Books like 'The Firework-Maker's Daughter'
Readers who enjoyed The Firework-Maker's Daughter by Philip Pullman & Nigel Lambert also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy action / adventure family historical-fiction children friendship magic journey myths
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The Jolly Postman by Janet Ahlberg, Allan Ahlberg
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsNow republished in a larger format, this classic depicts amusing correspondence from one fairy tale or Mother Goose character to another, giving readers a chance to follow-up on some favorite tales. Full-color illustrations... -
Hans Christian Andersen: Fairy Tales & Stories (With Bonus Grimm Collection) by Hans Christian Andersen, Jacob Grimm
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 67 ratingsHans Christian Andersen was a Danish author of fairy tales. His fairy tales have been translated into more than 100 languages and are almost all universally known and loved. Some of Andersen’s most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", and "The Emperor's New Suit"... -
Strega Nona: An Old Tale by Tomie dePaola
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsWhen Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works... -
Ronia, the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsOn the night Ronia was born, a thunderstorm raged over the mountain, but in Matt's castle and among his band of robbers there was only joy -- for Matt now had a spirited little black-haired daughter. Soon Ronia learns to dance and yell with the robbers, but it is alone in the forest that she feels truly at home. Then one day Ronia meets Birk, the son of Matt's arch-enemy...Categorized as:
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Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA Caldecott Honor and Reading Rainbow book, this memorable retelling of Cinderella is perfect for introducing children to the fairy tale as well as the history, culture, and geography of the African nation of Zimbabwe.Inspired by a traditional African folktale, this is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters... -
El Cavaller que no volia Lluitar by Helen Docherty
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEven dragons can’t resist a good story…Even though Leo would rather sit at home and read, his parents send him out into the world in the hopes that Leo will become a famous knight... -
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 47 ratingsIn the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli's mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense... -
Khon'Tor's Wrath by Leigh Roberts
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat If... A long time ago, in order to avoid extinction, the ancient Sasquatch interbred with the humans. What if... The community repopulated, and lived in peace and harmony with all creation for generation after generation — until the compassionate act of their Healer set it all on end...Categorized as:
animals female-mc historical-fiction myths retellings action-adventure adult alternate-history -
The Sleeping Beauty by Trina Schart Hyman
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThe story of the beautiful princess who sleeps for a hundred years has captured the imaginations of children for an even longer period of time... -
Babylonia by Costanza Casati
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, as Casati reimagines the rise to power of the Assyrian empire's only female ruler, Semiramis.When kings fall, queens rise.Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy or the power she would come to wield...Categorized as:
historical-fiction myths retellings ancient-civilization classics female-mc fantasy fiction -
The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsJo, Bessie and Fanny move to the country and find an Enchanted Wood right on their doorstep. In the magic Faraway Tree live the magical characters that soon become their new friends – Moon-Face, Silky the fairy, and Saucepan Man... -
Peter Pan by Tania Zamorsky
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratings""A""ll children grow up. All except one." "That special child is Peter Pan, and since making his debut on the stage in 1904, this eternal youth has carried boys and girls off to magical, marvelous Neverland. It's a trip that all kids want to make, and with this easy-to-read version of the classic, everyone can fly "second to the right, and straight on till morning" with Peter... -
Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOld Babushka, known throughout all of Moskva for her beautifully painted eggs, is preparing her eggs for the Easter Festival when she takes in an injured goose. She names the goose Rechenka, and they live happily together until one day when Rechenka accidentally overturns a basket, breaking all of Babushka's lovingly crafted eggs... -
Everyone Knows What a Dragon Looks Like by Jay Williams
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEveryone Knows What a Dragon Looks Like is Jay Williams' book about a dragon's mission to save a believer.Because of the road sweeper's belief in him, a dragon saves the city of Wu from the Wild Horsemen of the north. With vibrant illustrations from Mercer Mayer...Categorized as:
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Vikramaditya Veergatha Book 1 The Guardians of the Halahala by Shatrujeet Nath
