Here are 93 books that A Girl Called Owl fans have personally recommended if you like A Girl Called Owl. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of A Storm of Sisters

Tamsin Mori Author Of The Weather Weaver

From my list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was small, I’ve been fascinated by weather magic. Whenever we visited our Shetland family, I’d spend the last few days trying to conjuring fog, to ground the planes, and keep us there a little longer. Reader, it worked! My parents were not happy. I was over the moon and thereafter, utterly convinced that I had magical powers. This is a list of magical middle grade books guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been told they have their head in the clouds. Up with sky gazing, daydreaming, and chasing rainbows!

Tamsin's book list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic

Tamsin Mori Why Tamsin loves this book

This is the latest book in the Pinch of Magic series and I’ve avidly awaited each one (as have the younger readers in our household). My favourite thing about these stories is the entirely believable relationship between the three Widdershins sistersfull of all the banter and bickering, love and loyalty of real family life. Add a generous pinch of unpredictable magic and the result is utterly gripping and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny.

By Michelle Harrison ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Storm of Sisters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

There are secrets hidden beneath the ice . . . bring the magic home in the frosty fourth instalment of the bestselling Pinch of Magic Adventures, from the award-winning author Michelle Harrison.

When the Widdershins sisters and Granny are called away in deepest winter to look after cousin Clarissa, it doesn't take long for adventure - or trouble - to find them. The town of Wilderness has plenty to explore with its frozen lake and winter market, as well as being haunted by a doomed highwayman and his secret love. But the legends are true and seeing a ghostly figure…


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Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of The Thief Who Sang Storms

Tamsin Mori Author Of The Weather Weaver

From my list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was small, I’ve been fascinated by weather magic. Whenever we visited our Shetland family, I’d spend the last few days trying to conjuring fog, to ground the planes, and keep us there a little longer. Reader, it worked! My parents were not happy. I was over the moon and thereafter, utterly convinced that I had magical powers. This is a list of magical middle grade books guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been told they have their head in the clouds. Up with sky gazing, daydreaming, and chasing rainbows!

Tamsin's book list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic

Tamsin Mori Why Tamsin loves this book

This book reads like a modern-day mythcompletely fantastical, but utterly grounded in the very real wants, needs, and challenges of one young girl, Linnet. The core theme of this magical story is that we have more in common than that which divides us. It feels like an essential message right now, but it’s delivered with a deft lightness of touch and wrapped in beautifully imagined magic. Oh, to be able to sing magic!

By Sophie Anderson , Joanna Lisowiec (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Thief Who Sang Storms as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

"A timely quest infused with magic." The Times, Children's Book of the Week

The hugely-anticipated, brand-new fairytale adventure from Sophie Anderson, the bestselling author of The House with Chicken Legs.

The Island of Morovia is shaped like a broken heart. The humans live on one side of the island, and the alkonosts - the bird-people - live on the other. But it wasn't always this way...

Linnet wishes she could sing magic. But magic is forbidden and she has been banished with her father to the Mournful Swamp. She misses her old life, and dreams of reuniting with her friends.…


Book cover of Rainbow Grey

Tamsin Mori Author Of The Weather Weaver

From my list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was small, I’ve been fascinated by weather magic. Whenever we visited our Shetland family, I’d spend the last few days trying to conjuring fog, to ground the planes, and keep us there a little longer. Reader, it worked! My parents were not happy. I was over the moon and thereafter, utterly convinced that I had magical powers. This is a list of magical middle grade books guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been told they have their head in the clouds. Up with sky gazing, daydreaming, and chasing rainbows!

Tamsin's book list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic

Tamsin Mori Why Tamsin loves this book

Weather, magic, the power to control the weather, and the power of friendship… This story has all the ingredients I love. Perfect for slightly younger readers, it’s packed with quirky cartoony illustrations and has a wonderful cast of characters, including my favourite: the farting cloud cat, Nim. A gentle magical adventure that will leave young readers looking up at the sky and wondering…

By Laura Ellen Anderson ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Rainbow Grey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

A magical new series from best-selling author and illustrator, Laura Ellen Anderson!

Ten-year-old Ray Grey lives in the magical Weatherlands, high in the sky. Ray is surrounded by Weatherlings with astounding weather power at their fingertips . . . but she doesn't have ANY magic!

