{"id":94903,"date":"2025-06-02T10:55:46","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T14:55:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/?p=94903"},"modified":"2025-06-09T09:25:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T13:25:10","slug":"books-like-keeper-of-the-lost-cities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/books-like-keeper-of-the-lost-cities\/","title":{"rendered":"Books Like Keeper of the Lost Cities for Fantasy Fans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Keeper of the Lost Cities<\/em> is a hit fantasy series that follows Sophie Foster, a telepathic girl who discovers that she\u2019s actually an elf. As Sophie tries to untangle her mysterious past, she\u2019s drawn into a hidden realm filled with adventure, conspiracy, and dangerous secrets that threaten both her worlds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your reader loved following Sophie\u2019s journey, this diverse list of readalikes will definitely capture their attention. Many of these stories feature young heroes discovering their true identities, fighting against evil forces, and finding their place in magical schools, all while navigating the complexities of growing up. Not sure where to begin? Our family favorites include the Nevermoor<\/em> series, Witchlings<\/em>, and The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall<\/em>. Let\u2019s get started! <\/p>\n\n\n

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Join my Patreon community<\/a> to get a printable version of<\/strong> this li<\/b>st<\/strong>! You’ll also get access to other kid lit resources and perks, like our seasonal guides, book tasting menus, and book discussion guides, to inspire you. You can also\u00a0buy the standalone printable<\/a>\u00a0from our shop<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re curious about the content of the books on my list, you can get access to my Content Notes Database<\/a>, where I share information about what to expect from all the books on my lists.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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15 Books for Fans of Keeper of the Lost Cities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are 15 fantastic books to read next:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Incorruptibles<\/h2><\/div>
By Lauren Magaziner
Published: June 10, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Fiora lives in a world where sorcerers tyrannize humans\u2013imposing curfews, forbidding community, and punishing those who oppose them. After a conflict with two dangerous sorcerers, Fiora is accepted on a trial basis to Inc Academy, a training school for the resistance group known as the Incorruptibles. She\u2019ll do anything to join the resistance, but when suspicious incidents keep happening shortly after her arrival, Fiora is the prime suspect. Fans of dystopian fiction will be captivated by this future world with its blend of magic and advanced technology. This action-packed series opener, filled with a diverse cast of characters and an unstoppable heroine, stands out as one of the more unique middle grade books I\u2019ve read in a long time. Ages 10+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five #1)<\/h2><\/div>
By Lisa McMann
Published: November 1, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Brix, Birdie, Tenner, Cabot, and Seven are five kids with supernatural powers, raised on an island by their parents, criminals who fled Estero City long before. After their parents vanish, Birdie finds mysterious instructions from her father, leading the friends to the modern world, where having magical powers is outlawed. There, they must uncover the meaning behind the mysterious note and keep their supernatural abilities secret. Just like Sophie forms deep bonds with her friends, the \u201cforgotten five\u201d rely on each other as they navigate a dangerous new world. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Story Thieves<\/h2><\/div>
By James Riley
Published: March 26, 2019<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Owen is perpetually bored, preferring to imagine himself as a character inside his favorite books. But his life suddenly gets more exciting when he catches his classmate Bethany climbing out of a Roald Dahl novel in the library where his mother works! He discovers that Bethany is half-fictional and on a mission to find her father, who vanished into a book years ago. Together, Owen and Bethany jump in and out of books, determined to solve the mystery and rescue her father. Like KoTLc, this series delivers a fast-paced plot and clever humor that keeps kids eagerly turning pages. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The City of Ember<\/h2><\/div>
By Jeanne DuPrau
Published: May 3, 2016<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Lina and Doon are 12 years old, the age when children of Ember become adults and are assigned jobs to help keep the city running. But when terrifying blackouts sweep the city, the kids know that Ember is in serious trouble. When they discover clues that could lead to a brighter future, Doon and Lina must race to solve the mystery before Ember goes dark for good. I bought this series as a holiday gift for my (then) 11-year-old son, and he read the complete box set in a week! Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Thief Who Sang Storms<\/h2><\/div>
By Sophie Anderson 
Published: May 2, 2023<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Linnet is an Alkonost, a bird-like human who lives on the island of Morovia\u2013 an island shaped like a broken heart. Morovia is split in half, with humans on one side and Alkonosts on the other, and Linnet wishes she could unite the two and see her best friends again. But when her father is captured, Linnet must try to bridge the divide once and for all. Similar to Keeper of the Lost Cities<\/em>, this middle grade novel features a richly imagined fantasy world filled with magic, mystery, and two young protagonists who struggle to find peace within their fractured worlds. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall<\/h2><\/div>
By Ali Standish
Published: September 17, 2023<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s 1868, and a young Arthur Conan Doyle lives in Edinburgh with his five sisters, devoted mother, and depressed father. Arthur is brilliant and loves learning, but he\u2019s considering dropping out of school to get a job and support his family. However, after a mysterious stranger witnesses Arthur using deductive reasoning and quick action to prevent an accident, he receives an invitation to attend a secret boarding school for gifted children. There, he makes friends with their own mysterious pasts and is drawn into a dark mystery involving a dangerous secret society. My son read this in 6th grade and was so intrigued that he swapped his original school book talk choice for this one instead! Ages 10+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow<\/h2><\/div>
By Jessica Townsend
