100 books like The Root Cellar

By Janet Lunn, N. R. Jackson (illustrator),

Here are 100 books that The Root Cellar fans have personally recommended if you like The Root Cellar. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Gregor the Overlander

Summer Rachel Short Author Of The Legend of Greyhallow

From my list on children’s books that let you step into another world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been a daydreamer on the lookout for my entry into another world. I spent a good chunk of my early elementary years imagining I was a flying pony who could travel to distant lands and perform dazzling deeds. I never got my wings—but I did discover a way to reach those distant lands. Today, I have the pleasure of creating worlds of my own as the author of three published middle-grade novels: The Mutant Mushroom Takeover, Attack of the Killer Komodos, and The Legend of Greyhallow

Summer's book list on children’s books that let you step into another world

Summer Rachel Short Why did Summer love this book?

I have recommended this book to so many people over the years! I loved the unique setting—deep beneath the sewers of New York City—and the way Gregor travels to this world—through a chute in his apartment’s laundromat. 

My ten-year-old son and I both read this one and loved all the talking creatures and subterranean adventure—giant anthropomorphic rats, cockroaches, and bats you can ride! All those creepy crawlies might sound a little icky to some, but I loved how inventive and unexpected it all was. One of my favorite characters is a smart-mouthed, grumpy warrior rat named Ripred, who, deep down, has a soft side (plus a powerful love for stinky food).  

This was a hard book to put down. Nearly every chapter ends with a high-stakes, dangerous development. I just had to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next. 

By Suzanne Collins,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Gregor the Overlander as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

The first in a gripping young fantasy series from the
author of THE HUNGER GAMES.

When eleven-year-old Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry
room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland,
where spiders, rats and giant cockroaches coexist uneasily
with humans.

This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor's arrival
is no accident.

But Gregor wants no part of it - until he realizes it's
the only way to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance.
Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure
that will change both him and the Underland forever.



Engrossing,…


Book cover of Pages & Co.: The Bookwanderers

Summer Rachel Short Author Of The Legend of Greyhallow

From my list on children’s books that let you step into another world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been a daydreamer on the lookout for my entry into another world. I spent a good chunk of my early elementary years imagining I was a flying pony who could travel to distant lands and perform dazzling deeds. I never got my wings—but I did discover a way to reach those distant lands. Today, I have the pleasure of creating worlds of my own as the author of three published middle-grade novels: The Mutant Mushroom Takeover, Attack of the Killer Komodos, and The Legend of Greyhallow

Summer's book list on children’s books that let you step into another world

Summer Rachel Short Why did Summer love this book?

As someone who loves books, a novel where the characters travel into classic stories was too enticing to resist. This is such a cozy read with plenty of steaming mugs of hot cocoa, glowing candles, sweet grandparents, and a black cat named Alice.

I’m a big fan of Anne of Green Gables and was delighted to meet a version of her in The Book Wanderers. Other famous literary characters also make fun cameos. Our heroine, Tilly, is an avid book lover who’s mostly content at her grandparents’ delightful bookshop in London except for some lingering questions about her missing mom.

The story pulled me right in with a looming family mystery and dangerous bookish folk on the prowl. All the answers lie within the pages of a book, of course! This is the kind of book I like to read on a rainy day with a cup of my…

By Anna James, Paola Escobar (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Pages & Co. as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A USA Today Bestselling book!
A Barnes & Noble Book of the Month!
A 2019 Kids' Indie Next List Pick!
A National Bestseller!

"Mr. Lemoncello would love to go bookwandering at Pages and Co. If you love books, you're going to LOVE this book!"--Chris Grabenstein, #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Mr. Lemoncello series.

An enchanting story about the magic of books and the power of imagination from debut author Anna James. Perfect for fans of Inkheart, The Land of Stories, and Story Thieves.

Since her mother's disappearance, eleven-year-old Tilly Pages has found comfort in the stories at…


Book cover of Falling in

Summer Rachel Short Author Of The Legend of Greyhallow

From my list on children’s books that let you step into another world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been a daydreamer on the lookout for my entry into another world. I spent a good chunk of my early elementary years imagining I was a flying pony who could travel to distant lands and perform dazzling deeds. I never got my wings—but I did discover a way to reach those distant lands. Today, I have the pleasure of creating worlds of my own as the author of three published middle-grade novels: The Mutant Mushroom Takeover, Attack of the Killer Komodos, and The Legend of Greyhallow

Summer's book list on children’s books that let you step into another world

Summer Rachel Short Why did Summer love this book?

