Books like The Wishing Spell

A witty, fast-paced portal fantasy that breathes fresh, theatrical life into the fairy tales you thought you knew. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The Wishing Spell.

whimsical
enchanting
nostalgic
cozy yet perilous

01
A Grimm Warning
Chris Colfer
A thrilling, magic-fueled race against time where beloved childhood stories collide with real-world danger.
Shares:
- whimsical
- enchanting
- earnest
- the power of storytelling
02
The Enchantress Returns
Chris Colfer
A thrilling, high-stakes plunge back into a fractured fairy-tale realm where childhood stories bite back.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- earnest
03
A Tale Dark & Grimm (A Tale Dark & Grimm, #1)
Adam Gidwitz
A delightfully gruesome, fourth-wall-breaking romp through the original, blood-soaked fairy tales where happily ever after must be earned with a sword.
Shares:
- whimsical
- witty
- sibling loyalty
04
Mirror, Mirror
Jen Calonita
A nostalgic yet thrilling reimagining of a classic fairy tale where a quiet princess steps into her power to reclaim her stolen kingdom.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- earnest
05
Mirror Mirror
Gregory Maguire
A lush, shadowy reimagining of a classic fairy tale steeped in the opulent poison and political intrigue of Renaissance Italy.
Feels:
- opulent
- shadowy
- earthy
06
The Frog Princess
E. D. Baker · 2004
A delightfully swampy, fractured fairy tale that proves sometimes you have to lose your crown to find your true self.
Shares:
- whimsical
- playful
07
No Place for Magic
E. D. Baker · 2006
A charming and humorous fairy tale adventure where a resourceful princess must rely on her wits to save the day and rediscover the strength of her relationship.
Shares:
- whimsical
- playful
08
The School for Good and Evil
Soman Chainani
A wickedly clever subversion of fairy-tale tropes wrapped in a glittering, gothic-tinged exploration of friendship.
Shares:
- whimsical
- enchanting
- theatrical
09
Fairest of all
Sarah Mlynowski
A hilarious, fast-paced romp that turns a classic fairy tale on its head through the chaotic lens of modern sibling dynamics.
Shares:
- whimsical
- playful
- earnest
10
Whatever After
Sarah Mlynowski
A delightfully chaotic romp that tosses modern kids into a classic fairy tale with hilarious, unpredictable results.
Shares:
- whimsical
- playful
11
Twice Magic
Cressida Cowell
A chaotic, wildly inventive romp through a dark, enchanted forest where rebellious kids must bridge a bitter divide to fight a terrifying ancient evil.
Shares:
- playful
- earnest
12
Poison
Chris Wooding
A dark, meta-fictional fairy tale where a prickly heroine marches into a deadly, whimsical realm to rewrite her own story.
Feels:
- gloomy
- eerie
- dread-soaked

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