Published: September 25, 2018<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Morrigan Crow is a cursed girl\u2013born on Eventide, she\u2019s blamed for all misfortunes in her town and destined to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday. Instead, Morrigan is rescued from her doomed fate and is whisked away to the magical city of Nevermoor. This series opener offers a world as richly imagined as the Lost Cities, filled with vibrant characters, clever humor, and a suspenseful storyline. My son and I read the first three books and are thrilled that the fourth book is finally being released on June 25th<\/a>! Ages 8+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy<\/h2><\/div>
By Anne Ursu 
Published: October 12, 2021<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Twelve-year-old Marya Lupu never does anything right, but when she accidentally causes a major disruption during her brother\u2019s sorcerer trial, she\u2019s sent away to Dragomir Academy, a school for troubled girls. Although the academy\u2019s leaders are determined to tear the girls down, Marya and her friends begin to unravel secrets about their unjust society and realize that perhaps they are not \u201cbroken\u201d after all. This is a powerful book about challenging the status quo, pushing back against a male-dominated world, and shaping your own destiny. Marya is a relatable, determined heroine, and we simply loved this inspiring novel. Ages 8+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Land of Stories<\/h2><\/div>
By Chris Colfer 
Published: October 16, 2018<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This bestselling series is perfect for middle-grade readers who love fractured fairy tales. On their 12th birthday, twins Alex and Conner receive an old book from their grandmother.\u00a0The book literally sucks them into its pages, transporting the twins into an intricate, fairy-tale world. As the series progresses, Alex and Conner encounter all the characters they grew up reading about, and realize that people (even fairy tale people) are not always what they seem. This series was a huge hit with both of my children, for many of the same reasons they loved the Keeper of the Lost Cities<\/em> series. The books are long, giving readers the chance to really immerse themselves in the incredible world-building. Ages 8+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A Taste of Magic<\/h2><\/div>
By J. Elle
Published: August 30, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In this unique story, Kyana Turner finds out that she\u2019s a witch and begins taking lessons at Park Row Magick Academy, a school located in the back of a local beauty shop. Despite having to keep her true identity a secret, learning to become a witch is a blast! However, when a loss of funding means her school may be forced to shut down, Kyana devises a plan to win a local baking competition and use the prize money to save her school. Even though she\u2019s a witch, middle grade readers will relate to Kyana as she navigates changing friendships, faces intense pressure, and confronts prejudice and inequity in her community. Ages 8+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Witchlings<\/h2><\/div>
By Claribel A. Ortega
Published: April 5, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Twelve-year-old Seven Salazar is eagerly anticipating the Black Moon Ceremony, where she and her best friend Poppy just know they\u2019ll be placed in a prestigious coven together. But Seven is shocked when she finds out she\u2019s a \u201cSpare,\u201d part of a small coven of witches who are less powerful and looked down upon by the rest of Ravenskill. When she fails to seal her magic with the other witchlings, she\u2019s at risk of being turned into a toad forever. Seven must work together with her former enemies to complete a dangerous task and show the town that Spares are just as valuable. Along the way, Seven realizes that she may be more powerful than she ever imagined. My 10-year-old daughter just finished this book a few months ago, and when I asked her, she said that both Seven and Sophia start out as outsiders who have to learn to live in a new world and prove themselves to doubters. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Impossible Creatures<\/h2><\/div>
By Katherine Rundell (Author), Ashley Mackenzie (Illustrator)
Published: September 10, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Christopher has always noticed how animals are unusually drawn to him\u2014birds nest in his hair, and squirrels follow him through the streets. But it\u2019s not until he visits his grandfather that Christopher learns the truth: he’s a descendant of a family entrusted with guarding a gateway to the Archipelago, a hidden world where legendary beings, such as dragons, exist. When Christopher meets Mal, a young girl with a pet griffin, the two set out on an important mission to uncover why the Archipelago\u2019s creatures are dying. We loved this book and can\u2019t wait for the sequel, The Poisoned King<\/em><\/a>, set to be released in September. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Spellbinders<\/h2><\/div>
By Andrew Auseon
Published: May 14, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Since his parents\u2019 divorce and moving far from his friends, seventh-grader Ben has felt lonely and isolated. He spends most of his time creating storylines and building fantasy worlds for tabletop games, similar to Dungeons and Dragons. But when he meets a mysterious girl at a gaming convention, he\u2019s whisked away to another land and mistaken for the prophesied \u201cChosen One\u201d destined to save the realm. Flipping the classic \u201cchosen one\u201d trope keeps the story fresh. This book is a great pick for readers who love fantasy worlds and role-playing games. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Eye of Zeus<\/h2><\/div>
By Alane Adams
Published: April 7, 2020<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Phoebe is a 12-year-old who has bounced around the New York City foster care system for most of her life. But when a statue of Athena comes to life, Phoebe discovers that she is the daughter of Zeus and was sent away as a baby to stop a terrible prophecy. When Ares kidnaps her social worker, Phoebe must travel back to ancient Greece with her friends to rescue him and collect talismans from dangerous Greek monsters. Phoebe is a strong and relatable protagonist, and her unique quest is engaging, filled with plenty of tension, humor, and heart. Ages 8+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Marvellers<\/h2><\/div>
By Dhonielle Clayton (Author), Khadijah Khatib (Illustrator)
Published: August 29, 2023<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Eleven-year-old Ella is a Conjurer, part of a magical group with abilities mistrusted by the rest of her magical world. So when she is chosen as the first Conjurer to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, she\u2019s met with prejudice from much of the school community. Just as she settles in, a dangerous criminal escapes from prison, and Ella is the prime suspect. With the help of a few brave friends, she unravels secrets that challenge everything the magical world believes. This inclusive middle grade story tackles themes of belonging, cultural pride, courage, and the power of friendship, themes with which middle grade readers will easily identify. My son loved the first two books in this series and is eager to read the third! Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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More Readalike Posts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n