Books like 'The Magic Misfits'
Readers who enjoyed The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary fantasy mystery action / adventure magic children friendship humor lgbtq realistic
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The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 97 ratingsA magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages... -
City of the Dead by James Ponti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies go codebreaking in Cairo in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls.Codename Kathmandu, better known as Kat, loves logic and order, has a favorite eight-digit number, and can spot a pattern from a mile away... -
Forbidden City by James Ponti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this third “thrilling” (Kirkus Reviews) installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies help a fellow agent in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls... -
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFour children have been chosen to compete in a national competition to find the tastiest confection in the country...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor law-enforcement low-fantasy magical-realism realistic -
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Resurrection by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe skeleton detective is coming back to life...again! It's the tenth, triumphant novel in the Skulduggery Pleasant series, and it will rearrange your world.Skulduggery and Valkyrie are back in the tenth instalment in the best-selling Skulduggery Pleasant series - an incredible and unexpected treat for the legions of fans around the world... -
The Last Present by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDon't miss the latest entry in the incredible Willow Falls series by Wendy Mass!Amanda and Leo have a history with birthdays. Now their friend's little sister, Grace, has fallen into a strange frozen state on her birthday, and Amanda and Leo must travel in time in order to fix whatever's wrong. As they journey back to each of Grace's birthdays, they start seeing all sorts of patterns . . -
Dead Serious Case #2: Mrs Delores Abernathy by Vawn Cassidy
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the business of unfinished business...It’s been over six months since a freak accident left pathologist Tristan Everett able to see ghosts, something he has yet to confess to his boyfriend... -
Between Walls by W.R. Gingell
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsDon't get too close to humans.That's rule number one. Well, it is if you're an emotionally constipated fae lord. As far as I'm concerned, the vampire could do a better job of keeping his distance, but he's never been that good at following the rules.G'day. I'm Pet. Schrödinger's Pet, these days; depends who's asking... -
Magic and Other Misdemeanors by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSabrina and Daphne Grimm are ready to tackle their own case: who is stealing the magical possesions of the most powerful Everafters in town? With Granny distracted by Mayor Heart's campaign against human residents, the girl detectives appear to be on their own... -
Thea Stilton and the Legend of the Fire Flowers by Thea Stilton
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsJoin Thea Stilton and the Thea Sisters in this adventure packed with mystery and friendship!The Thea Sisters are in Hawaii to compete in an international hula festival. The mouselets are having a great time -- until they learn that the festival is located on the side of a volcano that is about to erupt! No one else seems know about the danger...Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure animals anthropomorphism book -
Big Trouble in the Big Apple by Thea Stilton, Tea Stilton
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGeronimo's adventurous sister Thea narrates this fabulous adventure that's packed with action, mystery, and friendship! The Thea Sisters are off to New York City for another fabumouse adventure! Nicky has been training to run the Big Apple Marathon, and her friends are there to support her. While in the city, they all visit Pamela's family and have a delicious dinner at the family's pizzeria...Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure animals book children-books -
This Book Is Not Good for You by Pseudonymous Bosch
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsBetween the pages of this book lies the secret to the best-tasting chocolate in all the world. I promise, your taste buds will tingle. Your palette will sing! Oh no, have I accidentally tempted you to read this book? I will warn you, however, the most delicious things are never good for you.. -
Once Upon a Crime by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSabrina and Daphne's adventures continue in their hometown of New York City as they bring Puck to Faerie to cure the wounds. With the help of Granny Relda, the girls must figure out who killed Puck's father, King Oberon, while navigating the warring factions of Everafters that make their homes in every neighbourhood of New York City... -
A Mind Full of Murder by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA bone-shaking new trilogy begins – the latest adventure in the bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant seriesSIX YEARS AGO, THE UNIVERSE ENDED.When it restarted, blinking back into existence, it brought with it a darkness that remains hidden from the mortal population.A week ago – fuelled by unimaginable hatred and unstoppable rage – a masked sorcerer killed one of those mortals. Then he killed another... -
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13 Gifts by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWendy Mass turns to another magical birthday: 13!When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble... -
This Isn't What It Looks Like by Pseudonymous Bosch, Robert Petkoff
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsThe Secret Series continues in this dangerous and daring fourth adventure. Cass finds herself alone and disoriented, a stranger in a dream-like, medieval world. Where is she? Who is she? With the help of a long-lost relative, she begins to uncover clues and secrets--piecing together her family's history as she fights her way back to the present world...Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement low-fantasy magic magical-realism realistic -
Shatterproof by Roland Smith
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAfter pulling some spectacular heists, Amy and Dan have become two of Interpol's most wanted criminals. So when Vesper One orders them to steal the world's largest diamond, they know they're facing life in prison...or worse. But with the Cahill hostages still in peril, Amy and Dan have no choice but to launch a mission that leads them to an ancient city full of dangerous secrets... -
The Candymakers and the Great Chocolate Chase by Wendy Mass, Mark Turetsky