I love main characters who are a little bit quirky, awkward, or just plain misfits. Isabelle Bean is all of those things. For starters, Isabelle would rather dig through her neighbor’s junk piles than go shopping for new clothes with her mom. Her taste in fashion is zany at best—oversized, pointy-toed, red leather boots paired with baggy jeans and hoodie.

Plus, she’s the only one who can hear the weird buzzing sound coming from somewhere inside her middle school. Isabelle is quiet but odd, which tends to annoy her teachers. This lands her in the principal’s office, which, in a unique turn of events, ends up being the gateway to another world. 

From a dark and spooky forest to a witchy old woman who gathers herbs, Falling In feels like an old-time fairytale but with modern and hilarious sensibilities. I really enjoyed the themes of belonging and finding our place…

By Frances O'Roark Dowell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Falling in as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

B z z z z z z z

The buzzing sound?

Do you hear that?

There it is again.

B z z z z z z z

No? Well, I really shouldn't have asked. Most people can't hear it, anyway. But, if you could, you'd think it sounds like you're teetering on the edge of the universe. That's what Isabelle Bean thinks...and she's not that far from the truth.

B z z z z z z z

You really don't hear that?

Well, it's actually not that great to have a buzzing in your ear. It's distracting for one thing.…


Book cover of Circus Mirandus

Summer Rachel Short Author Of The Legend of Greyhallow

From my list on children’s books that let you step into another world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been a daydreamer on the lookout for my entry into another world. I spent a good chunk of my early elementary years imagining I was a flying pony who could travel to distant lands and perform dazzling deeds. I never got my wings—but I did discover a way to reach those distant lands. Today, I have the pleasure of creating worlds of my own as the author of three published middle-grade novels: The Mutant Mushroom Takeover, Attack of the Killer Komodos, and The Legend of Greyhallow

Summer's book list on children’s books that let you step into another world

Summer Rachel Short Why did Summer love this book?

This book charmed me from the very beginning. I loved all the enchanting characters that populate the story—a mysterious flying bird woman, an invisible tiger, a magical messenger parrot, and a powerful magician known as The Man Who Bends Light.

As the story opens, Micah needs a miracle—his grandfather is dying, and the only one who might be able to save him is a magician who owes the family a favor.

The Circus Mirandus is a wonderous, whimsical world of its own. This book made me want to find my own circus ticket, swing from a trapeze, and befriend a wise old elephant. I love stories that highlight the joys and complexities of family life, and this does just that. It’s also a tale filled with wonder, intrigue, and all the sparkle of a one-of-a-kind circus. 

By Cassie Beasley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Circus Mirandus as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2015

A New York Times Bestseller

Fans of The Magician's Elephant, Savvy, and Roald Dahl will fall in love with Circus Mirandus, which celebrates the power of seeing magic in the world.

Do you believe in magic?
Micah Tuttle does.

Even though his awful Great-Aunt Gertrudis doesn't approve, Micah believes in the stories his dying Grandpa Ephraim tells him of the magical Circus Mirandus: the invisible tiger guarding the gates, the beautiful flying birdwoman, and the magician more powerful than any other-the Man Who Bends Light. Finally, Grandpa Ephraim offers…


Book cover of A Thousand Acres

Erica Wright Author Of Hollow Bones

From my list on retelling classic stories.

Why am I passionate about this?

Before fan fiction was popular, I would often daydream about the lives of my favorite book characters. Did Jane Eyre gain more confidence from her inheritance? Did Ponyboy find a way to survive his tragic childhood? Decades later, I gravitate toward retellings, often picking them up simply because I like the source material. Still, when I started working on this list, I realized what a daunting task I’d set myself. There are so many! And I haven’t even read two recently lauded titles: Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead and Percival Everett’s James. So hat in my hand, I present these favorites ranging from serious to light-hearted. 

Erica's book list on retelling classic stories

Erica Wright Why did Erica love this book?

This book is the first retelling that I remember reading, so in some ways, it’s the standard by which I judge all others. Jane Smiley’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel imagines King Lear in a contemporary setting with an aging farmer signing over his land to his three daughters.

What I find most remarkable about this project is how Smiley captures the original play's melancholic spirit. There’s a sense of longing for a different past and sequence of events that might have prevented all this familial heartache. 