Then, after a trip to Earth, Ray's life changes forever. She is transformed from Ray Grey into RAINBOW GREY! With the help of her best friends (and exploding cloud cat, Nim) now all Ray has to do is master her powers AND save the world from a mysterious, powerful enemy . . .


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Book cover of Retrieving the Future

Retrieving the Future by Randy C. Dockens,

Stealing technology from parallel Earths was supposed to make Declan rich. Instead, it might destroy everything.

Declan is a self-proclaimed interdimensional interloper, travelling to parallel Earths to retrieve futuristic cutting-edge technology for his employer. It's profitable work, and he doesn't ask questions. But when he befriends an amazing humanoid robot,…

Book cover of Ghostcloud

Tamsin Mori Author Of The Weather Weaver

From my list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was small, I’ve been fascinated by weather magic. Whenever we visited our Shetland family, I’d spend the last few days trying to conjuring fog, to ground the planes, and keep us there a little longer. Reader, it worked! My parents were not happy. I was over the moon and thereafter, utterly convinced that I had magical powers. This is a list of magical middle grade books guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been told they have their head in the clouds. Up with sky gazing, daydreaming, and chasing rainbows!

Tamsin's book list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic

Tamsin Mori Why Tamsin loves this book

This is an edge-of-the-seat mystery that will keep you reading long past bedtime. The story begins in a grimy underworld beneath the Battersea power station, but rapidly expands into the sky. I’d recommend this book to readers who like their magic with a thrillthe stakes are high and it’s an absolute page-turner. I particularly love the fact that Alma (a friendly ghost who befriends the main character), can change the shape of clouds. How many hours have I spent trying to do that through sheer willpower!

By Michael E. Mann ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ghostcloud as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

'A superbly inventive and magical debut'
Piers Torday

'Beautifully written and filled with unforgettable characters ... a diamond of a book'
Ross MacKenzie

'Utterly original, thrilling, strange and cracking good fun ... every chapter is packed full of wild imagination'
Liz Hyder

Catch the wind. Find your freedom.

A riveting, magical adventure set deep underneath a richly reimagined London for 9+ readers.

Kidnapped and forced to shovel coal underneath a half-bombed, blackened power station, 12-year-old Luke's life is miserable. Then, he discovers he can see things others can't. Ghostly things. Specifically, a ghost-girl named Alma. Alma, who can ride clouds…


Book cover of The Nature of Witches

Lauren James Author Of Green Rising

From my list on uplifting climate fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

Lauren James is the twice Carnegie-nominated British author of many Young Adult novels. She is also a Creative Writing lecturer, freelance editor, screenwriter, and the founder of the Climate Fiction Writers League. She was born in 1992 and has a Master's degree from the University of Nottingham, UK, where she studied Chemistry and Physics. Lauren is a passionate advocate of STEM further education, and many of her books feature female scientists in prominent roles. Her writing has been described as ‘gripping romantic sci-fi’ by the Wall Street Journal and ‘a strange, witty, compulsively unpredictable read which blows most of its new YA-suspense brethren out of the water’ by Entertainment Weekly. 

Lauren's book list on uplifting climate fiction

Lauren James Why Lauren loves this book

In a world where witches control the climate and are losing control as the weather grows more erratic, a once-in-a-generation witch with the magic of all seasons is the only one who can save earth from destruction. But as her power grows, it targets and kills those closest to her, and when she falls in love with her training partner, she's forced to choose between her power, her love, and saving the earth.

By Rachel Griffin ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Nature of Witches as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

An Instant New York Times Bestseller
In a world where witches control the climate and are losing control as the weather grows more erratic, a once-in-a-generation witch with the magic of all seasons is the only one who can save earth from destruction. But as her power grows, it targets and kills those closest to her, and when she falls in love with her training partner, she's forced to choose between her power, her love, and saving the earth.
* Featuring an exclusive, flower-stamped case, only available on the first print run!
For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, but…


Book cover of The Dragonbone Chair

Rafael Canoa Author Of Bloodlines

From my list on taking you on an epic adventure with unlikely heroes.

Why am I passionate about this?