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe highly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Candymakers by beloved author Wendy MassIt has been a few months since the nationwide New Candy Contest, and Logan, Miles, Philip, and Daisy have returned to their regular lives. But when the winning candy bar comes down the conveyor belt at the Life is Sweet candy factory, Logan realizes something's very wrong...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor low-fantasy magical-realism realistic action-adventure -
Eleven Birthdays by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsGROUNDHOG DAY meets FLIPPED in this tale of a girl stuck in her birthday.It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited -- after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she's shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven't shared together... -
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsA New York Times BestsellerKyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages by Trenton Lee Stewart, Eric Pollins
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThe brilliant and beloved gang from the New York Times bestselling series is back! Since The Mysterious Benedict Society debuted twelve years ago, the series has become a modern classic, drawing comparisons to J.K. Rowling and Roald Dahl and selling over three million copies. Some time has passed since the inimitable quartet of Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance have had a mission together...Categorized as:
children crime friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
A House for Keeping: an urban fantasy by Matteson Wynn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat would you give to add some magic to your life? Finn Foster is done with the dismal, dusty desert of the Southwest, and is determined to add a little excitement to her existence... -
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsYears ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel.“Clever, dark, and hopeful . . -
Midnight by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsSkulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain are back in their most gripping story yet, as book 11, Midnight, picks up where Resurrection left off – and runs.For years, Valkyrie Cain has struggled to keep her loved ones safe from harm, plunging into battle – time and time again – by Skulduggery Pleasant’s side, and always emerging triumphant... -
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Demon Dentist by David Walliams
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThis New York Times bestseller from David Walliams, the UK’s #1 bestselling children’s author and “the heir to Roald Dahl” (The Spectator), launched his books stateside in a big way!Walliams makes going to the dentist a wacky adventure with his signature humor—this is one dentist appointment you don’t want to miss.Something strange is happening in Alfie's town... -
Finally by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA humorous look at what it means to FINALLY turn twelve years old.NARRATOR: TBAFORMAT: 5 CDs, UnabridgedYou can pierce your ears when you're twelve. You can go to the mall with your friends when you're twelve. You can babysit little Timmy next door when you're twelve. You can get a cell phone when you're twelve. Hey, you can even ride in the front passenger-side seat when you're twelve...Categorized as:
children friendship humor low-fantasy magic magical-realism realistic action-adventure -
Smells Like Treasure by Suzanne Selfors
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Homer Pudding receives a mysterious note emblazoned with the letters L.O.S.T., he knows the moment he has been waiting for has arrived. It is time to meet the society of Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures, take his Uncle's place, and become a true adventurer. With his best friend, Dog, at his side, everything seems to be going as planned..Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals book children-books -
Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSal and Gabi have to try to make everything right with our world when there is a rogue Gabi from another universe running loose.Sal Vidon creates wormholes. But Sal's father, a calamity physicist, is trying to shut down all the wormholes Sal creates, because Papi thinks they are eroding the very fabric of our world... -
A Tangle of Gold by Jaclyn Moriarty
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHis visit turned out to be ridiculously brief. Madeleine and Elliot barely talked before word came that he and his father would be bundled back to Cello. On the train platform, Elliot didn’t snap out of the distant fog he seemed to be in. And Madeleine’s nose bled—again!—just as she tried to say good-bye. Now she’s mortified, heartbroken, lost—and completely cut off from Cello... -
If You're Reading This, It's Too Late by Pseudonymous Bosch
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsBeware!Dangerous secrets lie between the pages of this book.OK, I warned you. But if you think I'll give anything away, or tell you that this is the sequel to my first literary endeavor, The Name of This Book is Secret, you're wrong... -
The Second Story by Neil Patrick Harris
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGrowing up in an orphanage, Leila was bullied for being different. But she turned her hardship into skill by becoming an escape artist—a valuable trait when belonging to a group of magical best friends. When a famous psychic comes to town, however, Leila and her pals won't be able to escape the big mystery heading their way... -
The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsCharlie feels like she's always coming in last. From her Mom's new job to her sister's life at college, everything seems more important than Charlie. Then one day while ice fishing, Charlie makes a discovery that will change everything . . . in the form of a floppy fish offering to grant a wish in exchange for freedom...Categorized as:
children family friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism realistic action-adventure -
The Mysterious Benedict Society: Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis exclusive companion book to the bestselling Mysterious Benedict Society series is a mind-bending collection that will put YOU to the test! With full-color artwork throughout, this companion features ingenious new puzzles, riddles, and brainteasers compiled by Mr. Benedict himself, with the help of Reynie, Kate, Sticky, Constance, and other Society associates...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn extraordinary story about a family of runaways who take up residence in a small town, and the outcast boy who finds his voice and his people.In the dead of night, a truck arrives in Slaughterville, a small town curiously named after its windowless slaughterhouse...Categorized as:
family realistic magical-realism children friendship law-enforcement middle-grade mystery -
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"Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIs Lemony Snicket a detective or a smoke detector? Do you smell smoke? Young apprentice Lemony Snicket is investigating a case of arson but soon finds himself enveloped in the ever-increasing mystery that haunts the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea... -
