quinn joins him. Their assignment is to investigate the nightly disappearance of the twelve royal princesses, a mystery none have solved as those who attempt it vanish...Categorized as:
fairy-tale magic myths retellings witches-wizards action-adventure adaptations alpha-mc -
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo
30 ratingsLove speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price...Categorized as:
animals fairy-tale friendship magic magical-realism myths retellings witches-wizards -
The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
32 ratingsA cursed girl escapes death and finds herself in a magical world - but is then tested beyond her wildest imaginationMorrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks--and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday...Categorized as:
animals cats children coming-of-age friendship magic magical-realism witches-wizards -
A Crystal of Time by Soman Chainani
20 ratingsIn this fifth instalment in Soman Chainani's New York Times bestselling fantasy series, The School for Good and Evil, Sophie, Agatha, and their friends must find a way to overthrow the sinister evil that twists lies into the truth and seeks to rewrite their story.A false king has claimed the throne of Camelot, sentenced Tedros to death, and forced Sophie to be his queen...Categorized as:
children fairy-tale friendship magic myths retellings witches-wizards action-adventure -
Chasing the Prophecy by Brandon Mull
24 ratingsJason and Rachel were not born in Lyrian. They did not grow up in Lyrian. But after all of the battles and losses, the triumphs and adventures, and most of all, the friendships forged in this fantastical world, Lyrian has become home to them in a way they never could have imagined...Categorized as:
children friendship magic myths retellings witches-wizards action-adventure audiobook -
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The Rogue Knight by Brandon Mull
24 ratingsMagic and danger abound in the second book in a series of “fanciful, action-packed adventure” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series.Cole Randolph never meant to come to The Outskirts, but when his friends were kidnapped on Halloween he had to try and save them... -
The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani
26 ratingsIn the epic next chapter of Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling series, The School for Good and Evil, everything old is new again as Sophie and Agatha fight the past as well as the present to find the perfect end to their story.As A World Without Princes closed, the end was written and former best friends Sophie and Agatha went their separate ways...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age fairy-tale friendship magic retellings witches-wizards action-adventure -
The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones
26 ratingsHis father and uncles are enchanters, his mother a powerful sorceress, yet nothing seems magical about Christopher Chant except his dreams. Night after night, he climbs through the formless Place Between and visits marvelous lands he calls the Almost Anywheres. Then Christopher discovers that he can bring real, solid things back from his dreams... -
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
26 ratingsPoor Creel. She can't believe her aunt wants to sacrifice her to the local dragon. It's a ploy to lure a heroic knight so that he will fight the dragon, marry Creel out of chivalrous obligation, and lift the entire family out of poverty. Creel isn't worried. After all, nobody has seen a dragon in centuries... -
Masquerade in Lodi by Lois McMaster Bujold
17 ratingsBastard’s Eve is a night of celebration for most residents in the canal city of Lodi -- but not for sorcerer Learned Penric and his Temple demon Desdemona, who find themselves caught up in the affairs of a shiplost madman, a dangerous ascendant demon, and a very unexpected saint of the fifth god... -
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
41 ratingsCimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart - and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon - and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for...Categorized as:
animals children coming-of-age fairy-tale friendship magic witches-wizards 20th-century -
Bee Sting Cake by Victoria Goddard
10 ratingsMagic is out of fashion. Gambling is merely illegal. Neither law nor common sense has ever stopped anyone in Ragnor Bella from making—or breaking—their fortunes at the table, at the racetrack, and especially at the Dartington Harvest Fair. With Mad Jack Greenwing’s only son Jemis finally back from university, this year’s betting is bidding fair to be the stuff of legend... -
Secrets of the Crown by Adam Jay Epstein, Andrew Jacobson
16 ratingsPrepare for the unfamiliarWhen every bit of human magic disappears suddenly from Vastia, it falls on the familiars—Aldwyn the telekinetic cat, Skylar the know-it-all blue jay, and Gilbert the gullible tree frog—to find the Crown of the Snow Leopard, an ancient relic that can reverse the curse... -
The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin
42 ratingsBook Three of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea CycleDarkness threatens to overtake Earthsea: the world and its wizards are losing their magic. Despite being wearied with age, Ged Sparrowhawk -- Archmage, wizard, and dragonlord -- embarks on a daring, treacherous journey, accompanied by Enlad's young Prince Arren, to discover the reasons behind this devastating pattern of loss... -
In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz
