100 books like Dealing with Dragons

I was quickly captivated by the story of Princess Ani and her magical gift of animal speak. I related to her insecurity of being an outcast, feeling different, and finding refuge within the natural world. Her fast-paced story engages with both colorful and menacing characters as she confronts parental conflict, loss, betrayal, and true love.

Inspirational to read as she faced these challenging obstacles and evolved into self-acceptance, realizing that her differences and gifts were actually her greatest allies. This story explores bonds to animals and nature, parental conflict, betrayal, determination, insecurities around being different, acceptance, and listening to one’s inner voice.

“Doors are very powerful things. Things are different on either side of them”’

I love this quote. There’s nothing like the threshold of a door when it comes to story magic! It’s steeped in tradition since long before Roman times. And Diana Wynne Jones is the underrated Queen of this whimsical genre. Her words flow so beautifully, and not only that, her characters are the cutest. I fell in love with Calcifer, the little fire demon, and the headstrong Sophie. 

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 book is still one of the best enemies-to-lovers books I've read. Cardan may not be a literal monster, but he has a monstrous soul. I don’t usually like books where the male love interest is an a-hole, but I love when we get to see behind Cardan’s cruel exterior to the vulnerability and suffering beneath. And when Jude ties him to a chair? *Chef’s kiss.

I found the whole series to be brilliant and well worth a read. I loved the beautiful imagery the author creates.

I love Pratchett’s work so much in general that it’s really hard to pick just one. His work was side-splittingly funny but also the very best kind of satire. He had pointed things to say about society while also making you care deeply about his characters and making you laugh until your face hurts. Do you know how hard that is?

In this book, the protagonist is a con man forced into trying to resuscitate a dying postal service. He’s petty evil, the kind of selfish who has never thought about what happens to his victims. By the end, you can’t help but root for him to triumph over the much less petty but equally hidden evil of systems and big money. But you also can’t look away from the chaos of ravening stamp collectors, hapless wizards, and a literal avalanche of dead letters.

The late Sir Pratchett was a hero of mine. The Discworld universe is one of the most well-put-together, zany, yet relatable places. The amount of depth that he was able to achieve with a setting that others might consider a joke is astounding.

In order for a universe to connect with me, it has to have characters that I love dearly. Granny Aching and her granddaughter Tiffany are among the few literary characters that have ever brought me to tears on multiple occasions. I used to read this book to my students, and there is one scene in particular towards the end that causes me to choke up every time I read it.

It’s simple and powerful, and it speaks to me on a personal level. I lost my mom back in 2008, and the scene to which I am referring here hits on that sense of loss so well… show more.

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. 

What a joy it was to read this book as it both surprised and delighted me by making an unlikely pairing—dragons and tacos—but it makes total sense after reading the book. 

I had no clue what the plot was about before diving in to read, so I was delighted at how the story unfolded with each page creatively and artfully leading up to its hilarious ending. The storytelling is whimsical, unpredictable, and funny. The writer did a good job of feeding my taco-loving soul while also giving a pretty darn good explanation for why these mythical creatures breathe fire. 

I enjoyed the light-hearted nature of the story as much as my son! Books that both entertain kids and their grown-ups are always a slam dunk for me.