Shell Game by Ridley Pearson
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsAs the Disney Fantasy joins the cruise fleet, a special treat is in store for guests aboard its inaugural sail from Cape Canaveral to Los Angeles: the Disney Host Interactive teenage guides will be part of the Fantasy crew.Finn, Maybeck, Charlene, Willa, and Philby are to attend the cruise as celebrity guests, and to perform a ribbon cutting for the DHI server to go live... -
Arcade Catastrophe by Brandon Mull
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsIt will take more than magical candy to win this war!Something fishy is going on over at the new amusement centre in Walnut Hills. The trouble seems linked to the mysterious disappearance of Mozag and John Dart, who have spent their lives policing the magical community... -
Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJessica Jenkins has always been a perfectly ordinary girl—until one day part of her arm vanishes in the middle of geography class! Jessica’s friends Izzy and Tom are determined to help her develop her newfound invisibility, though Jessica is more concerned with discovering where the ability came from... -
The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA story of fear and hope, loneliness and friendship -- full of the heart, engaging characters, and propulsive, page-turning mystery that made The Goldfish Boy so beloved.Nate and his mother are running away. Fleeing from an emotionally abusive situation, they hide out in an abandoned cottage in the middle of a forest. Though it's old and run-down, at least it's a place of their own...Categorized as:
children family friendship law-enforcement low-fantasy magical-realism realistic abuse -
The Elephant's Girl by Celesta Rimington
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA magical adventure for fans of Katherine Applegate and Jennifer Holm about a girl with a mysterious connection to the elephant who saved her life.An elephant never forgets, but Lexington Willow can't remember her past. Swept away by a tornado as a toddler, she was dropped in a nearby Nebraska zoo, where an elephant named Nyah protected her from the storm...Categorized as:
children family friendship law-enforcement low-fantasy magic magical-realism realistic -
Dust by Dusti Bowling
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA girl who struggles to breathe befriends a boy who seems shrouded in dust. After Avalyn nearly died from an asthma attack, her parents moved her to the clear, dry air of Clear Canyon City, Arizona. And for the last ten years, she’s been able to breathe. That is, until Adam showed up. Quiet and unkempt, Adam is an instant target for the bullies who have plagued Avalyn and her friends...Categorized as:
magical-realism realistic friendship children family magic low-fantasy north-america -
The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSophie loves the hidden shop below her parents' bookstore, where dreams are secretly bought and sold. When the dream shop is robbed and her parents go missing, Sophie must unravel the truth to save them. Together with her best friend—a wisecracking and fanatically loyal monster named Monster—she must decide whom to trust with her family’s carefully guarded secrets...Categorized as:
children friendship humor low-fantasy magic magical-realism action-adventure animals -
Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe glorious start to a middle-grade trilogy about a brilliant boy, his loyal friends, and some amazingly intelligent beetles that brings together adventure, humor, and real science! Darkus Cuttle's dad mysteriously goes missing from his job as Director of Science at the Natural History Museum... -
What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible by Ross Welford
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA surprising, stunningly beautiful, and funny novel about a girl who turns invisible and, in the process, discovers who she really is, from the author of TIME TRAVELING WITH A HAMSTER Twelve-year-old Ethel Leatherhead only meant to cure her acne, not turn herself invisible. But that's exactly what happens when she combines herbs bought on the Internet with time spent in a secondhand tanning bed...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor low-fantasy magical-realism realistic action-adventure -
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The Book Smugglers by Anna James
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFourth in the modern-classic and bestselling bookwandering series for ages eight to twelve that celebrates all that is best in life: books, adventure, friendship – and cake.Milo lives on board the Sesquipedalian, or “Quip” – a magical train that uses the power of imagination to travel through both Story and the real world... -
Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford, Jaime Zollars
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWelcome back to the irresistible world of Greenglass House where thirteen-year-old Milo is, once again, spending the winter holidays stuck in a house full of strange guests who are not what they seem. There are fresh clues to uncover as friends old and new join in his search for a mysterious map and a famous smuggler’s lost haul... -
The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEveryone in Emma's family is special. Her ancestors include Revolutionary War spies, brilliant scientists, and famous musicians--every single one of which learned of their extraordinary destiny through a dream. For Emma, her own dream can't come soon enough... -
"Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights?" by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTrain travel! Murder! Librarians! A Series Finale!On all other nights, the train departs from Stain'd Station and travels to the city without stopping. But not tonight. You might ask, why is this night different from all other nights? But that's the wrong question... -
The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage, Lauren Fortgang
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe eagerly anticipated followup to the Newbery honor winner and New York Times bestseller, Three Times LuckySmall towns have rules. One is, you got to stay who you are -- no matter how many murders you solve.When Miss Lana makes an Accidental Bid at the Tupelo auction and winds up the mortified owner of an old inn, she doesn't realize there's a ghost in the fine print... -
When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsI should have asked the question "How could someone who was missing be in two places at once?" Instead, I asked the wrong question -- four wrong questions, more or less. This is the account of the second.In the fading town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea, young apprentice Lemony Snicket has a new case to solve when he and his chaperone are hired to find a missing girl...
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