Books like 'The Lightning Key'
Readers who enjoyed The Lightning Key by Jon Berkeley also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy action / adventure mystery supernatural magic children animals male-mc friendship angels
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Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsMorrigan Crow and her friends have survived their first year as proud scholars of the elite Wundrous Society, helped bring down the nefarious Ghastly Market, and proven themselves loyal to Unit 919. Now Morrigan faces a new, exciting challenge: to master the mysterious Wretched Arts, and control the power that threatens to consume her... -
![Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend]()
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsWunder is gathering in Nevermoor ...Morrigan Crow may have defeated her deadly curse, passed the dangerous trials and joined the mystical Wundrous Society, but her journey into Nevermoor and all its secrets has only just begun. And she is fast learning that not all magic is used for good... -
![Exile by Shannon Messenger]()
Exile by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsSophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny--the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities--her life finally seems to be coming together. But Sophie's kidnappers are still out there... -
![Rising Storm by Erin Hunter]()
Rising Storm by Erin Hunter
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsFireheart's traitorous enemy Tigerclaw has been vanquished and exiled from Thunder Clan -- but Fireheart can't shake the feeling that he's lurking in the forest, waiting for his chance to strike... -
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![Matahari by Tere Liye]()
Matahari by Tere Liye
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNamanya Ali, 15 tahun, kelas X. Jika saja orangtuanya mengizinkan, seharusnya dia sudah duduk di tingkat akhir ilmu fisika program doktor di universitas ternama. Ali tidak menyukai sekolahnya, guru-gurunya, teman-teman sekelasnya. Semua membosankan baginya. Tapi sejak dia mengetahui ada yang aneh pada diriku dan Seli, teman sekelasnya, hidupnya yang membosankan berubah seru...Categorized as:
friendship children family fantasy fiction action-adventure young-adult middle-grade -
![Island of Dragons by Lisa McMann]()
Island of Dragons by Lisa McMann
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsTwins Alex and Aaron Stowe are put to the ultimate test to fulfill their destinies and save both Quill and Artimé from the deadliest enemy the cities have ever faced in the thrilling conclusion of the New York Times bestselling Unwanteds series, which Kirkus Reviews called “The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter... -
![Hopes and Slippery Slopes by Trixie Silvertale]()
Hopes and Slippery Slopes by Trixie Silvertale
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA dangerous race. The peal of wedding bells. Will this psychic sleuth catch a bouquet or a bullet? Mitzy Moon finally has a chance to spend a normal, murder-free day with family. And she's super-excited to support her legendary snowmobile racer dad as he's honored for his place in the record books. But instead of a celebration on the podium, she finds a corpse under the snow... -
![Bintang by Tere Liye]()
Bintang by Tere Liye
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsKami bertiga teman baik. Remaja, murid kelas sebelas. Penampilan kami sama seperti murid SMA lainnya. Tapi kami menyimpan rahasia besar. Namaku Raib, aku bisa menghilang. Seli, teman semejaku, bisa mengeluarkan petir dari telapak tangannya. Dan Ali, si biang kerok sekaligus si genius, bisa berubah menjadi beruang raksasa...Categorized as:
friendship children fantasy fiction action-adventure young-adult middle-grade mystery -
![The Last Present by Wendy Mass]()
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 . . -
![Serafina and the Twisted Staff by Robert Beatty, Lale Günseli Bayır]()
Serafina and the Twisted Staff by Robert Beatty, Lale Günseli Bayır
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSerafina's defeat of the Man in the Black Cloak has brought her out of the shadows and into the daylight realm of her home, Biltmore Estate. Every night she visits her mother in the forest, eager to learn the ways of the catamount... -
![Still Life by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell]()
Still Life by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe fifth and final book in The Books of Elsewhere.Annabelle McMartin is gone for good, but something worse lurks just out of sight--watching, waiting, preparing to strike. Then a field trip to the local art museum reveals a shock... -
![This Book Is Not Good for You by Pseudonymous Bosch]()
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.. -
![The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst by Jaclyn Moriarty]()
The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst by Jaclyn Moriarty
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNOW IN PAPERBACK!"Splendidly entertaining." —Kirkus Reviews★ "A delightfully quirky story with nuance, depth, and a colorful cast of characters, this book begs for multiple readings."—School Library Journal (starred)★ "Like a middle-grade version of Terry Pratchett's Discworld—fantasy adventure steeped in humor, with a touch of satire, and set in a whimsical secondary world of the highest order... -