By Jane Smiley,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked A Thousand Acres as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This powerful twentieth-century reimagining of Shakespeare's King Lear centers on a wealthy Iowa farmer who decides to divide his farm among his three daughters. When the youngest objects, she is cut out of his will, which sets in motion a chain of events that brings dark truths to light. Ambitiously conceived and stunningly written, A Thousand Acres spins the most fundamental themes of truth, justice, love, and pride into a universally acclaimed masterpiece.


Book cover of Cross Creek

Janie DeVos Author Of The Art of Breathing

From my list on the flawed but indomitable human spirit.

Why am I passionate about this?

Being a historical fiction writer, I spend much time researching people and places for my novels with my focus being on the South, particularly Florida, where I’m from, as well as Western North Carolina, where I’ve lived for nearly two decades. Family dynamics and character development have always held a special interest for me; particularly the humanness of being flawed, but also the resilience and strength found within us, too. I enjoy creating characters we can identify with, and become emotionally connected to, so much so that when the final page is turned, readers feel a sense of loss at saying goodbye to characters they’ve come to love.

Janie's book list on the flawed but indomitable human spirit

Janie DeVos Why did Janie love this book?

Writing on a theme that is near and dear to my heart, that being Old Florida, the author of the award-winning, The Yearling, accurately portrays her life living on Cross Creek in rural Central Florida. After buying an old orange grove, sight unseen, this divorced Washington, DC writer brought it back to life, and made a life for herself living among the shy and suspicious people on the creek. Rawlings’ accurate use of local dialect and effective nuances in this beautiful vignette of stories is almost poetic, and magically transports the reader to the creek’s mossy banks. Though the writing and her viewpoints are antiquated in places, Cross Creek remains a classic, and a true work of art to be treasured. 

By Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Cross Creek as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Cross Creek is the warm and delightful memoir about the life of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings—author of The Yearling—in the Florida backcountry.

Originally published in 1942, Cross Creek has become a classic in modern American literature. For the millions of readers raised on The Yearling, here is the story of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's experiences in the remote Florida hamlet of Cross Creek, where she lived for thirteen years. From the daily labors of managing a seventy-two-acre orange grove to bouts with runaway pigs and a succession of unruly farmhands, Rawlings describes her life at the Creek with humor and spirit. Her…


Book cover of The Last Thing to Burn

Nikki Crutchley Author Of To the Sea

From my list on an isolated setting.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a crime writer from New Zealand and have set all of my books either in small towns or isolated settings. The appeal of isolated settings, for me, is that social norms are lacking, people are often making their own rules in which to live by and they have chosen to live this life for particular reasons. The physical environment of isolated settings holds power and danger, but also beauty. In the five books I’ve chosen, all settings are stunning in their own way but with the introduction of characters with their own stories and histories, the beauty often contradicts the dark events going on and the secrets being kept.

Nikki's book list on an isolated setting

Nikki Crutchley Why did Nikki love this book?

In The Last Thing to Burn, Will Dean is very clever in his choice of location and how it’s become a prison for Jane.

Jane lives in a small cottage with her farmer husband surrounded by paddocks. The whole book is set in the cramped confines of the small cottage, where Jane’s husband rules over her and punishes her if she does anything wrong. Jane’s completely cut off from the rest of the world. Her whole world is the cottage.

I love the way Jane slowly realises that she may have a way out, and we join her, heart in mouth, as she plans her escape. I’ve never raced through the last forty pages of a book so fast!

By Will Dean,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Last Thing to Burn as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Outstanding. The best thriller in years' MARTINA COLE
'One of the best thrillers I have read in years' THE OBSERVER
'I couldn't put it down. A visceral nightmare of a book with one of the most evil villains I've come across in a long time. Powerful writing' STEVE CAVANAGH
'Short, sharp shocker' THE TIMES
'an early contender for one of the best books of the year' S MAGAZINE

He is her husband. She is his captive.

Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name.

She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she…


Book cover of Everything We Didn't Say

Kathleen Basi Author Of A Song for the Road

From my list on finding beauty in the crap life throws at you.

Why am I passionate about this?

I suspect my passion for this topic was born when my doctor came into my C-section recovery room and uttered the words “chromosomal abnormality.” My daughter has Down syndrome, and full disclosure: I had zero interest in being a disability mom. Yet as I fell in love with this beautiful, funny, sassy girl, my whole worldview shifted. I am a far better person than I was when she entered my life. She has taught me the beauty and the blessing wrapped up in the things that first appear to be the most difficult. 

Kathleen's book list on finding beauty in the crap life throws at you

Kathleen Basi Why did Kathleen love this book?