20 ratingsMore Grimm tales await in the harrowing, hilarious companion to a beloved new classicTake caution ahead—Oversize plant life, eerie amphibious royalty, and fear-inducing creatures abound.Lest you enter with dread.Follow Jack and Jill as they enter startling new landscapes that may (or may not) be scary, bloody, terrifying, and altogether true.Step lively, dear reader . .Categorized as:
children coming-of-age fairy-tale friendship magic myths retellings action-adventure -
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The Night Spinner by Abi Elphinstone
6 ratings'Abi Elphinstone’s books are full of adventure, wit, heart, and, above all, bravery’ Katherine Rundell, author of The Explorer ? 'No one does edge-of-seat action like Abi Elphinstone' Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse 'Abi Elphinstone's glorious novels make you feel as if you're living the adventure yourself...Categorized as:
animals children coming-of-age friendship magic witches-wizards action-adventure audiobook -
Seeds of Glory and Ruin by Melanie Cellier
8 ratingsCadence and her sister possess the seeds of glory and ruin—or so their father always insisted. Cadence never understood what he meant until Airlie’s seed of power is activated, turning her into the most powerful mage in generations. Despite knowing it must mean her own dormant seed is much more malevolent, Cadence is swept away to the distant Mage’s Guild in her sister’s wake... -
Quests for Glory by Soman Chainani
24 ratingsWith every end comes a new beginning in the fourth installment of Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling School for Good and Evil series, Quests for Glory. Join Sophie, Agatha, Tedros, and the other students as they begin a new era in the Endless Woods—The Camelot Years—where Evers and Nevers alike must move beyond the bounds of school and into the biggest, boldest adventures of their lives... -
Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
26 ratingsSix thousand years ago. Evil stalks the land. Only twelve-year-old Torak and his wolf-cub companion can defeat it. Their journey together takes them through deep forests, across giant glaciers, and into dangers they never imagined... -
The Water Ruptures by D.K. Holmberg
10 ratingsThe Disciples of the Draasin Lord have again been defeated, yet a traitor remains within Terndahl. The Inquisitors have come, and their presence has everyone on edge.With the help of the Keystone, Tolan has discovered the ability to shape each of the element bonds. Now that he’s passed testing to the second level at the Academy, he finally feels as if he belongs... -
Iron Dragon by D.K. Holmberg
12 ratingsAn Epic Fantasy Adventure To protect the dragon misfits, he must first understand them. Jason has returned to the normalcy of the mountain village, but nothing is as it had been. Now connected to the Ice Dragon and responsible for keeping his presence a secret, it won’t be long before the Dragon Souls return. They know the Ice Dragon exists and will stop at nothing to control him... -
Jinx's Fire by Sage Blackwood
12 ratingsSometimes you have to step off the path to get where you’re going. In the Urwald, that could lead to being eaten. But Jinx has to do something, and fast: the forest is under attack, and its magic is fading.Jinx must travel to the corners of the Urwald to convince all its inhabitants—people, trees, and monsters—to work together to defend their homeland...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age magic male-mc myths retellings witches-wizards action-adventure -
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
37 ratingsEvery year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian... -
Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
31 ratingsFollows the adventures of Talia as she trains to become a Herald of Valdemar in the first book in the classic epic fantasy Arrows trilogyChosen by the Companion Rolan, a mystical horse-like being with powers beyond imagining, Talia, once a runaway, has now become a trainee Herald, destined to become one of the Queen's own elite guard...Categorized as:
animals children coming-of-age friendship magic witches-wizards 20th-century action-adventure -
Jinx's Magic by Sage Blackwood
14 ratingsJinx knows he can do magic. But he doesn't know why he's being stalked by a werewolf with a notebook, why the trees are starting to take back the only safe paths through the Urwald, or why the elves think Jinx and the evil Bonemaster are somehow connected... -
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Fridays with the Wizards by Jessica Day George
16 ratingsCelie and her friends and family are back in the Castle, safe and sound. But there's still the problem of Wizard Arkwright... -
Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier
18 ratingsAward-winning author Juliet Marillier’s “lavishly detailed”* Blackthorn & Grim series continues as a mysterious creature holds an enchanted and imperiled ancient Ireland in thrall. Disillusioned healer Blackthorn and her companion, Grim, have settled in Dalriada to wait out the seven years of Blackthorn’s bond to her fey mentor, hoping to avoid any dire challenges...Categorized as:
fairy-tale friendship magic magical-realism myths retellings witches-wizards action-adventure -
A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge
18 ratingsIn Caverna, lies are an art — and everyone's an artist...In the underground city of Caverna the world's most skilled craftsmen toil in the darkness to create delicacies beyond compare. They create wines that can remove memories, cheeses that can make you hallucinate and perfumes that convince you to trust the wearer even as they slit your throat...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age fairy-tale friendship magic magical-realism retellings action-adventure -
Fearless by Cornelia Funke
