Recs if you like The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents...

books featuring or set in magic schools / universities / academies, aka, one of the best subgenres in existence !

this list has books for all ages (am actively looking for more adult options), most of the books are dark academia, and ALL of them are fantastical 🪄 recs welcome <3

(alternatively, books to fall in love with & share with others to help avoid supporting or promoting JKR. i will never shut up ab how the Nevermoor series deserves the popularity that Harry Potter enjoys !)

Do you love stories that take place or revolve around magic academies/classes that aren't written by a TERF and aphobic author? Well, do I have the book list for you!

A non-exhaustive list of magical middle grade alternatives to the series which shall not be named. Only the first book of those that are part of a series is listed so as not to overwhelm. This will grow as more alternatives are found / published.

middle grade books to check out

Most popular or most read books set at a boarding school.

Only the first book of a series will be added.

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.