8 Books to Read Instead of Harry Potter 

OMG! thank you!! No one ever talks about how she STOLE so much from other books for Harry Potter!! The Cat Wings series by LeGuin is also really great for younger readers.

I like that you included Phillip Pullman in this list. I know certain sections of Twitter refuse to remove him from their 'transphobic and therefore dead to me' lists, but he's a great example of someone who didn't quite get it, listened and learned, and came back actively pro-trans because he's ultimately a compassionate person who just hadn't been engaged in that conversation before. (much like Brandon Sanderson unlearning the homophobia that was instilled in his religious upbringing) Unfortunately JKR will just dig deeper and deeper and double down on her irrational fear and hatred, but it's lovely so see so many magical books that I can give to young relatives so thank you for these suggestions!

Love the suggestions especially the praise of Kiki's Delivery Service. I'd also suggest The Worst Witch novel series by Jill Murphy. It's similar to Kiki and Little Witch Academia and was a beloved childhood read of mine way before I discovered Harry Potter

So glad you mentioned Diana Wynne Jones. Absolutely adore the Chrestomanci series💖

This is a really well put together list of recommendations, thank you! However, I don't agree with the undercurrent of this video that suggests that Rowling stole ideas. I'd like to qualify this by saying I'm definitely not an expert, but as a casual reader of fantasy it seems to me that fantasy as a genre (or at least some fantasy) has a much more defined common pool of ideas than most other genres seem to. Quests, magic schools, tolkein-esque elements, and many many more recent additions. Rowling took elements, subverted others, and even added things that future writers then took from. She wasn't the most innovative writer, but I don't think her actions were unrepresentative either.

I adore Dianna Wynne Jones, I grew up with the Crestomanci novels in the early to mid 80s. But my favorite of her was Hexwood, I discovered that in the mid 90s while on a trip to London and have read it numerous times since. My favorite of Ursula K. LeGuin will always be "The Left Hand of Darkness", but of course, that's not like Harry Potter at all. I loved "The Night Circus", I really need to finally read "The Starless Sea". "Neverwhere" is another of my all-time favorites. What I tend to recommend as an alternative to Harry Potter is the "Young Wizards" series by Diane Duane, though it's much more steeped with philosophical queastion and almost nihilistic themes.

Saving for later as I definitely need some good replacements to feed my magical world addiction. Somehow - despite hearing about most of these books before - I only read His Dark Materials, which gives me a lot to catch up on.

Nevermore! By Jesica Townsend! It's Perfection.

Great video idea. There are so many other series to read, what comes to mind immediately is the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. I didin't grow up with the books either so other than the original books and movies I haven't spent any money on the series and have no issues letting go of supporting her in any way in the future.

Great video ❤️ I absolutely adored The Night Circus and thought I would love The Starless Sea but I didn't as much! I'm not sure whether it's because I listened to it on audiobook. Have you read it and what did you think if you did? X

Love this video! Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart (and are widely available secondhand so no need to support the author directly) but I no longer want to engage with the franchise so this is a great list! I’d heard of some of the authors but not all these series :)

I recommend Keeper of the Lost Cities. Super good series in my opinion! You should try!

Like Harry Potter and could care less what Rowling says or thinks while I disagree with what she says she has every right to say it I just read the books I bought when I was kid and won't buy anything more from her if we got rid of the her right to say what she has said we wouldn't know that she's real butthead to put it lightly

Sadly Diana Wynne jones already passed away.

I recommend 'A series of unfortunate events' and literally anything by Neil Gaimen. He's the best lol.

Another good alternative to harry potter is a tale of magic by chris colfer. It is fairly new and it's really good, quite similar but in my opinion way better. I read the whole trilogy in 3 days it was so good! I loved harry potter when i was like 10 but I find it hard to read now, but a tale of magic is way better, and it even has an lgbt character, as well as strong lgbt themes. Thanks for the video, I will definitely check some of these out!

Yes! Thank you Will for standing up for love and decency and for all your recommendations as always

Harry Potter is still better but The Name Of The Wind is amazing

Perhaps you might also like Tamora Pierce's fantasy books

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell served as my replacement!

Thank for the remediation. The Night Circus in on my reading list to read. Can't wait to read it. Sounds good.

I can recomend The Supernational Investigasions serries by B.B.Alston.

I had no idea Kiki was a book! One of my favorite Ghibli movies.