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe deadly Halahala, the all-devouring poison churned from the depths of the White Lake by the devas and asuras, was swallowed by Shiva to save the universe from extinction.But was the Halahala truly destroyed?A small portion still remains – a weapon powerful enough to guarantee victory to whoever possesses it...Categorized as:
ancient-civilization historical-fiction myths retellings action-adventure adult book epic -
The Lioness and Her Knight by Gerald Morris
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsLuneta is tired of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father (who happens to be the most boring knight of King Arthur’s Round Table). She prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to stay at a family friend’s castle near Camelot... -
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo, Julie Morstad
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA New York Times bestseller!“Kate DiCamillo's dazzling first title in the Norendy Tales trilogy is brimming with wit, whimsy, and heart as it follows five puppets fulfilling their thrilling shared destiny.” – Shelf AwarenessShut up in a trunk by a taciturn old sea captain with a secret, five friends—a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl—bicker, boast, and comfort one another in the dark... -
The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsAlong with Wit, Charm, Health, and Courage, Princess Amy of Phantasmorania receives a special fairy christening gift: Ordinariness. Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries . . . or become a Queen... -
Seven Daughters and Seven Sons by Barbara Cohen, Bahija Fattuhi Lovejoy
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIn an ancient Arab nation, one woman dares to be different. Buran cannot—Buran will not—sit quietly at home and wait to be married to the man her father chooses. Determined to use her skills and earn a fortune, she instead disguises herself as a boy and travels by camel caravan to a distant city. There, she maintains her masculine disguise and establishes a successful business...Categorized as:
ancient-civilization children classics coming-of-age drama fairy-tale family female-mc -
Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsFor Creel, all is right with the world. The dragon king, Shardas, and his queen, Velika, have made a comfy home on the Far Isles, and humans and dragons seem to be at peace. It's the perfect time for Creel to plan her wedding to Prince Luka. Well, it was perfect -- until Velika gets kidnapped, and Creel and Luka set off to save her... -
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 66 ratingsShe was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste.Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans... -
Oceanology: The True Account of the Voyage of the Nautilus by Dugald A. Steer
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFollow the fascinating journey of Captain Nemo and explore the ocean’s wonders, both real and imagined ... or are they?What if a sixteen-year-old assistant traveled aboard the storied Nautilus, the narwhal-shaped submarine of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea? And what if he were the sole survivor of the ill-fated voyage and went on to relay his adventures to a certain . .Categorized as:
animals children historical-fiction myths retellings action-adventure book children-books -
Christopher Robin: The Novelization by Elizabeth Rudnick
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCapturing the heartwarming magic of Walt Disney Studios' upcoming Christopher Robin film, this novelization pulls fans back into the world of Pooh through a book that enables them to relive the story and revisit their old pals whenever they please...Categorized as:
animals children classics family historical-fiction myths retellings action-adventure -
Favorite Folktales from Around the World by Jane Yolen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHere between two covers you will find an inexhaustible source of delight for children and adults alike: the world's best folktales, chosen by the internationally known storyteller Jane Yolen. Over 150 tales are compiled from Iceland to Syria, Cuba to Papua... -
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Bubba, the Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Fale by Helen Ketteman
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBubba is bossed around the family ranch by his wicked step-daddy and his nasty stepbrothers, Dwayne and Milton. Bubba never complains, though. He's a real cowboy - tough as leather (and cute as a cow's ear).When Miz Lurleen, the purtiest rancher in Texas, decides to throw a ball to find herself a real feller, Bubba has to stay at home... -
The Eye of the Falcon by Michelle Paver
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFans of epic adventure will love the life-or-death stakes in the third Gods and Warriors bookThe eruption of the volcano has shrouded the sun in ash, and the harsh winter is never-ending. With no trace of his lost sister to be found, Hylas takes ship for Keftiu, to find Pirra and free her from captivity.But the Crows are also coming to Keftiu, led by the power-hungry Telamon...Categorized as:
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Four Sisters by Val Wood
