Books like 'The Watermelon King'
Readers who enjoyed The Watermelon King by Daniel Wallace also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary fantasy comedy mystery magical-realism coming-of-age humor literary-fiction family low-fantasy
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Between Cases by W.R. Gingell
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsG’day. I’m still here. Still Pet.Well, I’m only two thirds of a Pet these days, but you might as well call me Pet anyway. Everyone does: everyone but the vampire, that is.Life is more unbalanced these days—cases are cutting closer to home than usual. I thought I was the only one, but there are others like me: kids whose parents were murdered just like mine... -
The Midnight Gang by David Walliams
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWelcome to the Midnight Gang! Midnight is the time when all children are fast asleep, except of course for… the Midnight Gang. That is when their adventures are just beginning…When Tom gets hit on the head by a cricket ball, he finds himself at Lord Funt Hospital, and is greeted by a terrifying-looking porter...Categorized as:
humor literary-fiction action-adventure audiobook book children children-books comedy -
Caffeinated Calamity by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe only witch in the world? It might feel like it to Stormy Morgan but she knows better.Twenty minutes away, in a town called Hemlock Cove, witches have taken over. Sure, the bulk of the town is made up of frauds looking to shore up their tourism industry, but there are real witches, too. There’s a family, last name of Winchester, and they’re notorious... -
The Faceless Ones by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThe third bone-breaking, belly-busting adventure in the series that puts the “funny” back in, um, funny series... -
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Merry Witchmas by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s a Christmas from the past but the usual players aren’t all that different. Tillie Winchester is annoyed with the world – what else is new, right? – and she’s fraying under the pressure. Her nieces believe she’s a bad influence on the youngest Winchester generation – especially an acerbic Thistle – and they want her to set a good example... -
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 79 ratingsCaptured by a giant! But the BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater, the Bonecruncher, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—she would have soon become breakfast... -
The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsIn this new Zamonian adventure, Optimus Yarnspinner, a young writer, inherits from his beloved godfather an unpublished short story by an unknown author. His search for the author’s identity takes him to Bookholm the so-called City of Dreaming Books. On entering its streets, our hero feels as if he has opened the door of a gigantic second-hand bookshop...Categorized as:
humor literary-fiction magical-realism 21st-century action-adventure audiobook book children -
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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age humor low-fantasy action-adventure audiobook book children children-books -
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsLibrarian's Note: For an alternate cover edition of the same ISBN, click here.This beloved story -first published more than fifty years ago- introduces readers to Milo and his adventures in the Lands Beyond. For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different... -
Tales From the Hood by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsThe Fairy-Tale Trial Of The CenturyIn Ferryport Landing, everyone gets a day in court- even the Big Bad Wolf. Mr.Canis is put on trial for past crimes, and Mayor Heart's kangaroo court is determined to find him guilty. It's up to the Grimms to uncover evidence to save their friend, though Sabrina starts to wonder whether they would all be safer with the Wolf in jail... -
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.. -
Every Witch Way But Wicked by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhere there’s a witch, there’s a way! Where there’s a whole family of them, there’s trouble. Bay Winchester, editor of Hemlock Cove’s small weekly newspaper, thinks her small hamlet’s upcoming murder mystery weekend is going to be all about fun, food and frolicking... -
The End of the World by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSkulduggery and Valkyrie are back, in an exclusive World Book Day novelette, set after the momentous events of Death Bringer…Hey, punks! Skulduggery and Valkyrie are about to make your day…15-year-old Ryan is running away from home, looking for escape and adventure. But unfortunately, sometimes people DO get what they wish for... -
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... -
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The Nothing Girl by Jodi Taylor
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsGetting a life isn't always easy. And hanging on to it is even harder.Known as The Nothing Girl because of her stutter, disregarded by her family, isolated and alone, Jenny Dove's life is magically transformed by the appearance of Thomas, a mystical golden horse only she can see... -
Wolf with Benefits by Shelly Laurenston
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsRicky Lee has no plans of getting serious about anyone, but he will protect Toni Jean-Louis Parker. Not just because he’s been hired to do so, but because it’s the right thing to do... -
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:
humor low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book children children-books -
