Books like 'Me and Marvin Gardens'
Readers who enjoyed Me and Marvin Gardens by Amy Sarig King also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary fantasy action / adventure mystery animals realistic magical-realism family friendship bullying
-
The Darkest Hour by Erin Hunter
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsThunderClan's darkest hour is upon them, as Tigerstar's quest for power plunges all the Clans into the most terrible danger any cat has ever faced. In order to save his Clan and his friends, Fireheart must uncover the meaning of an ominous proclamation from StarClan:"Four will become two. Lion and tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest... -
![A Dangerous Path by Erin Hunter]()
A Dangerous Path by Erin Hunter
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsShadowClan has a dark new leader, but will he be satisfied with his power now -- or does his desire for revenge burn even more strongly? Fireheart fears that there is a connection between the rise of Tigerstar and the terrible dreams that haunt his nights, murmuring of danger and death... -
![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... -
![Forest of Secrets by Erin Hunter]()
Forest of Secrets by Erin Hunter
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsAllegiances are shifting among the Clans of warrior cats that roam the forest. With tensions so delicately balanced, former friends can become enemies overnight, and some cats are willing to kill to get what they want.Fireheart is determined to find out the truth about the mysterious death of brave ThunderClan warrior Redtail... -
-
![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... -
![Into the Wild by Erin Hunter]()
Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 62 ratingsFor generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their warrior ancestors. But the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger, and the sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying-- and some deaths are more mysterious than others. In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary house cat named Rusty . . -
![The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka]()
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsBefore there was a Mysterious Benedict Society, there was simply a boy named Nicholas Benedict. Meet the boy who started it all....Nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict has more problems than most children his age. Not only is he an orphan with an unfortunate nose, but he also has narcolepsy, a condition that gives him terrible nightmares and makes him fall asleep at the worst possible moments...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship male-mc realistic action-adventure -
![The Candymakers by Wendy Mass]()
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 coming-of-age drama family friendship low-fantasy magical-realism realistic -
![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 . .Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism realistic -
![The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster]()
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... -
![Thea Stilton and the Legend of the Fire Flowers by Thea Stilton]()
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:
animals anthropomorphism children friendship action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
![Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro]()
Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsIn the first book of this series, Zoey discovers a glowing photo and learns an amazing secret. Injured magical animals come to their backyard barn for help! When a sick baby dragon appears, it’s up to Zoey and Sassafras to figure out what’s wrong...Categorized as:
animals anthropomorphism children family low-fantasy magic magical-realism xenofiction -
![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.. -
![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... -
-
![13 Gifts by Wendy Mass]()
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... -
![Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand]()
Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsTHINGS FINLEY HART DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT• Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)• Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.• Never having met said grandparents.• Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot... -
![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... -
![Awake and Dreaming by Kit Pearson]()
Awake and Dreaming by Kit Pearson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTheo has always dreamed of belonging to a real family. Her dream seems to come true when she is mysteriously "adopted" by the warm Kaldor clan. For the first time, Theo has brand new clothes, things of her own, security, and good friends. But, as time passes, the magic of Theo's new life begins to fade--really fade. In fact, Theo herself is vanishing...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age drama family friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure -
![The Candymakers and the Great Chocolate Chase by Wendy Mass, Mark Turetsky]()
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 low-fantasy magical-realism realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![Eleven Birthdays by Wendy Mass]()
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...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism realistic -
![The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland, Kari Sutherland]()
The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland, Kari Sutherland
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsFrom the New York Times bestselling author of the Wings of Fire series, Tui T. Sutherland, and her sister, Kari Sutherland, comes the Menagerie series, perfect for fans of Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven series and The Spiderwick Chronicles.In the small town of Xanadu, Wyoming lies the Menagerie, a top secret facility filled with unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, and other fairy tale creatures...Categorized as:
animals anthropomorphism children coming-of-age friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism -
![Demon Dentist by David Walliams]()
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...Categorized as:
children family friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism action-adventure audiobook -
![Finally by Wendy Mass]()
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... -
![Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien]()
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 71 ratingsMrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma... -
-
![The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner]()
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... -
![The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart]()
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 bullying coming-of-age middle-grade -
![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... -
![Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah]()