Children have vivid imaginations, and while mine was initially drawn to science fiction, I discovered my true passion for fantasy upon reading The Hobbit as a teenager. Since that day, escaping into fantasy worlds—whether it be through books, movies, TV, roleplaying, and video games—became my passion and hobby, leading me down many roads, including writing game reviews, a short story, a novel, and an extensive collection of fantasy-related replicas and statues. Ultimately, that endless feeling of wonder and exploration, adventure and danger is what convinced me to become an author; these five books sitting at the top of a long list that inspired me to reach that goal.

Rafael's book list on taking you on an epic adventure with unlikely heroes

Rafael Canoa Why Rafael loves this book

There is a "realness" and melancholic quality to this story that immediately drew me in because every element, even the more fantastical ones, felt immensely believable.

Set in the richly detailed and lived-in world of Osten Ard, this first volume in the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Williams took its time to get the main plot moving, but I want to stress just how much I found that to be a good thing. It truly afforded me an opportunity to get to know the setting and characters intimately, so that by the time the plot kicked into high gear, I was well and truly committed to caring about what happens.

Despite its hefty length, this was one of the fastest page-turners I’ve ever laid my eyes on.

By Tad Williams ,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked The Dragonbone Chair as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first book of the trilogy "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" tells the story of Simon, a kitchen boy and sorceror's apprentice, who must find the solution to the riddle of the long-lost swords of power, in order to combat the evil of the undead Sithi Ruler, the Storm King.


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Book cover of What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

What Walks This Way by Sharman Apt Russell,

Nature writer Sharman Apt Russell tells stories of her experiences tracking wildlife—mostly mammals, from mountain lions to pocket mice—near her home in New Mexico, with lessons that hold true across North America. She guides readers through the basics of identifying tracks and signs, revealing a landscape filled with the marks…

Book cover of Spellbound

Jami Gigot Author Of Seb and the Sun

From my list on with a bit of magic and a lot of heart.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an author and illustrator of several picture books including My Daddy Can Fly, Starboy - Inspired by the Life and Lyrics of David Bowie, Imagination Vacation, Seb and the Sun and Mae and the Moon. I’ve always been a curious person filled with wonder at our amazing world, and I love letting my imagination get taken away by a good book. I find picture books to be the perfect format to blend my love of illustration and story, and some of the stories I love the most are those that are imaginative and magical, but also give a little tug at the heartstrings, fill us with warmth and make us want to read them again and again. 

Jami's book list on with a bit of magic and a lot of heart

Jami Gigot Why Jami loves this book

When looking for picture books with magic and heart, this book is simply perfect. Willow, who has always captivated her family’s attention with her cuteness and spells, is no longer the center of attention when her new baby brother Rowan is born. Willow knows that Rowan is a very dangerous wizard indeed and will not be mesmerized by his hypnotic enchantments, but even she cannot resist Rowan’s power in this story of sibling relationships and the magic of love. 

By Jess Townes , Jennifer Harney (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Spellbound as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A funny, fresh twist on new-sibling relationships and the magic of love.
Willow's world is perfectly magical, until Rowan is born. When her new baby brother seems to enchant everyone he meets, Willow becomes convinced he is an actual, real-life wizard. Can Willow put a stop to his hocus pocus, or is Rowan's magic too powerful to resist?

Author Jess Townes brings fresh and expressive writing that's sure to appeal to young children, while illustrator Jenn Harney's unique and colorful art style brings this wonderful, whimsical story to life.


Book cover of State of Sorrow

Kesia Lupo Author Of We Are Blood and Thunder

From my list on fantasy with female main characters and magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the author of two YA fantasy novels – We Are Blood and Thunder and We Are Bound by Stars. They’re set in a fantasy world, Valorian, governed by a (literally) colorful magic system and a pantheon of gods, and are all about power, fate, and discovering your true self. Both novels are dual narrative and feature a host of female main characters, who I think are complex, flawed, and relatable. As a child, I was obsessed with Lord of the Rings but always wondered why all the real heroes were men, which inspired me to write these books – partly, too, because of the wonderful female-led fantasies which have come out in the interim. 

Kesia's book list on fantasy with female main characters and magic

Kesia Lupo Why Kesia loves this book

Our enigmatic heroine, Sorrow, rules the Court of Tears, covering for her grief-maddened father, who has turned their once celebrated land into a living monument for the brother who died before she was born. Joy is literally forbidden. But in this twisty turny political tale – in which the magic slowly blooms – nothing is as it seems… I loved it!