The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAn unforgettable, high-stakes, laugh-out-loud funny novel, The Witchstone blends the merciless humor of The Good Place with the spellbinding fantasy of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.Meet Laszlo, eight-hundred-year-old demon and Hell’s least productive Curse Keeper. From his office beneath Midtown, he oversees the Drakeford Curse, which involves a pathetic family upstate and a mysterious black stone... -
Howl for It by Shelly Laurenston
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratings"As usual, Laurenston's story is outrageously bawdy, her characters are unabashedly foul-mouthed and unrestrained, and her comedic timing is on point. The blend of screwball romance, mythological mayhem, and all-out action is as enjoyable as ever." -- Publishers Weekly Stieg Engstrom, Angriest Viking Ever, has got big problems... -
Howl for It by Shelly Laurenston
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratings"As usual, Laurenston's story is outrageously bawdy, her characters are unabashedly foul-mouthed and unrestrained, and her comedic timing is on point. The blend of screwball romance, mythological mayhem, and all-out action is as enjoyable as ever." -- Publishers Weekly Stieg Engstrom, Angriest Viking Ever, has got big problems... -
The Witches by Roald Dahl
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 73 ratingsThis is not a fairy-tale. This is about real witches. Real witches don't ride around on broomsticks. They don't even wear black cloaks and hats. They are vile, cunning, detestable creatures who disguise themselves as nice, ordinary ladies...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family humor low-fantasy magical-realism 20th-century action-adventure animals -
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:
coming-of-age humor low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book children -
Joy to the World by Jodi Taylor
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA Frogmorton Farm short story from the bestselling author of the Chronicles of St Mary's.It's Christmas time again and all is not well at Frogmorton Farm.Jenny and Russell's daughter, Joy, is growing up. Not quickly enough as far as she's concerned but far too quickly according to Russell.Father and daughter are at odds and suddenly the outlook is very dark indeed... -
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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... -
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... -
All In A Name by Honor Raconteur
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSomeone left Jamie a prezzie and she would like to return it with a no thank you.It all starts with a dead Robert Martin, the man who killed RM Burtchell. Jamie doesn’t know how, but it’s obvious he was yanked out of high security prison, murdered, and dumped on her front doorsteps.Now the situation is entirely out of control... -
Stealing Time by Christine Gael
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Paranormal Women’s Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels like age is just a number!Just when Cricket thought things couldn't get much worse, Mee-maw's a witch now too! And she might be the most powerful of them all.The Crow's Feet Coven of three is finally complete, but hell if any of them know what to do next... -
Crazy for You by Jane Fenton
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKate would feel silly for having a crush on a fictional pirate—if he wasn’t standing right in front of her. After discovering that her long-term boyfriend has been cheating on her, psychologist Dr. Kate Barnes decides she’s still going on their romantic Bahamas getaway—alone... -
Lemonade & Love Potions by Bella Falls
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMagic and mystery are only part of the Southern Charms of Honeysuckle Hollow… Charli Goodwin can’t help herself when it comes to helping out her friends, especially a failed cupid trying to earn his way back into the matchmaking ranks... -
Into the Forest by Mark Z. Danielewski
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Familiar, Volume 1 Wherein the cat is found . . .The Familiar, Volume 2 Wherein the cat is hungry . . . From the universally acclaimed, genre-busting author of House of Leaves comes the second volume of The Familiar, a "novel [which] goes beyond the experimental into the visionary, creating a language and style that expands the horizon of meaning . . -
Wicked Howl by Celia Kyle
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCan cats and dogs get along? Maybe. What about werelions and werewolves? If it’s Tilly and Mitchell, definitely. Or rather, maybe. If he’d just get his head out of his… Half-werelion Tilly McBride owns Bless Your Tart, the South’s latest and greatest bakery. Or at least the best one in Georgia. Fine. It’s the best in Wilder, Georgia, mainly because it’s the only one... -
Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsDetective Thursday Next has had her fill of her responsibilities as the Bellman in Jurisfiction. Packing up her son, Friday, Thursday returns to Swindon accompanied by none other than the dithering Danish prince Hamlet... -
"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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family humor low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book -
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The Dark Talent by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI, Alcatraz Smedry, proudly announce the last book of my autobiography, and was the hardest one for me to write. Because, in it—I’m not a hero. In fact, I’m the one who screwed everything up for everyone else.First off, my Talent for breaking things got a little out of hand, and I ended up destroying everyone else’s Talents... -
Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsMysterious doors with lizard-head knobs. Talking stone statues. A crazy girl with a hatchet. Yes, Liv's dreams have been pretty weird lately. Especially the one where she's in a graveyard at night, watching four boys conduct dark magic rituals.The strangest part is that Liv recognizes the boys in her dream... -