![The Unusual Suspects by Michael Buckley]()
The Unusual Suspects by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsOrphaned sisters Sabrina and Daphne are sent to live with their mysterious grandmother. The girls start school, and Daphne is lucky to get Snow White for a teacher, but Sabrina is stuck with mean Mr Grumpner and a class of mildly psychotic sixth graders. When Mr Grumpner is murdered, the sisters must discover which Everafter is responsible... -
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![Earth by Tere Liye]()
Earth by Tere Liye
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsMy name is Raib. I’m 15 years old, a tenthgrader. I have two cats: Whitey and Blacky. My parents are nice. My teachers are great. My friends are kind and solid. I’m an ordinary girl just like you, and I live like most teenagers do, except for one thing. There’s something that I kept to myself ever since I was a kid. Something amazing. My name is Raib, and I can disappear...Categorized as:
children family friendship action-adventure book children-books fiction middle-grade -
![Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins]()
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe action and adventure continue for Gregor in this stunning fantasy from Suzanne Collins, bestselling author of the Hunger Games. New cover art coming July 1st! Gregor swears he will never return to the Underland, that strange world below New York City. But he is a key player in another prophecy, this one about an ominous white rat called the Bane... -
![Finding the Fox by Ali Sparkes]()
Finding the Fox by Ali Sparkes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDax Jones is an ordinary schoolboy . . . until something extraordinary happens one day. Whilst frightened for his life, he inexplicably changes into a fox! Before long, both a government agent and an ambitious young journalist are on his tail... -
![Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Suzanne Collins]()
Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Suzanne Collins
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsFollow Gregor in the fourth enthralling adventure in Suzanne Collins' New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles -- with gorgeous new cover art coming July 1st! In Book 4 of the bestselling Underland Chronicles, Gregor is drawn ever deeper into a brewing crisis. For generations, rats have run the mice out of whatever lands they've claimed, keeping them constantly on the move... -
![The Strangers by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell]()
The Strangers by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOlive thought she'd uncovered all the house's secrets. She was wrong.It's Halloween night when strangers come to Linden Street...and something dear to Olive goes missing... -
![Lost Lullaby by Jason Segel]()
Lost Lullaby by Jason Segel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratings"Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller." --Publishers Weekly, on book one in the series Stay up late with the hilariously frightening middle-grade novel Nightmares! The Lost Lullaby... -
![The Second Spy by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell]()
The Second Spy by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn Olive's third adventure, what lurks below the house could be as dangerous as what's hidden inside . . . Some terrifying things have happened to Olive in the old stone house, but none as scary as starting junior high. Or so she thinks. When she plummets through a hole in her backyard, though, she realizes two things that may change her mind: First, the wicked Annabelle McMartin is back... -
![The Boy Who Knew Everything by Victoria Forester]()
The Boy Who Knew Everything by Victoria Forester
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHere is the long-awaited companion to The Girl Who Could Fly.There is a prophecy.It speaks of a girl who can fly and a boy who knows everything. The prophecy says that they have the power to bring about great change...The boy is Conrad Harrington III. The girl is Piper McCloud. They need their talents now, more than ever, if they are to save the world—and themselves... -
![Gatekeepers by Robert Liparulo]()
Gatekeepers by Robert Liparulo
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe house talks. It breathes. And it's hungry. The Kings have been in the creepy old place, their new home, for only a few days, but they've experienced enough terror to last a lifetime. And the mystery is growing even more baffling... -
![Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston]()
Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe highly anticipated third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Supernatural Investigations series that began with Amari and the Night Brothers! Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Nevermoor.War has come to the supernatural world, and Amari’s two worst enemies are leading the charge... -
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![Peter and the Sword of Mercy by Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson]()
Peter and the Sword of Mercy by Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThe year is 1902 - it's been twenty-three years since Peter and the Lost Boys returned from Rundoon. Since then, nobody on the island has grown a day older, and the Lost Boys continue their friendship with the Mollusk tribe, and their rivalry with Captain Hook. Meanwhile in London, Molly has married George Darling and is raising three children: Wendy, Michael, and John... -
