Books like 'Nutcracked'
Readers who enjoyed Nutcracked by Susan Adrian also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary fantasy action / adventure retellings magical-realism children season-winter portal-travel friendship low-fantasy
-
花樣年華 HYYH The Notes 1 by Big Hit Entertainment
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe memory pieces of the feelings being lost, absence, suffering and insecurity, of the boys facing their fate. Would I be able to straighten out the errors and mistakes and save all of us? I didn't grasp the depth and weight of this question. It was true that I desperately wanted to save all of us. No one deserves to die, to despair, to be suppressed, and be despised...Categorized as:
magical-realism low-fantasy fiction contemporary young-adult fantasy time-travel coming-of-age -
Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWelcome to the Shop Where the Lost Things Go.If you ever lost a sock, you’ll find it here.If you ever wondered about favorite toy from childhood... it’s probably sitting on a shelf in the back.And the headphones that you swore that this time you’d keep safe? You guessed it….Antoinette has lost her father. Metaphorically. He’s not in the shop, and she’ll never see him again... -
The Christmasaurus and the Winter Witch by Tom Fletcher
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe eagerly-anticipated sequel to Tom Fletcher's bestselling magical adventure, The Christmasaurus.'She is the best-kept Christmas secret of all,' whispered Santa Claus. 'Which is surprising, because she is so powerful that Christmas itself would not exist without her. She is older than time itself, yet still as young as tomorrow. She is known only as the Winter Witch...Categorized as:
children low-fantasy magical-realism retellings season-winter action-adventure animals audiobook -
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 friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
-
The Shark Caller by Zillah Bethell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDesperate to become a shark caller to avenge the death of her parents, Blue Wing is instead charged with befriending infuriating newcomer Maple. At first they are angry and out of sync with the island and each other... -
The Eyes and the Impossible: by Dave Eggers
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe illustrated story of a dog who unwittingly becomes a hero to a park full of animals.Johannes, a free dog, lives in an urban park by the sea. His job is to be the Eyes—to see everything that happens within the park and report back to the park’s elders, three ancient Bison...Categorized as:
friendship children magical-realism low-fantasy middle-grade fiction animals fantasy -
Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIn a tranquil neighborhood of Tokyo seven students are avoiding going to school – hiding in their darkened bedrooms, unable to face their family and friends – until the moment they find the mirrors in their bedrooms are shining. At a single touch, they are pulled from their lonely lives into to a wondrous castle straight out of a Grimm’s fairy tale... -
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 friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
Confessions of an Imaginary Friend: A Memoir by Jacques Papier by Michelle Cuevas
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsA TIME magazine Top 10 Children's Book of 2015The whimsical "autobiography" of an imaginary friend who doesn't know he's imaginary--perfect for fans of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and Toy StoryJaques Papier has the sneaking suspicion that everyone except his sister Fleur hates him...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism retellings action-adventure arthurian audiobook -
Chalk by Bill Thomson
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThree children discover a magical bag of chalk on a rainy...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure animals book children-books -
Caterflies and Ice by Asia Citro
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWith magical animals, science, mystery, and adventure -- the brand new series Zoey and Sassafras has something for everyone! Easy-to-read language and illustrations on nearly every page make this series perfect for a wide range of ages.In the fourth book, an unexpected snow storm causes trouble for the magical creatures of the forest... -
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 friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
Finally by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA humorous look at what it means to FINALLY turn twelve years old.NARRATOR: TBAFORMAT: 5 CDs, UnabridgedYou can pierce your ears when you're twelve. You can go to the mall with your friends when you're twelve. You can babysit little Timmy next door when you're twelve. You can get a cell phone when you're twelve. Hey, you can even ride in the front passenger-side seat when you're twelve...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
The Insiders by Mark Oshiro, Avi Roque
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThree kids who don’t belong. A room that shouldn’t exist. A year that will change everything.Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Meg Medina, this debut middle grade novel from award-winning author Mark Oshiro is a hopeful and heartfelt coming-of-age story for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism portal-travel action-adventure audiobook book -
-
Tilly and the Map of Stories by Anna James, Aysha Kala
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThird in the modern-classic and bestselling bookwandering series that celebrates all that is best in life: books, adventure, friendship – and cake.Strange things are happening. A man comes into Pages Co looking for a book… then suddenly can’t remember it. Tilly and her family feel like the world is changing – but can’t quite put their finger on why... -
Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPoet and author Robin Gow’s moving middle-grade novel in verse Dear Mothman is about a young trans boy dealing with the loss of his friend by writing to his favorite cryptid.Halfway through sixth grade, Noah’s best friend and the only other trans boy in his school, Lewis, passed away in a car accident. Adventurous and curious, Lewis was always bringing a new paranormal story to share with Noah...Categorized as:
magical-realism friendship children low-fantasy retellings middle-grade lgbtq fantasy -
The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"These figs are very special," the woman whispered. "They can make your dreams come true." -- Thus Monsieur Bibot, the cold-hearted dentist, was given two ordinary-looking figs as payment for extracting a tooth from an old woman's mouth. Monsieur Bibot refused to believe such nonsense and proceeded to eat one of the figs for a bedtime snack...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure animals book bullying -
