Here are 28 books that The Deep Dark fans have personally recommended if you like The Deep Dark. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of Starling House

Riley DuBois

From Riley's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Riley loves this book

I loved everything about this book, the characters, the plot, the House, the atmosphere, but especially the writing. I highlighted so many lines from this book that were funny or beautiful or evocative or all of the above.

By Alix E. Harrow ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Starling House as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

'Alix E. Harrow is an exceptional, undeniable talent' - Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas Six

Step into Starling House - if you dare . . . Alix E. Harrow reimagines Beauty and the Beast in this gorgeously modern Gothic fantasy, perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Naomi Novik.

Nobody in Eden remembers when Starling House was built. But the town agrees it's best to let this ill-omened mansion - and its last lonely heir - go to hell. Stories of the house's bad luck, like good china, have been passed down the…


If you love The Deep Dark...

Ad

Book cover of The Rosewood Penny

The Rosewood Penny by J.S. Fields,

2023 Queer Indie Award Nominee!

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction.

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band they rob from the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive…

Book cover of The Jellyfish

Adam B. Ford Author Of The Prey of Freedom

From Adam's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Ultimate Frisbee player Snowboarder Graphic designer Subverter of norms Lover of sound effects

Adam's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Adam B. Ford Why Adam loves this book

I love Boum’s comics. This is, i think, her longest graphic novel and it certainly piqued my curiosity. I found it to be true and complex and a little bit sad, but very real as the main character, Odette, navigates her seemingly dead-end 20-something life as a medical challenge looms in her eye. The relentlessness of the drawings pack more of a punch than words ever could and it uses the graphic novel format the way it was meant to be used—to present things as only visuals can. And it does so even while being rendered in stark black-and-white.

By Boum , Robin Lang (translator) , Helge Dascher (translator)

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

"A deeply moving meditation on disability, diversity, and joy."
-Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

"One of the most beautiful graphic novels I've ever read... The Jellyfish is exquisite."
-Kate Leth, author of Mall Goth

"What an accomplishment! This book is beautiful... I loved this character and this story!"
-Lucy Knisley, author of Relish

Odette is a twenty-something year old with their own place, a steady job at a local bookstore, an adorable pet rabbit, and a budding crush on one of their customers. But Odette is haunted by something only they can see: a jellyfish that's floating in their eye, blocking…


Book cover of The Witch Boy

Anthony Oliveira

From my list on queer YA topics that will crack your heart in half.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was growing up, there were no stories for me. A queer kid in a very conservative Catholic household, I knew I was different, but I had no way to articulate that difference, and no way to imagine a horizon of happiness, of dignity, or of joy. In the worlds people imagined for young people, we were simply written out. I have since spent a lifetime studying and telling stories – as an English professor, as a bartender at a queer bookstore and drag bar, and now as a writer. And what matters to me most is seeing queer lives lived in abundance. These are the stories I wish I had.

Anthony's book list on queer YA topics that will crack your heart in half

Anthony Oliveira Why Anthony loves this book

Boys are one way; girls are another; that’s the way it has always been. But when Aster finds himself ineluctably drawn to the magic that should only be the province of the women in his family, he begins to realize some rules are not only antiquated, they can do material harm to the soul. Ostertag deftly uses the supernatural as a simple and elegant metaphor for the thousand indignities we can heap upon the queer and gender nonconforming, with an art style that simultaneously insists upon and celebrates the multiplicity of bodies and expressions that are our lived experience and belie these closed and closeting norms. An ingenious allegory, smartly and briskly told with charm and generosity.

By Molly Knox Ostertag ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Witch Boy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

From the illustrator of the web comic Strong Female Protagonist comes a debut middle-grade graphic novel about family, identity, courage -- and magic.

In thirteen-year-old Aster's family, all the girls are raised to be witches, while boys grow up to be shapeshifters. Anyone who dares cross those lines is exiled. Unfortunately for Aster, he still hasn't shifted . . . and he's still fascinated by witchery, no matter how forbidden it might be.When a mysterious danger threatens the other boys, Aster knows he can help -- as a witch. It will take the encouragement of a new friend, the non-magical…


If you love Molly Knox Ostertag...

Ad

Book cover of The Rosewood Penny

The Rosewood Penny by J.S. Fields,

2023 Queer Indie Award Nominee!

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction.

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band they rob from the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive…

Book cover of 11 Birthdays

Jessica Brody Author Of Amelia Gray Is Almost Okay

From my list on for tweens to make parents wonder what’s so funny.

Why am I passionate about this?

Most people are surprised to hear I wasn’t a reader growing up. All the books I was assigned to read in school were too serious or sad. It wasn’t until I started reading comedy, that I really got into reading. Now, I read everything under the sun, but comedy is still what I love to write. I write the kind of books that I wish I had found as a tween. And to this day, the best compliment I receive is when a parent tells me one of my books made their kid laugh or better yet, turned their reluctant reader into a reader. As a writer, there’s no better feeling! 

Jessica's book list on for tweens to make parents wonder what’s so funny

Jessica Brody Why Jessica loves this book

Imagine if you relived your 11th birthday over and over?

