100 books like Dealing with Dragons

The world of Howl’s Moving Castle immediately invites you into a place that feels cozy and magical. This book is easily one of my favorites because of its low-stakes plot and wonderfully quirky characters.

Jones takes you on a leisurely stroll through the world of the book’s protagonist, Sophie, a rather awkward 18-year-old girl who believes she is doomed to fail at life because she was born the eldest of three.

This story is refreshingly original and has inspired me time and again to love living a life built around so many of the lovely cottagecore aesthetics featured inside its pages. 

Spell Sweeper is another fantastic recent release by the talented Lee Edward Fodi that I just couldn't put down. Set in an updated magic school, the story will pull you in with its incredible world-building. The main character, Cara, is a loveable outcast. She's a sort of anti-chosen-one who is forced into an adventure with her fellow remedial magic students, the nervous Gusto, and the talking, magical fox Zuki. But when she finds out she will also have to work with her rival, the seemingly too perfect Harlee Woo, who Cara thinks might be secretly behind the recent magical instabilities, the heat really turns up. Though Cara feels isolated and intentionally pushes others away, she ultimately has to learn to trust her companions and, more importantly, herself. 

This is a hilarious romp following daughters of rival witch families Katy and Delpha as they come to terms with their magic, their families, and each other. As a Kentuckian, I loved seeing Appalachia depicted in such loving, real detail. And yes, there are some outrageous zombie grannies too. This story was such a breath of fresh mountain air.

Jennifer’s Murdley’s Toad was another one of my absolute favorites as a kid. It's a hilarious adventure full of goofy characters and magical twists, but all of the fun masks a serious undercurrent about physical insecurities and embracing who you are, warts and all. Coville’s book served as a source of inspiration for my debut novel in many regards. There's the wisecracking, Humphrey-Bogart-impersonating toad. A toad who Jennifer must fight to protect even though he's driving her up the wall. And then there's the not-so-terrible, self-obsessed bully, who reluctantly becomes part of the gang. And of course, the courageous choice Jennifer must ultimately make at the end of the story. Jennifer Murdley’s Toad remains one of my favorites for its message, deftly handled cast of characters, and most importantly, how much fun it is to read. 

She’s a witch! Let’s stake her out for the dragon to eat. This happens to Alys. But she’s not a witch. Her village just didn’t like her. She wants revenge and when the dragon arrives, he becomes her ally. Here’s another twisted plot where the female is undervalued but the story helps Alys find what she thinks she wants. Part of what she finds along the way is a strength and loyalty she didn’t know she had. But she also discovers what she thought she wanted, isn’t really worth it in the end. 

Who doesn’t love dragons, or tacos, for that matter?

I love to read this book out loud to children. Many of the children who hear this book can identify with feeling like they’re breathing fire after eating spicy food. Unfortunately, if you’re a dragon, spicy food can have dire consequences.

Here’s another sacrifice for the girl to improve the family fortunes story. Creel’s aunt sets her up to be sacrificed to a dragon but no one really thinks a dragon will show up. When one does everything changes. Creel is stuck with an old brown dragon who doesn’t want to be bothered with fighting a dragon. Creel offers a trade – she wants something from his hoard to bring her good fortune. Again, we have a heroine who is tired of her life and seeks out her fortune in another way. I love the strong female lead and I love how clueless she is about something. I also enjoy the way the author breaks away from the typical tropes about princes. 

Pia is forced to steal from a dragon hoard. She knows it’s wrong but she is stuck. Dragos is furious someone got into his hoard let alone took something from it. So I love how the two characters meet in this book. I also love how this woman is not the fainting flower. In fact, even though she’s faced with an alpha male to the Nth degree, she faces him down. This book holds humor, adventure, magic, and love. This one is definitely an adult book. 

I fell in love with how absurd the books are in their brilliance and how they seem to evolve together with the reader.

When reading them as a young adult, I found them funny, creative, and quirky, yet with progressing education and experience, re-reading them reveals Pratchett’s philosophical genius with the many things that are hidden in the plots and many details. Only after reading them the third time did I notice how a simple and impressive description of string theory shaped the plot. After finishing my master's in business psychology, I recognized several behavioral patterns from my lectures and reading materials.

What still impresses me most about it is that not realizing the hidden treasures in the stories still makes it possible to follow them without feeling stupid or as though something is missing.

This beautiful volume of three stories about a princess who deals with a spider-enchantress, a pair of feuding wizards, and a benevolent old dragon in her kingdom features pristine, gorgeous illustrations and a sweet-but-strong heroine. I just really love how Princess Cecile is a brave and sensible person and the twist that the real Cecile actually lives in our world and writes about Belamor was really smart, gently suggesting that princess stories are not just escapist fantasy, but an important part of self-expression for young girls as they grow up. It’s rare for me to find anything that so perfectly captures this idyllic genre. Marilyn Churchill has created a new fairy tale.