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsAfter the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her... -
![Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague]()
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsA dog laments his fate at obedience school through a series of hilarious letters home.When Ike LaRue is "imprisoned" at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy, he tries everything to get sent home -- from weepy letters to his owner to illness. In reality, Brotweiler is more like camp than prison, but still, Ike's not cut out for life without Mrs. LaRue...Categorized as:
animals anthropomorphism children family friendship xenofiction action-adventure book -
![Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar]()
Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThings are only impossible if you stop to think about them. . . .While her friends are spending their summers having pool parties and sleepovers, twelve-year-old Carolina — Carol — is spending hers in the middle of the New Mexico desert, helping her parents move the grandfather she’s never met into a home for people with dementia. At first, Carol avoids prickly Grandpa Serge... -
![Arcade Catastrophe by Brandon Mull]()
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... -
![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 . . -
![Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez]()
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsHow did a raw chicken get inside Yasmany's locker?When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it isn't under the best of circumstances. Sal is in the principal's office for the third time in three days, and it's still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school paper, is there to support her friend Yasmany, who just picked a fight with Sal... -
![Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler]()
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...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism action-adventure book children-books -
-
![The Last Leopard by Lauren St. John]()
The Last Leopard by Lauren St. John
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMartine can't wait to spend the school vacation riding her white giraffe around the Sawubona wildlife reserve with her friend Ben. But when her grandmother gets a distressed call from an old friend, Martine's hopes are dashed. They must all travel to Zimbabwe, where Martine will face her greatest challenge yet...Categorized as:
animals children low-fantasy magical-realism outdoors realistic action-adventure africa -
![The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson]()
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 low-fantasy magical-realism realistic abuse action-adventure -
![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... -
![Dust by Dusti Bowling]()
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... -
![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...Categorized as:
animals children friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism action-adventure audiobook -
![Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard]()
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... -
![Dolphin Song by Lauren St. John]()
Dolphin Song by Lauren St. John
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsJust as Martine is settling into life on the wildlife game reserve, she is whisked away on a school trip. She must leave her white giraffe, Jemmy, for 2 weeks! Her class is going on an ocean voyage to witness the Sardine Run, a spectacular natural phenomenon, off the coast of South Africa...Categorized as:
animals children low-fantasy magical-realism outdoors realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![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... -
![Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks]()
Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTuesday McGillycuddy and her beloved dog, Baxterr, discover that Tuesday's mother—the famous author Serendipity Smith—has gone missing, they set out on a magical adventure. In their quest to find Serendipity, they discover the mysterious and unpredictable place that stories come from... -
![The Book Smugglers by Anna James]()
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... -
-
![The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury, Suzy Jackson]()
The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury, Suzy Jackson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsLength: 8 hrs and 18 minsHumor, heart, and a symphony of magic take center stage in this middle-grade fantasy, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil series.Amelia Jones has always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’s most promising musicians learn to create magic... -
![The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester]()
The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsYou just can't keep a good girl down . . . unless you use the proper methods.Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie.Sure, she hasn't mastered reverse propulsion and her turns are kind of sloppy, but she's real good at loop-the-loops.Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma's at her wit's end...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism realistic -
![Oma heeft me gestuurd om te zeggen dat het haar spijt by Fredrik Backman]()
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... -
![The Revenge of Magic by James Riley]()
The Revenge of Magic by James Riley
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsWhen long-dead magical creatures are discovered all around the world, each buried with a book of magic, only children can unlock the dangerous power of the books in this start to a thrilling new series from the author of the New York Times bestselling Story Thieves!Thirteen years ago, books of magic were discovered in various sites around the world alongside the bones of dragons...Categorized as:
animals children friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism action-adventure audiobook -
![This Is Not a Werewolf Story by Sandra Evans]()
This Is Not a Werewolf Story by Sandra Evans
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis is the story of Raul, a boy of few words, fewer friends, and almost no family. He is a loner—but he isn’t lonely. All week long he looks after the younger boys at One Of Our Kind Boarding School while dodging the barbs of terrible Tuffman, the mean gym teacher.Like every other kid in the world, he longs for Fridays, but not for the usual reasons. The woods have secrets...and so does Raul...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship low-fantasy magic magical-realism action-adventure -
![The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer]()
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsInspired by C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, this wild and wondrous novel is a fairy tale for grown-ups who still knock on the back of wardrobes—just in case—from the author of The Wishing Game...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