The answer is found in the pages of Wendy Mass’s delightful, sweet, and funny page-turner, 11 Birthdays! Pick up this book if you want to add a little magic to your day. It even has a little mystery to it. Bonus!

By Wendy Mass ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked 11 Birthdays 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?

It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited-after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she's shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven't shared together. When Amanda turns in for the night, glad to have her birthday behind her, she wakes up happy for a new day. Or is it? Her birthday seems to be repeating itself. What is going on?! And how can she fix it?…


Book cover of The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

Nancy McConnell Author Of Into the Lion's Mouth

From my list on kids who love a medieval quest.

Why am I passionate about this?

Before I could start writing Into the Lion’s Mouth, I spent a lot of time researching the medieval and renaissance Venice. I was astounded to see how relevant that history is to today. Not only are there many parallels that can be drawn between the past and today there is so much to learn about the consistency of human nature. I find myself currently gravitating towards books that mix history and fiction and these are some of my favorites.

Nancy's book list on kids who love a medieval quest

Nancy McConnell Why Nancy loves this book

A warm inn, and a stranger’s tale gather together a group of travelers as they become fascinated by the story of three gifted children that is sweeping the land. I loved the way this book brought the story of the people in the inn and the marvelous children together step by step. Peppered with real historical figures and legends this book is a must-read for the middle-grade medieval enthusiast. 

By Adam Gidwitz , Hatem Aly (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Inquisitor's Tale as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

A Newbery Honor Book
Winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award

An exciting and hilarious medieval adventure from the bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Hatem Aly!

A New York Times Bestseller A New York Times Editor's Choice A New York Times Notable Children's Book A People Magazine Kid Pick A Washington Post Best Children's Book A Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book A Booklist Best Book A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book A Kirkus Reviews Best Book A Publishers Weekly Best Book A School Library Journal…


Book cover of The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy

Eleanor Glewwe Author Of Sparkers

From my list on children's fantasy books about fighting injustice.

Why am I passionate about this?

Fantasy has been my favorite genre to read and write since I was a child. I also began attending demonstrations and meeting my representatives from a young age, thanks to my socially engaged mother, who took me along to teach me the importance of activism. Between college and grad school, I worked in legislative advocacy, and somehow struggles for social justice are always seeping into the stories I most want to write. Fantasy immerses young people in magical worlds while also illuminating the problems of our own world. Books like these can inspire action and offer hope that things can change. 

Eleanor's book list on children's fantasy books about fighting injustice

Eleanor Glewwe Why Eleanor loves this book

In the kingdom of Illyria, boys are potential sorcerers while girls are only taught to keep house and don’t always learn to read. Marya has spent her whole life swallowing her anger at the unfairness of it, but after her parents blame her for spoiling her brother’s chances at becoming a sorcerer, she is sent to a remote school for troubled girls. There, as she and her classmates form tentative friendships, they question teachers and sorcerers and seek the truth in embroidered messages and folk songs. Marya proves herself to be braver and nobler than the revered sorcerers of Illyria. This staunchly feminist middle grade fantasy empowers young people to interrogate the narratives of the powerful and realize that there is nothing wrong with who they are.  

By Anne Ursu ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy 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?

From the acclaimed author of The Real Boy and The Lost Girl comes a wondrous and provocative fantasy about a kingdom beset by monsters, a mysterious school, and a girl caught in between them.

If no one notices Marya Lupu, is likely because of her brother, Luka. And that’s because of what everyone knows: that Luka is destined to become a sorcerer.

The Lupus might be from a small village far from the capital city of Illyria, but that doesn’t matter. Every young boy born in in the kingdom holds the potential for the rare ability to wield magic, to…


Book cover of A Wish in the Dark

Loriel Ryon Author Of Into the Tall, Tall Grass

From my list on shatter your heart and then stitch it back together.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I read, I want to read something that’s going to make me feel something. My friends make fun of me because, whether it is music or books, I want to have my heart shattered into a million pieces and then put back together. And when a little magic is added to the mix, it only makes the story richer and more heartbreaking. This list is everything I love about magical middle grades that makes me feel something on a deeper level about what it means to be human.

Loriel's book list on shatter your heart and then stitch it back together

Loriel Ryon Why Loriel loves this book

This story is a winner, and I love it for so many reasons. It explores some tough themes in middle grade: poverty and classism, but at the root of the story, there is a boy who doesn’t feel like he’s good enough and a girl who can’t find her way in the world.

Through their eyes in an immersive and vibrant Thai village, you experience their journeys to finding who they really are. The writing is engrossing, and the plot keeps you guessing until the end. 

By Christina Soontornvat ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked A Wish in the Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A 2021 Newbery Honor Book

A boy on the run. A girl determined to find him. A compelling fantasy looks at issues of privilege, protest, and justice.

All light in Chattana is created by one man — the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars.…


Book cover of Ptolemy's Gate

Anya Leigh Josephs Author Of Queen of All

From my list on fantasy to break your heart.

Why am I passionate about this?