The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThe Mighty Shandar, the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen, returns to the Ununited Kingdoms. Clearly, he didn't solve the Dragon Problem, and must hand over his fee: eighteen dray-weights of gold... -
The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsWarning: this description has not been authorized by Pseudonymous Bosch. As much as he'd love to sing the praises of his book (he is very vain), he wouldn't want you to hear about his brave 11-year old heroes, Cass and Max-Ernest. Or about how a mysterious box of vials, the Symphony of Smells, sends them on the trail of a magician who has vanished under strange (and stinky) circumstances... -
Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThe Evil Librarians are still up to their antics and it's up to Alcatraz Smedry to put a stop to it! This second book will take Alcatraz and company on an exploration of the Library of Alexandria, which -- despite Librarian rumors -- was never destroyed. It is a mysterious place and everyone knows that it holds dark secrets... -
Oma heeft me gestuurd om te zeggen dat het haar spijt by Fredrik Backman
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsElsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy, standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-men-who-want-to-talk-about-Jesus-crazy. She is also Elsa's best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmother's stories, in the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal... -
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsShades of Grey tells of a battle against overwhelming odds. In a society where the ability to see the higher end of the color spectrum denotes a better social standing, Eddie Russet belongs to the low-level House of Red and can see his own color—but no other. The sky, the grass, and everything in between are all just shades of grey, and must be colorized by artificial means... -
Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsWhen Alcatraz and Grandpa Smedry make a pilgrimage to the Free Kingdom city of Crystallia, the Smedry home base, Alcatraz is shocked to see that he is, in fact, a legend. When he was a baby he was stolen by the Evil Librarians, and his mother, a Librarian herself, was behind the whole scheme... -
Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsAlcatraz Smedry, the boy with the incredible Talent for breaking things, has a lot to prove and little time in which to do it. In this final adventure, Alcatraz faces an army of librarians--and their giant robots--as they battle to win the kingdom of Mokia. If the librarians win the war, everything that Alcatraz has fought so hard for could end in disaster... -
Wake the Dead by Stacey Rourke
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWith a touch of her hand, Octavia Hollows can restore life. Yet, she couldn’t save the man she loved from the horrific accident that stole him from her. Octavia thought she could outrun the pain, but ghosts from the past refuse to be silenced. Out of options, she chooses to retrace her wayward journey across the country in search of answers... -
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Murphy’s Luck by Benjamin Laskin
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSometimes rotten luck is better than no luck at all.Jinxed from birth with mystifying bad luck, Murphy Drummer hasn’t ventured beyond the safety of his backyard since he was a little boy. To remedy his loneliness, he became the master of a thousand hobbies and as amazing as his crazy luck... -
Fool on the Hill by Matt Ruff
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt is a literary event when a genuinely new fictional voice comes along. When that voice achieves its newness not through a certain formal facility but through the freshness of its vision, there is truly something to celebrate. Matt Ruff was only twenty-two when Fool on the Hill was first published, but with his novel he gave us a story that won over readers of every persuasion... -
Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection by Ben Aaronovitch
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsReturn to the world of Rivers of London in this first short story collection from #1 Sunday Times bestselling author, Ben Aaronovitch. Tales from the Folly is a carefully curated collection that gathers together previously published stories and brand new tales in the same place for the first time...Categorized as:
humor low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure adult alternate-history anthologies audiobook -
Scorch by Gina Damico
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby is a teenage grim reaper with the bizarre ability to damn souls. That makes her pretty scary, even to fellow Grims. But after inadvertently transferring her ability to Zara, a murderous outlaw, Lex is a pariah in Croak, the little town she calls home.To escape the townspeople’s wrath, she and her friends embark on a wild road trip to DeMyse... -
Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe trouble started when Howard Sykes came home from school and found the "goon" sitting in the kitchen. He said he'd been sent by Archer. But who was Archer? It had to do with the 2,000 words that Howard's author father had failed to deliver...Categorized as:
family humor low-fantasy magical-realism 20th-century action-adventure book children -
Harvey by Mary Chase
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWhen Elwood P. Dowd starts to introduce his imaginary friend Harvey, a six and a half foot rabbit, to guests at a dinner party, his sister, Veta, has seen as much of his eccentric behavior as she can tolerate. She decides to have him committed to a sanitarium to spare her daughter, Myrtle Mae, and their family, from future embarrassment...
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