The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsCharlie feels like she's always coming in last. From her Mom's new job to her sister's life at college, everything seems more important than Charlie. Then one day while ice fishing, Charlie makes a discovery that will change everything . . . in the form of a floppy fish offering to grant a wish in exchange for freedom...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism season-winter action-adventure animals book -
Gorilla by Anthony Browne
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAnthony Browne’s incomparable artwork illuminates the deeply satisfying story of a lonely girl, a friendly gorilla, and their enchanted night out.Hannah spends all of her time reading gorilla books, watching gorilla TV shows, and drawing gorilla pictures. She has gorillas on her bedside lamp and even on her box of cereal... -
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...Categorized as:
children friendship magical-realism low-fantasy retellings fantasy middle-grade audiobook -
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsSeventh-grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he’s going to spend on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama, where he’s being sent to heal from the tragedy...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism portal-travel retellings action-adventure animals -
Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James, Ана Джеймс
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsA magical adventure to delight the imagination. A curl-up-on-the-sofa debut from a uniquely talented author.Eleven year-old Tilly has lived above her grandparents' bookshop ever since her mother disappeared shortly after she was born. Like the rest of her family, Tilly loves nothing more than to escape into the pages of her favourite stories... -
Guardians Inc.: The Four Legged Prophet: Guardians Incorporated #3 by Julian Rosado-Machain
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGUARDIANS INC. BOOK 3 THE FOUR LEGGED PROPHET "The Four-Legged Prophet, Defender of the People, will lead us, will bind us . . ." Thus begins the ancient prophesy the Guardians discover deep within the Halls of Remembrance...Categorized as:
children low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure book children-books contemporary fiction -
Слишком много кошмаров by Max Frei
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsВ этой книге слишком много не только кошмаров, а вообще всего. Страшных тайн и просто чужих секретов, городских улиц, новых домов, крепких напитков, друзей, сновидений, разговоров до утра, красавиц и, конечно, ужасных чудовищ, куда без них.В этой книге слишком много жизни — столько, что хватит всем персонажам и останется на долю читателя... -
-
Italian Folktales by Italo Calvino
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsOne of the New York Times’s Ten Best Books of the Year: These traditional stories of Italy, retold by a literary master, are “a treasure” (Los Angeles Times)...Categorized as:
children low-fantasy magical-realism retellings 20th-century action-adventure anthologies audiobook -
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 magical-realism action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
One Wish by Michelle Harrison
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHaving the ability to see fairies means that Tanya Fairchild's life has never been easy. After all, real fairies are nothing like the ones in books; ones that grant wishes or leave money for teeth. Real fairies don't like to be talked about, and they cast spells if Tanya steps out of line. The most she's ever received in exchange for one of her teeth is a chewed up toffee...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy retellings action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
Brain Freeze: World Book Day 2018 by Tom Fletcher
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA little girl discovers that eating ice cream from her grandfather's old ice-cream truck gives her the power to travel through time, in this brilliant, funny and heartwarming story from bestselling author Tom Fletcher...Categorized as:
children low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure book children-books contemporary fiction -
Once Upon a Book by Grace Lin, Kate Messner
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom Caldecott and Newbery Honoree Grace Lin and bestselling author Kate Messner comes a modern folktale about the joy of reading.Once upon a time, there was a girl. She went to a place alive with colors, where even the morning dew was warm. Alice loves to imagine herself in the magical pages of her favorite book...Categorized as:
children magical-realism low-fantasy fantasy children-books action-adventure fiction family -
Wish Girl by Nikki Loftin
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA dying girl gives a boy the strength to live in this lyrical novel that will break your heart and lift your spirit Peter Stone’s parents and siblings are extroverts, musicians, and yellers—and the louder they get, the less Peter talks, or even moves, until he practically fits his last name...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure book bullying children-books -
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 friendship low-fantasy magical-realism abuse action-adventure book children-books -
Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAmerican Indian Youth Literature Award Best Middle Grade Book! Brian Young’s powerful debut novel tells of a seemingly ordinary Navajo boy who must save the life of a Water Monster—and comes to realize he’s a hero at heart...Categorized as:
magical-realism children friendship retellings low-fantasy middle-grade fantasy myths -
The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSophie loves the hidden shop below her parents' bookstore, where dreams are secretly bought and sold. When the dream shop is robbed and her parents go missing, Sophie must unravel the truth to save them. Together with her best friend—a wisecracking and fanatically loyal monster named Monster—she must decide whom to trust with her family’s carefully guarded secrets...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure animals audiobook book -
What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible by Ross Welford
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA surprising, stunningly beautiful, and funny novel about a girl who turns invisible and, in the process, discovers who she really is, from the author of TIME TRAVELING WITH A HAMSTER Twelve-year-old Ethel Leatherhead only meant to cure her acne, not turn herself invisible. But that's exactly what happens when she combines herbs bought on the Internet with time spent in a secondhand tanning bed...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure animals audiobook book -
-
