Looking for more books like Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer? Look no further than these 15 amazing reads!
Artemis Fowl is an incredibly popular series of books for kids. Aimed at the 9-11 age bracket, these books are absorbing enough for older kids or even adults to enjoy.
The series follows criminal Artemis as he decides to steal all the gold in the land, but his plan goes awry when he stumbles upon Holly Short, the first female officer in the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance unit (LEPrecon).
Sassy and determined, Holly won’t take being kidnapped lying down, and she’s determined to stop Artemus’s plan.
The Artemis Fowl series spans eleven novels, growing in complexity and sophistication as the series progresses.
If your kid (or you!) has finished the series and you’re looking for another magical, thrilling series to get stuck into, give one of the following books similar to Artemis Fowl a try: they might just be your next reading obsession…
Books Like Artemis Fowl
Eragon (Book 1, The Inheritance Series) by Christopher Paolini
Let’s kick off this list with a great one. Eragon is a sweeping, epic adventure; for people missing the fantastical adventure and incredible world-building of Artemis Fowl, The Inheritance Series is a natural next step.
Eragon is perhaps aimed at a slightly older age range than Artemis Fowl; 12-year-olds and upwards will enjoy this series (and frankly, there’s plenty to enjoy for grown-ups, too).
In the first book, the struggling farm boy Eragon finds a special stone in the woods, which he takes home as a lucky treasure. The stone turns out to be a dragon egg, and this discovery triggers a sprawling, epic adventure about good and evil, with awful kings, magic, and difficult moral choices.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
A beautiful book, Inkheart has been adapted into a Netflix movie, and the book remains incredibly popular for the 8-12 age group. Inkheart captures some of the magic shared with Artemis Fowl and other similar series.
It follows the main character, Meggie, who loves a good story. However, when her father has to reveal a family secret, the story he reads comes to life.
Inkheart is gorgeous. It’s steeped in magic, creating a fantastical world that lingers in the mind long after you’ve finished reading it. It’s perfect for young fantasy lovers, but again, there is plenty to enjoy for grown-ups, too. It would make a good choice for a family book club.
The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles #1) by Rick Riordan
An absorbing book by mega-popular author Rick Riordan, The Red Pyramid is kind of similar to the Percy Jackson series, but with a twist.
In these books, the main characters Carter and Sadie Kane deal with the aftermath of a terrible event: the explosion that shattered the Rosetta Stone, unleashing the god of chaos, Set. What follows is Carter and Sadie’s attempt to save their father (and the world).
The Kane Chronicles series is great because it takes the reader on a journey across the globe; it feels like a truly epic adventure unfolding over the course of several books.
Kids who enjoyed the globe-trotting aspect of Artemis Fowl will enjoy getting stuck into this series. It will also appeal to fans of mythology.
The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials #1) by Philip Pullman
A modern classic. The Golden Compass kick-starts the story of the orphan Lyra Belacqua and her daemon Pantalaimon after she is adopted by the mysterious socialite Mrs. Coulter.
Lyra is a plucky, daring character, and her developing friendship with the series, reflective Will is absorbing to read.
Lyra and Will embark upon an adventure that spans a fantastical landscape, with plenty of danger, daring, and darkness.
The Golden Compass is aimed at 14-year-olds and above, which means it may be a little too mature for younger fans of Artemis Fowl.
It does make a good stepping stone into fantasy YA, and given the endless popularity of the His Dark Materials series, it’s worth reading for teens and adults alike.
Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson #1) by Rick Riordan
The Percy Jackson series is legendary! Aimed at readers aged 10 and above, it follows half-god Percy as he goes from being a regular school kid to a newbie at Camp Half Blood, a demigod training facility directed by Dionysus. Steeped in mythology, it’s a fun, action-packed story with a classic ‘regular-kid-to-hero’ storyline.
Percy is a funny, relatable main character, and the books have an incredible cast of interesting demigods. If readers loved the spunky, feisty character of Holly in Artemis Fowl, they’ll probably enjoy Percy’s quick wit and self-deprecating sense of humour.
There are five main books in the series, as well as some interesting spin-off books, so there’s plenty to enjoy here.
The Bad Beginning: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
If readers are looking for the hint of darkness in Artemis Fowl, they’ll be drawn to A Series of Unfortunate Events, too.
This series follows the Baudelaire orphans: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. They’re funny, good-looking, and charismatic. They are also very unlucky. With Dahl-esque dark comedy, the thirteen books are packed with adventure and excellent characterization.
Aimed at the 8-12 age bracket, this is an excellent series to get stuck into for older kids, and the bold, funny characters are super fun to read about. It’s a little bit twisted and at times, kind of gross, but the humour helps to balance it out. It’s a great read for parents and carers, too!