By Melinda Salisbury ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked State of Sorrow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Sorrow all but rules the Court of Tears, in a land gripped
by perpetual grief, forever mourning her brother who died just
days before Sorrow was born.
By day she governs in place of her father, by night she seeks
secret solace in the arms of the boy she's loved since childhood.

But when her brother is seemingly found alive,
and intent on taking control, Sorrow has to choose whether to step
aside for a stranger who might not be who he claims to be, or
embark on a power struggle for a position she never really
wanted.


Book cover of Elizabeth's Legacy

D. A. Mucci Author Of Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw

From my list on to make you love the world you live in.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a 68-year-old Emergency Room Physician who deals with life and death and tremendous stress every hour at work. When I read, I want to relax and be entertained I personally like YA fantasy books. I do not want to read adult fictionized stories about the life I live every day. I want to be taken off to a new world. Emersed in it. And made to believe the unbelievable. 

D. A.'s book list on to make you love the world you live in

D. A. Mucci Why D. A. loves this book

The Royal Institute of Magic was a story that was character driven. Victor Kloss did such a great job distinguishing each character from the other that I felt I knew them personally. At the end of each book, I found myself ordering up the next installment because I wanted to find out what happened to each character and how they grew into adults and as friends. It was pure entertainment.

By Victor Kloss ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Elizabeth's Legacy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Like most normal people, Ben hadn't the faintest idea there was an Institute of Magic...

Two years after his parents’ sudden disappearance, Ben Greenwood stumbles upon a cryptic letter that could shed some light on their whereabouts. But before he can track them down, he’ll need to find the mysterious organization that sent the letter:

The Royal Institute of Magic.

To succeed, Ben will have to navigate a land filled with fantastic creatures and Spellshooters, where magic can be bought and sold, to unravel an ancient family secret that could hold the key to defeating an evil the Institute has…


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Book cover of The Bridge: Connecting The Powers of Linear and Circular Thinking

The Bridge by Kim Hudson,

The Bridge provides a compassionate and well researched window into the worlds of linear and circular thinking. A core pattern to the inner workings of these two thinking styles is revealed, and most importantly, insight into how to cross the distance between them. Some fascinating features emerged such as, circular…

Book cover of An Unkindness of Magicians

Liz Michalski Author Of Darling Girl

From my list on making you believe in magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I vividly remember the first time a book transported me—it was in Mrs. Paul’s second-grade math class, and I was reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader under the desk. It carried me away to a different world. I’ve been looking for that same magic in every book since, hoping to fall into a picture or open a wardrobe door to another place and time. This list contains a few of my favorites, the stories that have earned permanent spots on my shelves, the ones that get pulled down when I need some enchantment in my life. (And don’t we all need a little magic these days?)

Liz's book list on making you believe in magic

Liz Michalski Why Liz loves this book

Magic is real. To wield it requires sacrifice.

Its allegiance shifts and changes over time. To hold it, Houses of Magic put on an epic tournament at every Turning, where their best and brightest act as champions in battle. But what the champions don’t know, because their elders have never taught them, is that the magic itself draws from a dark source, and that source is crumbling.

Powerful magician Sydney has emerged from The House of Shadows to fight for a sponsor who wishes to establish his own house. But Sydney has first-hand experience with the darkness.

And she doesn’t want to help restore the establishment. She wants to burn it to the ground.

A fast-moving, gritty, wholly satisfying read. 

By Kat Howard ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked An Unkindness of Magicians as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"A remarkable writer." -Neil Gaiman, bestselling author of American Gods

An Alex Award Winner

There is a dark secret that is hiding at the heart of New York City and diminishing the city's magicians' power in this fantasy thriller by acclaimed author Kat Howard.

In New York City, magic controls everything. But the power of magic is fading. No one knows what is happening, except for Sydney-a new, rare magician with incredible power that has been unmatched in decades, and she may be the only person who is able to stop the darkness that is weakening the magic. But Sydney…


Book cover of A Storm of Sisters
Book cover of The Thief Who Sang Storms
Book cover of Rainbow Grey

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