Imagine a Night by Sarah L. Thomson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsImagine a night when you can ride your bike right up the stairs to your bed. Imagine a night when your toy train rumbles on its tracks out of your room and roars back in, full sized, ready for you to hop on for a nighttime adventure. Imagine a night when a farmer plays a lullaby on his fiddle, and his field of sunflowers begins to dip and sway to the rhythm...Categorized as:
children low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure book children-books contemporary family -
The Ivory and the Horn by Charles de Lint
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn the city of Newford, when the stars and the vibes are right, you can touch magic. Mermaids sing in the murky harbor, desert spirits crowd the night, and dreams are more real than waking. Charles de Lint began his chronicles of the extraordinary city of Newford in "Memory & Dream" and the short-story collection "Dreams Underfoot...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism retellings action-adventure adult anthologies contemporary dark-fantasy -
Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford, Jaime Zollars
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWelcome back to the irresistible world of Greenglass House where thirteen-year-old Milo is, once again, spending the winter holidays stuck in a house full of strange guests who are not what they seem. There are fresh clues to uncover as friends old and new join in his search for a mysterious map and a famous smuggler’s lost haul...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism retellings season-winter action-adventure audiobook -
The Lost Fairy Tales by Anna James
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe second magical bookwandering adventure in the nationally bestselling Pages & Co. series, featuring Tilly Pages as she journeys to France to wander inside a peculiar book of fairytales. Perfect for fans of Inkheart and The Land of Stories... -
Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsWelcome to the Whitethorn Institute. The first step is always admitting you need help, and you've already taken that step by requesting a transfer into our company.There is another school for children who fall through doors and fall back out again. It isn't as friendly as Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children. And it isn't as safe...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism portal-travel retellings action-adventure audiobook -
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAuthor(s): Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen ISBN: 9781406352481 Binding: Paperback Published: 2014-01-01 On a cold, dark day in a dull, grey town, little Annabelle discovers a box of brightly coloured yarn. She knits a cosy jumper to keep herself nice and toasty warm and finds, to her surprise, that she still has yarn left over...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism retellings season-winter action-adventure animals -
Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsFor the first time in twenty-five years, Wayside School is back in session in this brand-new, fourth installment in the perennially beloved and bestselling series by Newbery Medal-winning author Louis Sachar.Welcome back to Wayside School!Your favorite students and teachers are all here...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsEveryone loves Willy the wind-up mouse, while Alexander the real mouse is chased away with brooms and mousetraps. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be loved and cuddled, thinks Alexander, and he wishes he could be a wind-up mouse too. In this gentle fable about a real mouse and a mechanical mouse, Leo Lionni explores the magic of friendship...Categorized as:
children friendship retellings action-adventure animals anthropomorphism book children-books -
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:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism retellings action-adventure animals audiobook -
The Frame-Up by Wendy McLeod MacKnight
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGreenwillow has bought Wendy McLeod MacKnight's second novel. Twelve-year-old Sargent Singer is sent away from home to reconnect with his estranged father, who is the director of an art gallery. During his visit, Sargent sees a portrait of a girl named Mona Dunn stick out her tongue and the secret of the gallery is revealed...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
-
Sugar and Spite by Gail D. Villanueva
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCan a bully be defeated by a magical love potion?Jolina can't take Claudine's bullying any longer! The taunts and teasing are too much. Though Jolina knows she's still in training to use her grandfather's arbularyo magic, she sneaks into his potions lab to get her revenge. Jolina brews a batch of gayuma, a powerful love potion.And it works. The love potion conquers Claudine's hateful nature...Categorized as:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism retellings action-adventure animals asian-mc -
Thundersword by Julian Rosado-Machain
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGUARDIANS INC. BOOK 2: THUNDERSWORDThe search for the Book of Concord is on the brink of failure. Guardians Inc. can’t move without being followed by the Azure Guard, and the balance between Magic and Technology has begun to shift giving Magical creatures a stronger hold in our world...Categorized as:
children low-fantasy magical-realism retellings action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
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:
children friendship low-fantasy magical-realism retellings action-adventure animals boarding-school -
The Snow Rabbit by Camille Garoche
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTwo sisters look longingly through their window at the snowy sky. One goes out and sculpts a little rabbit, but when she brings it back inside to her wheelchair-bound sister, it begins to melt. So they take it outside and into the forest where enchanted things begin to happen. A follow up to her hauntingly beautiful Fox’s Garden, Camille Garoche (a.k.a...Categorized as:
children low-fantasy magical-realism season-winter action-adventure animals book children-books -
The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe much-anticipated new fantasy series from Ransom Riggs, his first since introducing the #1 global phenomenon Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.Seventeen-year-old Leopold Berry is seeing weird things around Los Angeles. A man who pops a tooth into a parking meter. A glowing trapdoor in a parking lot. A half-mechanical raccoon with its tail on fire that just won’t leave him alone...Categorized as:
friendship magical-realism low-fantasy fantasy young-adult fiction audiobook contemporary -
Little Free Library by Naomi Kritzer
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSharing stories we love with one another is one of the most magical forms of connection there is. This is especially so for Meigan, who develops an unexpected friendship with a mysterious borrower of books from her Little Free Library.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.