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA powerful story about the bond of sisterhood and how it can triumph against any adversity, from the Sunday Times bestselling author Val Wood.Hull, 1852. Matty has had to care for her three younger sisters ever since their mother’s death ten years ago. She and the girls’ beloved father have worked hard to keep the family together and now it’s time to celebrate as Matty turns eighteen...Categorized as:
historical-fiction family drama classics friendship coming-of-age female-mc historical -
Mythology by Dugald A. Steer, Hestia Evans
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPresenting the newest discovery in the series with the Midas touch — a mythical exploration fit for the godsIn the early nineteenth century, an English nobleman embarked on a tour of the sites of ancient Greece. He brought as his guide a primer on Greek myths written by his friend Lady Hestia Evans, a devotee of Lord Byron who had recently taken the same voyage...Categorized as:
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The Burning Shadow by Michelle Paver
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFor fans of Nancy Farmer and Lloyd Alexander comes international bestselling author Michelle Paver’s second novel in the Bronze Age adventure series. While searching for his kidnapped sister, Outsider Hylas takes a dangerous detour when he’s captured as a slave and sent to the copper mines of Thalakrea. Hylas faces brutal overseers and lethal cave-ins while evading his enemies, the Crows...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction magic myths retellings action-adventure book children-books -
The Squire's Quest by Gerald Morris
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhy is it, Terence wondered, that the things you know most surely are always the things you can’t demonstrate to any one else? And why is it, after all of these years, that Terence is still just a squire, offering advice on how best to scrub the rust spots from armor? But Squire Terence has more to worry about than his place on the social scale... -
Magic Tree House: #9-12 (Collection) by Mary Pope Osborne
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Magic Tree House adventures continue in books 9—12. Morgan the magical librarian of Camelot challenges Jack and Annie to discover the answers to four riddles as they travel under the sea to the Wild West, the African plains, and the frozen Arctic...Categorized as:
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Night of the New Magicians by Mary Pope Osborne
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsMerlin sends Jack and Annie on a mysterious mission to Paris, France, over a 100 years ago. There they must find four magicians and give them an urgent message from Merlin himself. When Jack and Annie land in Paris, they make their way to the 1889 World’s Fair. Below the Eiffel Tower, built especially for the fair, there are thousands of exhibits from all over the world... -
Athena the Brain by Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsAthena has always been above average. She has never quite fit in at Triton Junior High, but who would've guessed that Athena is actually a goddess? Principal Zeus's daughter, to be exact.When she's summoned to Mount Olympus Academy, Athena thinks she might actually fit in for the first time in her life... -
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThe moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn...Categorized as:
animals children coming-of-age fairy-tale family friendship historical-fiction journey -
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Storm Boy by Paul Owen Lewis
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter a violent seastorm, a Haida prince washes ashore in the supernatural realm of the strange and colossal killer whale people. There his spiritual journey begins. Powerful illustrations make stunning use of northwest coast Native American motifs to create a compelling atmosphere of mystery and displacement...Categorized as:
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Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe adventure continues in this exciting sequel to Anya and the Dragon in which a dangerous monster lurks beneath the city and only Anya can keep him from taking her friends’ magic—and their lives. Perfect for fans of The Girl Who Drank the Moon... -
Russian Magic Tales from Pushkin to Platonov by Robert Chandler, Aleksandr Afanasyev
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFor fans of fairy tales and the literary supernatural: a unique collection of Russian short stories from the last 200 years In these folk tales, young women go on long and perilous quests, wicked stepmothers turn children into geese, and tsars ask dangerous riddles, with help or hindrance from magical dolls, cannibal witches, talking skulls, stolen wives, and brothers disguised as wise birds... -
The Marvelous Magic of Miss Mabel by Natasha Lowe
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“Wild fantasy, sly satire, and sharply observed family dynamics are the hallmarks of this tasty, effervescent series (along with mouthwatering recipes); this volume’s the most delectable yet.” — Kirkus Reviews“Mabel’s hijinks will appeal to readers of Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle …...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction magic action-adventure book -
Stories from Around the World by Heather Amery
