I was also going to suggest Chrestomanci / Diana Wynne Jones, though it looks like most of her books in audio form are abridged? The Dark Lord of Derkholm is in audio unabridged, as is Howl’s Moving Castle though that might be a bit much romance?
October 5, 2026 at 4:34 PM
I was also going to suggest Chrestomanci / Diana Wynne Jones, though it looks like most of her books in audio form are abridged? The Dark Lord of Derkholm is in audio unabridged, as is Howl’s Moving Castle though that might be a bit much romance?
Garth Nix did an interesting 'Keys to the Kingdom' series, might be something they'd like- there are audiobooks iirc.
Or Diana Wynne Jones 'Chrestomanci' series perhaps?
www.kidsbookseries.com/keys-to-the-...
Or Diana Wynne Jones 'Chrestomanci' series perhaps?
www.kidsbookseries.com/keys-to-the-...
www.kidsbookseries.com
October 5, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Garth Nix did an interesting 'Keys to the Kingdom' series, might be something they'd like- there are audiobooks iirc.
Or Diana Wynne Jones 'Chrestomanci' series perhaps?
www.kidsbookseries.com/keys-to-the-...
Or Diana Wynne Jones 'Chrestomanci' series perhaps?
www.kidsbookseries.com/keys-to-the-...
You could also reference Chrestomanci in this regard! I love those so much. :)
I do also love The Talisman, though! Amber... I probably need to revisit before I could opine. They mattered to me but weren't brain-sticky in a way that would let me reexamine them.
I do also love The Talisman, though! Amber... I probably need to revisit before I could opine. They mattered to me but weren't brain-sticky in a way that would let me reexamine them.
October 5, 2026 at 3:41 PM
You could also reference Chrestomanci in this regard! I love those so much. :)
I do also love The Talisman, though! Amber... I probably need to revisit before I could opine. They mattered to me but weren't brain-sticky in a way that would let me reexamine them.
I do also love The Talisman, though! Amber... I probably need to revisit before I could opine. They mattered to me but weren't brain-sticky in a way that would let me reexamine them.
Or is this a Chrestomanci kinda situation where the elder sister was trying to use the younger one in a way, and the mother was trying to stop it by really extreme means💀
October 1, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Or is this a Chrestomanci kinda situation where the elder sister was trying to use the younger one in a way, and the mother was trying to stop it by really extreme means💀
I had a dream recently that there was somehow a Witch Hat Atelier x Chrestomanci crossover, probably because a while back I saw some fanart of Qifrey as a kid being really into dragons and immediately thought "He's so Christopher Chant"
September 19, 2026 at 6:46 AM
I had a dream recently that there was somehow a Witch Hat Atelier x Chrestomanci crossover, probably because a while back I saw some fanart of Qifrey as a kid being really into dragons and immediately thought "He's so Christopher Chant"
My theory of fanfic is that you get the best ones in niche fandoms or for authors who aren't global superstars: the Howl's Moving Castle fics are mostly bad but there are a smaller number of really great Chrestomanci ones; and an even smaller number of Dark Lord of Derkholm ones which are all EXCLNT
September 16, 2026 at 4:40 PM
My theory of fanfic is that you get the best ones in niche fandoms or for authors who aren't global superstars: the Howl's Moving Castle fics are mostly bad but there are a smaller number of really great Chrestomanci ones; and an even smaller number of Dark Lord of Derkholm ones which are all EXCLNT
Just gave Middle the first Chrestomanci one last night, lost him for the rest of the evening.
September 15, 2026 at 7:03 AM
Just gave Middle the first Chrestomanci one last night, lost him for the rest of the evening.
Basically, it's an amalgamation of The Worst Witch and the Chrestomanci series mixed with a metric ton of racist internet comments. She seem to have "borrowed" a baffling amount of stuff from the first one. Read those instead, screw Rowling, you're welcome.
September 12, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Basically, it's an amalgamation of The Worst Witch and the Chrestomanci series mixed with a metric ton of racist internet comments. She seem to have "borrowed" a baffling amount of stuff from the first one. Read those instead, screw Rowling, you're welcome.
Even THE SPELLCOATS, which is a little ponderous, draws me back in from time to time. Not as often as THE TIME OF THE GHOST or CHRESTOMANCI. But the woman wrote a hundred and fifty-eight books!
My favorite is constantly shifting. Such a delight.
September 8, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Even THE SPELLCOATS, which is a little ponderous, draws me back in from time to time. Not as often as THE TIME OF THE GHOST or CHRESTOMANCI. But the woman wrote a hundred and fifty-eight books!
Most of the shared features are also shared with other boarding school book series; there's even a parody in the Chrestomanci books in the Millie books
September 7, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Most of the shared features are also shared with other boarding school book series; there's even a parody in the Chrestomanci books in the Millie books
Got to be honest the first Potter book reminded me strongly of "Charmed Life", the first of Diana Wynn Jones "Chrestomanci" books. Some differences of course but... Ah no. No spoilers. Just read it. You'll love it.
This was probably the only reason I kept on with the series. That and stubborness.
This was probably the only reason I kept on with the series. That and stubborness.