His Dark Materials Ibread it as a child. I read HP just bevor the first movie was made....so last book wasn't written. And no, have seen only movie 1&2. Night Circus is one of the best fantasy one will ever read!!! The writting is so so ivy-and-mystical-and-magical-like ...

If you want a great manga on magic done right, I HIGHLY recommend witch hat atelier

What a wonderful video! Thank you so much - I am excited to read some of these with my 6-year-old! I have never read the golden compass it sounds amazing.

What a great video filled with amazing recommendations!! 👏🏻 Putting the whole JKR thing aside (I personally disagree with you but think we should all be respectful and open minded towards each other), I could not agree more with you! There are many series and novels that young readers should know more about (although I can’t think of not recommending HP, myself, because of how much it means to me personally), especially His Dark Materials. I am also always recommending the Bartimaeus books by Jonathan Stroud. Love your channel 👍

Harry Potter forever, Hogwarts forever. I’ll support the franchise extra for you.

Do you have any books that you don't need , if you can donate it it would be very helpful for Us.

I was sorry to hear you view of the Harry Potter producers, I too own the. Books and movie's. And turfs sound very dangerous in a world conflict way, I guess I wrote you to say I hope you're misunderstanding the situation. Of course I know nothing, except I concider myself clairvoyant. Not all is lost...! We'll be o.k.

Neverwhere is one of my favorite books. Great recommendations!

Great video! I remember Ursula K LeGuin making a comment once about how Rowling is not very creative. I did grow up reading the Potter books, and my mom and I connected and bonded over the series and she even read them for herself, so I did have the sentimental connection to it. But when you're in your late 20s and 30s... And people your age still pine over the park and the movies and which House they identify with... It's really quite embarrassing lmao. Rowling's TERF beliefs only made it easier to move on to better things. Read another book, people!

I read His Dark Materials Series about 15 years ago when I was in my late 40s, and enjoyed them very much. I also enjoyed The Name of the Wind.

I don’t actually see the point of the other books and movies Rowling keeps churning out. It just seems greedy anyway. Great idea to give recommendations outside of the fandom.

I think its so bad that these authors like Orson scot card and JK Rowling decide to have these opinions that have people hate their work, and am certainly in the group of people who doesn't want to support them. Its just sad. But these are great choice, most I haven't of before, with the exception of Hale's Moving Castle, Every time I plan to read it,I burn out on fantasy. But now I think I'll look into it for the spring when I return to fantasy. Also, I did hear about Ursula LeGuin and that JK Rowling "Borrowed" a lot from when writing Harry Potter. Have to look into that one too. Thanks for the video, you had a lot of great options here.

I recommend reading the worst witch or watching the Netflix series. It’s similar to Harry Potter but it’s also different.

I was so happy to see Little Witch Academia here! Cutest anime ever

Hey do you think Jk rowlings stole some ideas from "Groosham Grange" And the "Worst Witch" And the most suspected one "Secret of Platform no. 13" What do you think??

I would like to add "The Worst Witch". Indeed, Rowling is such a disappointment, thus, I will try the alternative books you have mentioned; starting with Phillip Pullman's book, which I own.

Happy to see this list! Seriously, we don’t have to support JKR when there is such great work that’s kind of in the shadows.

Sorry to keep commenting on your older videos--- just discovered your channel. I put down "Ender's Game," less than halfway through when I looked up more about Mr. Card and found his homophobic rants. Too many great books and great authors to spend my time supporting instead. I have recently been telling people to think about reading some Eva Ibbotson with their kids instead of Harry Potter. I have read her books "The Island of the Aunts" and "The Secret of Platform 13" (about an abandoned platform at King's Cross that happens to be a doorway to a magic world... hmmm). I was amazed by how much Rowling seemed to lift from her. Ibbotson, before her death, was very gracious about it in an interview.

Oh. One of them

Absolutely fabulous video! And thank you for standing to your opinion! You actually made me really emotional.

Never got on with Harry Potter (when they first came out in my 40s!😁) LOVE Ursula Leguin and boy, did JK Rowling rip off some of her ideas! Great video!

Great video and intriguing recommendations, you've earned a new subscriber. Here's to more of us coming in

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In case of Harry Potter my view is as same as your.I loved the series from my childhood days,once I was so much in it till my 19/20 years age...but then I discovered author's transphobia...at first I was so much surprised then I thought, " okk,Childhood ambience is now over".

I mean jk sucks but the books are so good

I found Rowling to be a very second-rate writer, her style overrun with cliches, so when I found out about her awful politics and bigotry, it was a no-brainer to never support her in any way again.