18 ratingsWith the fatal fairy moth on his chest giving only a few months to live, Jocob Reckless tries, the blood of a Northern Djinn, then a mythical crossbow that can kill thousands, or heal one, when shot through the heart. But famed Goyl assassin treasure hunter is also searching for the prized crossbow. Jacob must find it first--and somehow convince Fox to do whatever it takes to save him...Categorized as:
children fairy-tale friendship magic myths retellings witches-wizards action-adventure -
Penric's Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold
19 ratingsSome eight months after the events of Penric and the Shaman, Learned Penric, sorcerer and scholar, travels to Easthome, the capital of the Weald. There he again meets his friends Shaman Inglis and Locator Oswyl... -
The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker
25 ratingsIn this new stand-alone fairy tale, Princess Annie is the younger sister to Gwen, the princess destined to be Sleeping Beauty. When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie-blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to magic-can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen's true love to kiss her awake...Categorized as:
children fairy-tale friendship magic myths retellings witches-wizards action-adventure -
Street Magic by Tamora Pierce
26 ratingsIt's been four years since Briar Moss began his training as a plant mage, but he still hasn't put his past behind him. Wandering through a Chammuri market, Briar comes across a street girl using powerful magic to polish stones for a merchant. He resolves to find her a teacher. But Briar understands the city's gangs as well as he understands Evvy, the young mage...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship magic male-mc witches-wizards 21st-century action-adventure -
Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly
27 ratingsIsabelle should be blissfully happy – she’s about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn’t the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince’s heart. She’s the ugly stepsister who’s cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella’s shoe ... which is now filling with blood.When the prince discovers Isabelle’s deception, she is turned away in shame...Categorized as:
coming-of-age fairy-tale friendship magic magical-realism myths retellings action-adventure -
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
28 ratingsWhen Alex finds out he is Unwanted, he expects to die. That is the way of the people of Quill. Each year, all the thirteen-year-olds are labeled as Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Wanteds get more schooling and train to join the Quillitary. Necessaries keep the farms running. Unwanteds are set for elimination... -
The Flight of Swans by Sarah McGuire
6 ratingsPrincess Andaryn's six older brothers have always been her protectors—until her father takes a new Queen, a frightening, mysterious woman from the forest who quickly enchants the men in the royal family. When Ryn’s attempt to break the enchantment fails, she makes a bitter bargain: the Queen will spare her brothers’ lives if she remains silent for six years...Categorized as:
children fairy-tale friendship magic myths retellings witches-wizards action-adventure -
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The Mage of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen
6 ratingsDragon fire, dark magic, and the bonds of friendship clash in a thrilling finale to the middle-grade fantasy trilogy by best-selling author Michelle Knudsen.Apprentice mage Calen shocked everyone when he disappeared—apparently willingly—with Krelig, the incredibly powerful and evil mage intent on destroying the Magistatum and forcing the world to submit to his rule... -
Transformed: The Perils of the Frog Prince by Megan Morrison
6 ratingsReturn to the enthralling and always surprising world of Tyme, this time with a roguish frog prince and a secret plot, as Megan Morrison continues her acclaimed fantasy series.Syrah Huanui is a frog. He wasn't always one--once he was a Prince of the Olive Isles, a champion launchball player, a beloved favorite of all... -
Saving Fable by Scott Reintgen
8 ratingsSide characters can be heroes too in this charming and fast-paced adventure that is The Land of Stories meets The Phantom Tollbooth ! Indira has been a character-in-waiting her entire life. So she can't believe her luck when she's finally chosen to travel to Fable and study at the renowned Protagonist Preparatory, a school known for producing the best heroes...Categorized as:
children fairy-tale friendship magic retellings action-adventure book children-books -
Scorch Dragons by Amie Kaufman
10 ratingsThe struggle for power heats up in book two of this heart-stopping adventure series about siblings with magical shapeshifter powers, from New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman.After the fateful battle between the ice wolves and the scorch dragons, Anders and his twin sister, Rayna, have been reunited. But there’s no time to celebrate.The temperature all over Vallen is starting to drop... -
The Earth Awakens by D.K. Holmberg
10 ratingsHaving passed his first test at the Academy, most believe Tolan has proved he belongs. Only Tolan knows the truth: that his shaping required power from the borrowed bondar—and possibly from the elementals themselves. If he can’t find a way to shape without one, he’ll be expelled from the Academy... -
The Wind Rages by D.K. Holmberg
10 ratingsAfter discovering the Inquisitor’s plot within the Academy, Tolan is offered a chance to go with his father and learn from the Draasin Lord. Doing so not only means turning against the Academy and everything he has come to know, but means the Inquisitors will succeed in their plan...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age magic male-mc myths witches-wizards action-adventure audiobook
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