September 7, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Got to be honest the first Potter book reminded me strongly of "Charmed Life", the first of Diana Wynn Jones "Chrestomanci" books. Some differences of course but... Ah no. No spoilers. Just read it. You'll love it.
This was probably the only reason I kept on with the series. That and stubborness.
This was probably the only reason I kept on with the series. That and stubborness.
I'm sorry but this is Diana Wynne Jones/Chrestomanci erasure
(incidentally, the far superior series of 'young adult books about being a British magician' is Jonathan Stroud's Bartimeaus books, and as a bonus the author isn't an aspiring genocidaire.)
September 7, 2026 at 4:32 AM
I'm sorry but this is Diana Wynne Jones/Chrestomanci erasure
Diana Wynne Jones (author of Howl's Moving Castle), the Chrestomanci novels
September 7, 2026 at 3:25 AM
Diana Wynne Jones (author of Howl's Moving Castle), the Chrestomanci novels
All Harry Potter fans are basically the goddess Millie from Diana Wynne Jones’s Chrestomanci books.
September 7, 2026 at 1:20 AM
All Harry Potter fans are basically the goddess Millie from Diana Wynne Jones’s Chrestomanci books.
At some point my Dragonbane PCs will have to resupply on the island where a college of mages is located (no mages in the party and one PC is terrified of magic). I wonder how many references to works like Earthsea, Chrestomanci, Witch Hat, and so on I can cram in and if they will recognize them?
September 7, 2026 at 1:19 AM
At some point my Dragonbane PCs will have to resupply on the island where a college of mages is located (no mages in the party and one PC is terrified of magic). I wonder how many references to works like Earthsea, Chrestomanci, Witch Hat, and so on I can cram in and if they will recognize them?
much as I like Chrestomanci I think the Stroud books are better. HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE otoh up there in top ten children's books
September 7, 2026 at 12:18 AM
much as I like Chrestomanci I think the Stroud books are better. HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE otoh up there in top ten children's books
Dianna Wynne Jones' CHRESTOMANCI series is even better.
(incidentally, the far superior series of 'young adult books about being a British magician' is Jonathan Stroud's Bartimeaus books, and as a bonus the author isn't an aspiring genocidaire.)
September 6, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Dianna Wynne Jones' CHRESTOMANCI series is even better.
Another vote for Diana Wynne Jones - maybe start with the Chrestomanci books? - and Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising Sequence. She's a good age for The Hobbit. Or Roald Dahl?
September 6, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Another vote for Diana Wynne Jones - maybe start with the Chrestomanci books? - and Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising Sequence. She's a good age for The Hobbit. Or Roald Dahl?
Diane Wynn Jones, the Howl's Moving Castle series and/or The Chrestomanci series. Both excellent.
September 6, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Diane Wynn Jones, the Howl's Moving Castle series and/or The Chrestomanci series. Both excellent.
There's also bits of the first book from the Chrestomanci series, which came out in 1977. Highly recommend
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chresto...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chresto...
Chrestomanci - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 6, 2026 at 9:21 AM
There's also bits of the first book from the Chrestomanci series, which came out in 1977. Highly recommend
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chresto...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chresto...
Chrestomanci is great and more people should read them and
OH I need to put this on the short list to read to 5yo. She loves Howl and she would love Charmed Life.
OH I need to put this on the short list to read to 5yo. She loves Howl and she would love Charmed Life.
They're not interested in reading Diane Duane or Diana Wynne Jones or probably fifteen hundred other Dianes or Dianas who wrote better coming of age stories about child magicians, because there aren't millions of other people reading them at the same exact moment.
September 6, 2026 at 3:33 AM
Chrestomanci is great and more people should read them and
OH I need to put this on the short list to read to 5yo. She loves Howl and she would love Charmed Life.
OH I need to put this on the short list to read to 5yo. She loves Howl and she would love Charmed Life.
Easy mistake: you are thinking of Diana Wynne Jones (Chrestomanci, Derkholm, Howl Etc.)
@diane.dianeduane.com Wrote the amazing Young Wizards series: sentient Edsels, deep thoughts on morality, cats maintaining portals, and it starts in the public library.
She also wrote great Star Trek stories!
@diane.dianeduane.com Wrote the amazing Young Wizards series: sentient Edsels, deep thoughts on morality, cats maintaining portals, and it starts in the public library.
She also wrote great Star Trek stories!
September 5, 2026 at 10:51 PM
Easy mistake: you are thinking of Diana Wynne Jones (Chrestomanci, Derkholm, Howl Etc.)
@diane.dianeduane.com Wrote the amazing Young Wizards series: sentient Edsels, deep thoughts on morality, cats maintaining portals, and it starts in the public library.
She also wrote great Star Trek stories!
@diane.dianeduane.com Wrote the amazing Young Wizards series: sentient Edsels, deep thoughts on morality, cats maintaining portals, and it starts in the public library.
She also wrote great Star Trek stories!
Give the children Chrestomanci!
September 5, 2026 at 10:48 PM
Give the children Chrestomanci!
Yes! Castle in the Air was so formative for me, and I heartily enjoyed the Chrestomanci books as a kiddo.
September 5, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Yes! Castle in the Air was so formative for me, and I heartily enjoyed the Chrestomanci books as a kiddo.