Since Harry Potter officially ends his career in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows published in July 2007, your children may be interested in finding other children’s book series that will delight them and entertain them just as much. There are actually many fantastic children’s book series for the avid reader, quite as magical as J.K. Rowling’s books. In the definition of “series” used here, we’ll examine books that are connected to each other with a central and building plot, rather than those children’s book series that can be read in any order, such as the Nancy Drew, Boxcar Children, or Babysitter’s Club book types. These are certainly worthy choices and may appeal to the child who wants to try out different series before deciding on one they simply must read in its entirety.
For older children, especially teens and young adults, J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterful work The Lord of the Rings is a must. Some younger precocious readers may enjoy Tolkien’s trilogy too, but usually the book is most appealing to teens and adults of all ages. Many find that the prologue to Tolkien’s work, The Hobbit is easily accessed by younger readers, generally ten years old or older. What is most appealing about Tolkien’s books is that they are clean of any hint of profanity, though the battle scenes can be a little frightening.
One of Tolkien’s friends, C.S. Lewis, a noted theologian and scholar, was busy composing his famous children’s book series at the same time Tolkien was writing The Lord of the Rings. Lewis created the magical world of Narnia, governed by the Christlike figure of Aslan, and the seven books on the topic of Narnia are much beloved. This is one of the quintessential children’s book series of the 20th century, and the books may appeal to pre-teens and teens alike.
In more modern times, children have been enthralled by the enticing children’s book series, The Series of Unfortunate Events, which concluded with the 13th book The End in 2006. Penned by the mysterious Lemony Snicket (a penname), the books feature lots of tongue in cheek humor, great discourses on language, and have easily been among the most popular children’s book series, save Harry Potter, since the first book was published.
Another modern contribution to children’s book series is the saga based on Artemis Fowl by Eoin Coifer, a young mastermind criminal who finds himself immersed in a magical, or not so magical world of fairies. There are five books published thus far in the Artemis Fowl series, which will conclude with a sixth book in 2008. The children’s book series may best appeal to young teens and older.
Cornelia Funke, a much celebrated German writer was praised for her stand-alone novels The Thief Lord and DragonRider. Her latest endeavor is the popular children’s book series trilogy, Inkheart, Inkspell and Inkdeath. Her books are intensely creative, and are sure to be enjoyed by Harry Potter fans. They have become so popular that like many children’s book series today, they are being made into American/British motion pictures with several well-known stars.
Other children’s book series that may find a welcome place in your child’s imagination include the following:
The Earthsea Trilogy by Ursula Le Guin
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
The Once and Future King by T.H. White (usually purchased as one book)
The Belgariad by David Eddings (best for older teens with a few PG-13 moments)
The two book Crispin series by Avi.