A lot of people feel intimidated by fantasy. Admittedly, the classics of the genre can be hard to get into, with their epic worldbuilding and thousand-page counts. But what made me fall in love with fantasy was the way it made me feel. Growing up queer, Jewish, fat, and chronically ill in the American South made it impossible for me to relate to the people around me. But fantasy, with its stories of outcasts becoming saviors, resonated with me. That’s why I started writing Queen of All when I was only twelve years old—I wanted to make people feel seen and understood. That’s what these books have done for me. 

Anya's book list on fantasy to break your heart

Anya Leigh Josephs Why Anya loves this book

The conclusion to a charming middle-grade trilogy about a quick-witted demon named Bartimaeus, this book also depicts love and loss with an intensity and realism that resonates with readers of any age. I first read this book when I was about nine years old, eager to find out what would happen to the hilarious characters I’d loved so much in the first few books. I’ll never forget how hard I cried on that school bus home. I was just old enough to understand what that kind of loss would feel like, and still young enough to be moved by the story’s idealism and for the fantastical world to feel real for me. But I think, no matter who you are, this is a story at once heartbreaking and hilarious. 

By Jonathan Stroud ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Ptolemy's Gate 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?

The tremendous climax of the Bartimaeus sequence.

Three years on from the events in The Golem's Eye, the magicians' rule in London is teetering on a knife-edge, with strikes, riots and general unrest. The Prime Minister is largely controlled by two advisers, one of whom is 17-year-old Nathaniel. Meanwhile, living under a false identity, Kitty has been researching djinn; she has come to believe that the only way to destroy the magicians is with an alliance between djinn and ordinary people.

Kitty seeks out Bartimaeus and embarks on a terrifying journey into the djinn's chaotic domain - the Other Place…


Book cover of Midsummer's Mayhem

Erin Yun Author Of Pippa Park Raises Her Game

From my list on middle school fiction featuring delicious food.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a children’s book writer from Frisco, Texas. I’ve published two middle grade chapter books, Pippa Park Raises Her Game and Pippa Park Crush at First Sight. I’ve always been captivated by novels that make me hungry; you can blame formative children’s books like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie or Stone Soup for that. That’s why today I’m sharing my top 5 favorite middle grade books that have a foodie twist. Some of them revolve entirely around food; others simply offer a notable scene. Either way, I hope you’ll find them as delectable as I do!

Erin's book list on middle school fiction featuring delicious food

Erin Yun Why Erin loves this book

Eleven-year-old Mimi is the youngest child in a family full of high-achievers. Determined to prove herself, she enters a baking contest at a newly opened bakery in town, but when strange things begin happening to those around her (such as her food critic dad losing his sense of taste), Mimi must pair her culinary skills with her detective skills to get to the bottom of the magical mystery. 

If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it’d be: sweet. Plus, this adorable book is also a retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And if you know me, you know I adore retellings! 

By Rajani LaRocca ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Midsummer's Mayhem as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A Kirkus Best Book of 2019!
An Indies Introduce Selection for 2019!
An Indie Next Pick for Summer 2019!

"A delectable treat for food and literary connoisseurs alike." Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

"What a wonderful, intriguing, and magical book. And wow, did it ever get my tastebuds going! Each time I picked it up, I felt the urge to head to my kitchen. . . . What I loved most was the smartness of it. It never once doubted its young readers." Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor- and National Book Award-Nominated author

"Midsummer's Mayhem is an enchantment of a novel, bursting…


Book cover of Snapdragon

Kelly Fernández Author Of Manu

From my list on middle grade magic and the supernatural.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Kelly Fernández (she/her) and I’ve been making comics since 2014. I’ve always been fascinated by stories about ghosts, monsters, and witches because I grew up in a family that believes in them. While writing my graphic novel Manu, I researched and spoke to Latinx friends and colleagues about their personal experiences with brujería (the Spanish word for witchcraft) to try and learn more about it across different cultures. I love comics because, like oral storytelling, it’s just another way for people to share their stories with each other!

Kelly's book list on middle grade magic and the supernatural

Kelly Fernández Why Kelly loves this book

The setting, characters, and lore in Snapdragon are so refreshing, that I consider this a must-read for fantasy fans. It’s about a middle-school outcast named Snapdragon (or just “Snap”) who befriends the local witch, Jacks. Leyh’s story seamlessly bounces back between the present, the past, and Snap’s creepy stories about the ghost who haunts her family: One-Eyed Tom. This is a fun book with a lot to chew on! 

By Kat Leyh ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Snapdragon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Snap's town has a witch.

And when Snap's dog goes missing, the first place she looks is the witch's house. She finds her dog there, recovering from being hit by a car, in the care of a woman named Jacks. She is a crocks-wearing, internet-savvy older woman who's collects roadkill, put their spirits to rest, and cleans and sells their articulated skeletons online.

They make a deal: If Jacks teaches Snap how to take care of a crate of orphaned baby opossums that Snap rescued, Snap will assist Jacks with her work. But as Snap starts to gain an appreciation…


Book cover of Starling House
Book cover of The Jellyfish
Book cover of The Witch Boy

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,210

readers submitted
so far, will you?