What books are similar to The Forbidden Library?

The 10 closest matches to The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler on ReadingList include Amari and the Night Brothers, The Lifters, The Sword of Summer, 12 Again, and Keeper of the Lost Cities. Each is scored on shared themes (libraries, magic, and fairies), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Forbidden Library reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.

How does ReadingList choose similar books?

Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Books like The Forbidden Library

If you liked The Forbidden Library, read Amari and the Night Brothers, The Lifters, or The Sword of Summer — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler (Fantasy · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of libraries, magic, and fairies. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Amari and the Night Brothersgrades 4–7: Shares themes of magic, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
The Liftersgrades 3–8: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Sword of Summergrades 3–8: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
12 Againgrades 6–8: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Keeper of the Lost Citiesgrades 4–8: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Mary Poppinsgrades 4–6: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Peter and the Starcatchersgrades 3–8: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Rapunzelgrades 1–4: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (1–4). Amazon → books like this →
The Christmas of the Reddle Moongrades 3–5: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
The Headless Cupidgrades 4–8: Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Forbidden Library for younger readers (K–2)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.

Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats and overlapping grades (K–3).
Chester by Mélanie Watt · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats and overlapping grades (K–3).
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2010s).
Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk · grades K–3 — Shares themes of libraries and overlapping grades (K–3).
Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp · grades K–2 — Shares themes of libraries and overlapping grades (K–2).

Books like The Forbidden Library for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks · grades 3–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Mysterious Matter of I. M. Fine by Diane Stanley · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–5).
The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Word Eater by Mary Amato · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8).
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo · grades 3–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like The Forbidden Library for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks · grades 3–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Word Eater by Mary Amato · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of magic, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8).
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo · grades 3–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–6).
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz · grades 4–7 — Same genre (Fantasy), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).

Books like The Forbidden Library for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Fantasy) and the same era (2010s).
Everless by Sara Holland · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Fantasy) and the same era (2010s).
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Fantasy) and the same era (2010s).
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Fantasy), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Fantasy), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Forbidden Library?: The 10 closest matches to The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler on ReadingList include Amari and the Night Brothers, The Lifters, The Sword of Summer, 12 Again, and Keeper of the Lost Cities. Each is scored on shared themes (libraries, magic, and fairies), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Forbidden Library reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.
How does ReadingList choose similar books?: Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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