![The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black, Cassandra Clare]()
The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black, Cassandra Clare
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsCallum Hunt’s summer break isn’t like other kids’. His closest companion is a Chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. His father suspects him of being secretly evil. And, of course, most kids aren’t heading back to the magical world of the Magisterium in the fall. It’s not easy for Call . . -
![The Glass Gauntlet by Carter Roy]()
The Glass Gauntlet by Carter Roy
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRonan Truelove barely survived his first encounter with his father and the Bend Sinister. Now, he’s determined to become one of the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect thirty-six pure souls crucial to the world’s survival...Categorized as:
children friendship magic action-adventure audiobook book children-books contemporary -
![The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann]()
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsWhen Alex finds out he is Unwanted, he expects to die. That is the way of the people of Quill. Each year, all the thirteen-year-olds are labeled as Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Wanteds get more schooling and train to join the Quillitary. Necessaries keep the farms running. Unwanteds are set for elimination... -
![Air Keep by J. Scott Savage]()
Air Keep by J. Scott Savage
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s been six months since Marcus and Kyja obtained the help of the land and water elementals, but before they can secure the help from the mysterious air elementals, the two friends must first be reunited. A task easier said than done... -
![The Time of the Fireflies by Kimberley Griffiths Little]()
The Time of the Fireflies by Kimberley Griffiths Little
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCritically acclaimed author Kimberley Griffiths Little spins a thrilling story of one girl's race to unravel the curse that has haunted her family for generations. When Larissa Renaud starts receiving eerie phone calls on a disconnected old phone in her family's antique shop, she knows she's in for a strange summer... -
![The Elephant's Girl by Celesta Rimington]()
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... -
![The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst]()
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... -
![What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible by Ross Welford]()
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... -
![Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic by Jason Segel]()
Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic by Jason Segel
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic is the sequel to the hilariously scary New York Times bestselling novel Nightmares! by multitalented actor Jason Segel and bestselling author Kirsten Miller. You thought the nightmares were over? You better keep the lights on! Charlie Laird has a dream life. 1) He has a weirdo stepmom who runs an herbarium... -
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![The Blade of Shattered Hope by James Dashner]()
The Blade of Shattered Hope by James Dashner
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThings have changed for Atticus Higginbottom. After the near catastrophe in the Fourth Reality, Tick’s being homeschooled in the fields of science, trying to master the mysterious Chi’karda. But just as he begins to make progress, Mistress Jane reappears, now hideously scarred and much more powerful... -
![Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo]()
Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsDark forces are gathering at Bloor's Academy as the Bloors search for a lost box containing a hidden will- a will that reveals the true destiny of the Red King's heirs. And the Bloors are determined to keep Charlie Bone from finding it first. But Charlie is also facing the lord of the sea, who is trying to drown his parents, and a deadly expert swordsman from another century... -
![Rise of the Wolf by Jennifer A. Nielsen]()
Rise of the Wolf by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA powerful amulet. A vengeful goddess. A deadly quest.Nic may have escaped enslavement in the mines outside of Rome, but his troubles are far from over. The Praetor War—the battle to destroy Rome from within—is in full force, and Nic is caught in the crossfire. The secretive Praetors are determined to unlock a powerful amulet—one sure to bring the empire to its knees...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship magic male-mc action-adventure ancient-civilization -
![Claws by Mike Grinti, Rachel Grinti]()
Claws by Mike Grinti, Rachel Grinti
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn a contemporary fairytale as irresistible as catnip, one girl discovers that some magic cuts deep... Emma's sister is missing. Her parents have spent all their savings on the search. And now the family has no choice but to live in a ramshackle trailer park on the edge of the forest, next door to down-and-out harpies, hags, and trolls... -
![The Door by the Staircase by Katherine Marsh]()
The Door by the Staircase by Katherine Marsh
