What Makes a Series Similar to Harry Potter
Readers searching for series like Harry Potter typically look for young adult fantasy with magic systems, boarding school settings, and coming of age arcs. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, published by Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US, has sold over 600 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling book series in history. According to Forbes, the franchise generated billions in book sales, film revenue, and merchandise through 2024, and its influence on publishing and film remains measurable through box office totals and catalog sales Forbes.
Streaming and publishing data show that demand for series like Harry Potter is driven by structured world building, clear good versus evil conflicts, and ensemble casts of young protagonists. Nielsen BookScan and publisher reports consistently rank fantasy and magic school titles among the top selling genres in young adult fiction. The success of these series is also reflected in adaptation deals, with major studios and streamers acquiring rights to translate book series into film and television franchises.
Top Fantasy Book Series Similar to Harry Potter
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the most frequently cited series like Harry Potter, featuring a modern day protagonist who discovers he is a demigod and attends a special camp for children of the Greek gods. The series, published by Disney Hyperion, has sold more than 100 million copies globally, and a live action television adaptation premiered on Disney+ in late 2023, drawing strong viewership numbers in its first season Forbes.
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, published by Scholastic, centers on a teenage heroine navigating a dystopian society with televised battles, offering a darker but structurally similar hero journey. The series has sold over 100 million copies in the United States alone, and its film adaptations earned more than 3 billion dollars at the global box office, according to box office tracking data reported by Forbes and other industry sources Forbes.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
A Wizard of Earthsea is a foundational fantasy series that influenced the magic school genre, following a young wizard named Ged who must master his powers and confront shadow self. Published by Parnassus Press and later by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the Earthsea series is widely taught in schools and cited by authors of modern fantasy, including those behind series like Harry Potter, as a key literary predecessor.
Where to Watch and Read Series Like Harry Potter
Streaming Platforms with Fantasy Adaptations
Major streamers including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and HBO Max host fantasy series and film adaptations of popular young adult book franchises. Disney+ carries Percy Jackson and the Olympians, while Amazon Prime Video streams The Wheel of Time, a large scale fantasy adaptation based on the book series by Robert Jordan and published by Tor Books, with new seasons renewing the platform's investment in the genre.
Publishing Houses Behind Popular Fantasy Series
Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Disney Hyperion, and Tor Books are among the major publishers producing and distributing series like Harry Potter and