Recs if you like Wildwood...

books to get for the middle grade readers in your life that have similar vibes but are NOT Harry Potter (and are in fact better)

You liked Harry Potter but you’re angry at the author for being a huge transphobe and you would like some alternatives because you don’t want to give money to her so she can finance transphobia and you have enough of Harry Potter’s racist stereotypes like Cho Chang and other problematic themes in this saga? You’re in the right place! I haven’t read all, if some are misplaced, let me know! Also, if you want more fantasy recs, I have a queer fantasy list! It is addressed to different ages.

Portal fantasy (middle grade through adult lit with maybe some sci-fi too).

Because sometimes you just want to read about characters literally escaping their world or temporarily exploring other ones since you’re stuck here.

(Please note: series will only contain the earliest applicable volume even if more/all are the same to avoid clutter. Also, open to recs!)

Over the a Garden Wall… and into a book! Spooky, cozy, and creepy fall vibes

Stories that involve monsters (literal, psychological, metaphorical) and the woods. 🌲🌲🌲

from fiction to memoirs and everything in between, all of these books were written by (mostly recognizable) musicians!

As always, recommendations for additional titles are super appreciated! 🫶🏻

fiction books that primarily take place in the pnw

a collection of books that take place in oregon & washington

It's always there just oozing into every part of the story

books i’ve read (and liked) that made me feel the cozy calm (or dark grit) of fall

no rhyme or reason, just ✨vibes✨

**i’m including some cozy fantasy/spooky season/fall-occurring books, but this list is also meant to expand beyond those limited sub-genres to include books i think would hit different if read during fall or majorly incorporate elements i associate w fall like mountains/forests, adventures, murder, small towns, seasons of change/hardship, grittiness, dark academia, pirates, etc

Books set in Portland or written by authors from Portland, OR

Very studio ghibli vibes

Books adapted to (and adapted from) films by the fantastic Laika Studios!!

middle grade adventures! recs welcome :)

there’s a special place in my heart for middle grade novels. i think they have the hardest audience—they’re written for a group defined by transition, bridging the gap between childhood and adolescence by creating space in the in-between. when done well, their universal themes (like change!) and prose make the books translatable to any age. since it feels like that should be impossible, i’m convinced authors of this age group are geniuses.

These stories are the perfect companion to nestling under a pile of blankets and rubbing your feet together.

books that rewrote my brain at age 10

books that are the basis for adaptations and other book-related films and TV shows being released in the U.S. in October 2026