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTwelve-year-old Mary Hayes can't stand her orphanage for another night. But when an attempted escape through the stove pipe doesn't go quite as well as she'd hoped, Mary fears she'll be stuck in the Buffalo Asylum for Young Ladies forever... -
![The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan, John Parke Davis]()
The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan, John Parke Davis
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAdventure, magic, and hilarity collide in New York Times bestselling author Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis's first book in a fantastical series. To Master Thief Fin, an orphan from the murky pirate world of the Khaznot Quay, the Map is the key to finding his mother... -
![Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire by John August]()
Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire by John August
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsArlo Finch thought becoming a Ranger meant learning wilderness skills, like camping and knots. But upon arriving in the tiny town of Pine Mountain, Colorado, Arlo soon learns there's so much more. His new friends Indra and Wu teach him how to harness the wild magi seeping in from the mysterious Long Woods - a parallel realm of wonder and danger... -
![Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan]()
Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThorn, an outlaw's son, wasn't supposed to be a slave. He's been sold to Tyburn, an executioner, and they're headed to Castle Gloom in Gehenna, the land of undead, where Thorn will probably be fed to a vampire.Lilith Shadow wasn't supposed to be ruler of Gehenna. But following the murder of her family, young Lily became the last surviving member of House Shadow, a long line of dark sorcerers... -
![Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret]()
Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEach day, sixth-grader Rusty feeds a dog that's left chained in the frigid weather with no shelter, food, or water. When he realizes the dog has been injured, he tries to have Animal Control help - but when that fails, Rusty and his friend Andrew unchain the dog and take it...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
![Switch by Ingrid Law]()
Switch by Ingrid Law
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThree years after Ledge's adventure in Scumble, Gypsy narrates this brand new addition of the Savvy Series... -
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![The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill]()
The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratings“A lightning bolt erupted from the cloud and aimed directly at Ned’s heart. He couldn’t cry out. He couldn’t even move. He could just feel the magic sink into his skin and spread itself over every inch of him, bubbling and slithering and cutting deep, until he didn’t know where the magic stopped and he began... -
![Body & Soul by Stacey Kade]()
Body & Soul by Stacey Kade
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe final book in The Ghost and the Goth Trilogy!The GhostI’ve been trapped in the body of Lily “Ally” Turner for a month now. Talk about a fashion crisis on an epic scale. What worries me more, though, is sometimes I catch Will looking at me like he thinks I’m Lily...or that he wishes I were. Without the good looks of my former self, I don’t know who I am, or if who that is is good enough... -
![Seeker by Cate Tiernan]()
Seeker by Cate Tiernan
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsIt's a time of joy for Hunter as he is reunited with his father, who vanished mysteriously years before. Only Morgan senses that something is wrong, that Hunter's father is hiding a dark secret that could threaten them all... -
![Rise of the Wolf by Jennifer A. Nielsen]()
Rise of the Wolf by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsA powerful amulet. A vengeful goddess. A deadly quest.Nic may have escaped enslavement in the mines outside of Rome, but his troubles are far from over. The Praetor War—the battle to destroy Rome from within—is in full force, and Nic is caught in the crossfire. The secretive Praetors are determined to unlock a powerful amulet—one sure to bring the empire to its knees...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship magic male-mc action-adventure ancient-civilization -
![Rise of the Wolf by Jennifer A. Nielsen]()
Rise of the Wolf by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsNic may have escaped enslavement in the mines outside of Rome, but his troubles are far from over. The Praetor War -- the battle to destroy Rome from within -- is in full force, and Nic is caught in the crossfire. The secretive Praetors are determined to unlock a powerful amulet -- one sure to bring the empire to its knees...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship magic male-mc action-adventure ancient-civilization -
![Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell]()
Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsThere are three things that earn you a man’s name among the Jan’Tep. The first is to demonstrate the strength to defend your family. The second is to prove you can perform the high magic that defines our people. The third is simply to reach the age of sixteen. I was a few weeks shy of my birthday when I learned that I wouldn’t be doing any of those things.Magic is a con game...
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