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe stories in this book, one from each major country or area of the world, are written in a way that young listeners and young readers will find easy to understand and...Categorized as:
children classics family historical-fiction myths action-adventure anthologies children-books -
The Stone Girl's Story by Sarah Beth Durst
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsExploring the power of stories and storytelling, Sarah Beth Durst presents the mesmerizing adventure of a girl made of living stone who braves unforeseen dangers and magical consequences on a crucial quest to save her family. Mayka and her stone family were brought to life by the stories etched into their bodies... -
Cloud Tea Monkeys by Mal Peet, Elspeth Graham
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCarnegie Medalist Mal Peet and his wife, Elspeth Graham, team up for a captivating, lushly illustrated tale evoking a Chinese legend.A Junior Library Guild SelectionTashi lives in a tiny village at the foot of the mountains, below the tea plantations where her mother works. When her mother falls ill, Tashi goes alone to the plantation, hoping to earn money for the doctor...Categorized as:
animals children family female-mc historical-fiction myths retellings action-adventure -
Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe girl has had many selves in her short life. The first she remembers is Aissa, the daughter of Mama and Dada, sister to Zufi who watched the goats. Then the Bull King's raiders came, and Mama said, -Don't make a sound till I come back.- And when the villagers found her she was silent as stone, because Mama never come back again...Categorized as:
ancient-civilization animals children female-mc friendship historical-fiction magic myths -
Rose and the Magician's Mask by Holly Webb
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA precious mask of unimaginable power has been stolen from the royal palace. Rose suspects that dark magicians are at work – and that danger looms...The race to stop the evil thieves will take Rose to the mysterious city of Venice, where nothing is quite what it seems..Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family female-mc friendship historical-fiction magic action-adventure -
The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale by Aaron Shepard
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA holiday tale from colonial Dutch New York. Van Amsterdam, an honest man and a wonderful baker, always sells dozens upon dozens of delicious Saint Nicholas cookies in his shop on Saint Nicholas Eve. When one of his customers insists that a dozen is 13, Van learns a lesson about the importance of being generous of spirit. Full color...Categorized as:
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The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Tania Zamorsky, Howard Pyle
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the sword in the stone and the founding of Camelot to the famed Round Table and the Lake of Enchantment, the legend of King Arthur will never lose its magic. Though simpler, this version includes all the wonderful stories—such as King Arthur’s winning of Guenievere and Merlin’s tragic downfall at the hands of the evil Vivien...Categorized as:
children classics historical-fiction myths retellings action-adventure book children-books -
The Norse Queen (The Norsewomen): 1 by Johanna Wittenberg
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNinth century Norway, the dawn of the Viking era, -- a land shattered into thirty warring kingdoms. A woman could seize power, if she was bold enough. Daughter of a Norse king, fifteen-year-old Åsa dreams of becoming a shield-maiden. When she spurns a powerful warlord, he rains hellfire on her family, slaughtering her father and brother and taking her captive...Categorized as:
ancient-civilization female-mc historical-fiction journey magic myths action-adventure adult -
The Prairie Thief by Melissa Wiley
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn this “delightful mash-up of Little House on the Prairie and The Spiderwick Chronicles” (SLJ), experience life on the prairie—with one fantastical twist!Louisa Brody’s life on the Colorado prairie is not at all what she expected. Her dear Pa, accused of thievery, is locked thirty miles away in jail... -
A Question of Magic by E.D. Baker
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSerafina was living the normal life of a village girl, when she gets a mysterious letter--her first letter ever, in fact--from a great aunt she's never heard of in another village. Little does 'Fina know, her great aunt is actually a Baba Yaga, a magical witch who lives in an even more magical cottage... -
Paul Bunyan, a Tall Tale by Steven Kellogg
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWho was the largest baby ever born in the state of Maine? Who dug the Great Lakes? Who gouged out the Grand Canyon? Why, Paul Bunyan, of course, America's finest, fastest, funniest lumberman and favorite tall-tale hero...Categorized as:
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Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe eagerly-awaited conclusion to the Scarlet trilogy delivers another action-packed and romance-filled adventure.Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire...
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