I have adored everything I’ve read by Nicole Baart, and they all fit this theme. I chose this one because all the characters in it are so real. It features two women who are both punishing themselves for a tragedy they believe to be their fault. In this book, the main characters are so true, you almost can’t believe they’re made up. They’re complex people whose struggles and brokenness end up making ripples that bump into other people’s struggles and brokenness. Just a bunch of people doing the best they can and messing it all up and having to start again. This is a book that makes you feel like maybe all hope isn’t lost, after all.

By Nicole Baart,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Everything We Didn't Say as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of Little Broken Things, a "race-to-the-finish family drama" (People) following a mother who must confront the dark summer that changed her life forever in order to reclaim the daughter she left behind.

Juniper Baker had just graduated from high school and was deep in the throes of a summer romance when Cal and Beth Murphy, a childless couple who lived on a neighboring farm, were brutally murdered. When her younger brother became the prime suspect, June's world collapsed and everything she loved that summer fell away. She left, promising never to return to tiny Jericho, Iowa.

Until…


Book cover of Nectar in a Sieve

George W. Norton Author Of Hunger and Hope: Escaping Poverty and Achieving Food Security in Developing Countries

From my list on hunger and health issues in developing countries.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up on a small farm, expecting to return to it after college, but I was inspired by books and by a teacher to focus instead on alleviating hunger and poverty problems in developing countries and two years working with the rural poor in Colombia in the Peace Corps helped me understand the need to attack these problems at both the household and policy levels. I taught courses and wrote on agricultural development issues at Virginia Tech for forty years and managed agricultural projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. I am passionate about improving food security and human health and treating people with respect regardless of their circumstances.

George's book list on hunger and health issues in developing countries

George W. Norton Why did George love this book?

I love this timeless novel because it helps me picture, better than any book I have read, what it is like to struggle as the wife of a poor rice farmer in India.

Rukmani, the book’s main character, endures endless battles with nature, poverty, hunger, discrimination, and crime, yet remains optimistic about life and devoted to her husband until the end.

Reading this book in college was one factor that helped me decide to join the Peace Corps and devote much of my career to working with low-income farmers in developing countries.   

By Kamala Markandaya,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Nectar in a Sieve as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The acclaimed million-copy bestselling novel about a woman’s struggle to find happiness in a changing India.

Married as a child bride to a tenant farmer she had never met, Rukmani works side by side in the field with her husband to wrest a living from a land ravaged by droughts, monsoons, and insects. With remarkable fortitude and courage, she meets changing times and fights poverty and disaster.
 
This beautiful and eloquent story tells of a simple peasant woman in a primitive village in India whose whole life is a gallant and persistent battle to care for those she loves—an unforgettable…


Book cover of The Farmer

Phyllis Root Author Of Anywhere Farm

From my list on growing things.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write children’s books, both fiction and non-fiction, including One Duck Stuck, Big Momma Makes the World, Rattletrap Car, Plant a Pocket of Prairie, and, in collaboration with Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Liza Ketchum, Begin With A Bee, a picture book about the federally endangered rusty-patched bumblebee. Recently I have been putting my garden to bed for the winter, pulling tomato vines, harvesting beans that have dried on the vine, cutting herbs, and planting cloves of garlic to grow into heads in next year’s garden. In a couple of months snow will bury the garden beds, and the only gardens will be in the pages of books. Here are five of the children’s books that I love about growing things.

Phyllis' book list on growing things

Phyllis Root Why did Phyllis love this book?

First published in French and illustrated with wonderfully vivid art, this is a story of a farmer who works hard mowing, raking, digging, watering in his fields. He rejoices when things begin to grow, but a drought threatens all his hard work. The farmer is not alone, though, in his efforts, and the art shows the farm animals helping, followed by rain falling and bringing his fields to colorful and joyful abundance. Hard work matters, and so do friends.

By Ximo Abadia,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Farmer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

A farmer's hard work is rewarded in this eco-friendly and elegantly illustrated picture book.

A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book of the Year!

In the town, everyone is sleeping. But not Paul.

Paul mows. Paul rakes. Paul sows. Paul draws water. And soon Paul has beautiful plants and flowers growing all around him. But one day, the water dries up. The sun beats down. Paul despairs. But thanks to his animal friends, and a bit of rain, help is on the way . . .

Filled with vivid illustrations of Paul's hard work, the brilliant blooms…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in farms, spacetime, and Canada?

Farms 68 books
Spacetime 65 books
Canada 451 books