Stormbreaker: Alex Rider #1 by Antony Horowitz
Another action-packed series, Alex Rider is a super fun series for preteens. Fourteen-year-old Alex is an MI6 spy (against his own will); he has to investigate a mysterious man named Herod Sayle. Things quickly escalate, and Alex has to face up to mortal danger to save other children.
There are thirteen books in the series, all of which are fast-paced and packed with twists. While the original book was published over 20 years ago, they’re still relevant for preteens, even reluctant readers. For kids who loved the pacing of the Artemis Fowl series, they’ll probably enjoy getting lost in this series too.
Magyk: Septimus Heap #1 by Angie Sage
A truly magical series, this will appeal to kids who enjoy the otherworldly elements of Artemis Fowl.
In this series, a necromancer wants to gain power over the magical realm, going so far as to kill the Queen and imprison the Extraordinary Wizard.
He plans to create a dark world; the only thing that can stop him is a young boy who has no clue about the adventure he is about to go on.
Magyk feels a little like Harry Potter – if you’re looking for that ‘ordinary kid plunged into a magical world’ vibe, Septimus Heap is a great series to get stuck into.
The writing is beautiful, and the characters are excellent. With seven novels, there’s so much to enjoy here. Aimed at the 9-11 age group, it has just enough darkness to be interesting for preteens.
Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress: Book 1 of the Ash Mistry Chronicles by Sarwat Chadda
This series like Artemis Fowl is set in another incredible magical world to get lost in. Ash Mistry is a kid on holiday in Varanasi with his sister Lucky and their aunt and uncle.
When their Uncle Vik gets caught up in a strange occurrence with the incredibly wealthy Lord Savage, things start to go wrong.
An action-packed story about shape-shifting demons, destiny, and reincarnation, it’s heavily inspired by Hindu mythology and is completely unputdownable for kids.
Aimed at readers aged 9 years old and up, there are three books in the series, each with an action-packed plot spanning a magical, otherworldly landscape. Kids who loved Artemis Fowl will enjoy this series too.
Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars by Jessica Abel
Aimed at the 9-12 age bracket, this book is a great way of getting kids into graphic novels! 200 years in the future and set on Mars, Trish (or ‘Trash’) Nupindju wants to become a hover derby star, partially to escape the harsh conditions she lives in with her parents.
One day, a native Martian shows up on her doorstep, which changes everything.
This series has some interesting themes about human and alien relations, colonialism, and the impact of the human species on the newly inhabited Mars.
It’s also packed with twists and turns and the occasional cliffhanger.
If kids loved the graphic novels in the Artemis Fowl series, they might enjoy this one, too. (It’s also a great introduction to the world of sci-fi!)
The Novice: Summoner Book 1 by Taran Matharu
Tweens and above will enjoy the scares tucked into the Summoner series! An interesting story with some dark twists, it’s a good step up from Artemis Fowl.
The main character, Fletcher, is a blacksmith’s apprentice. His life is flipped upside down when he realises he can summon demons.
Quickly, he is enrolled in the Vocans Academy, where he will learn some gruelling lessons on summoning and battling.
This is a fantastical world with elves, orcs, and empires. It’s perfect for fans of Artemis Fowl, and could be a nice stepping stone into other fantasy series, too.
There are four books in the series at the time of writing, and it works well for reluctant readers: they’re unputdownable once you get started!
KidGlovz by Julie Hunt and Dale Newman
If kids love the criminal aspect of Artemis Fowl, they might enjoy this story about a young musical star swept into a dangerous world of thieves and lawbreaking.
It’s a graphic novel, and it has a touch of magic in it, but it’s mostly a story about a strong friendship and what it means to be free.
KidGlovz is aimed at the pre-teen bracket, and it has some excellent themes that are relatable to kids in this age group.
Gone by Michael Grant
We’re moving on to young adults here: this story is suitable for ages 12 and up, with some darker themes and plot points. Gone is a classic book with a ringing endorsement by Stephen King.
It’s a thriller following a group of kids in southern California after all the adults disappear. The main character Sam and his friends need to survive, but how can they do so when they’ve been cut off from the outside world?
It’s a brutal story sometimes, a little like Lord of the Flies or The Hunger Games. If young readers enjoyed the darker moments of Artemis Fowl, this could be a good series to bookmark for future reference. There are 6 in the series, so a lot of content to enjoy for teens and adults alike.
Skullduggery Pleasant (#1 in the Skullduggery Pleasant series) by Derek Landy
The Skullduggery Pleasant series is a sprawling story spanning 17 books (at the time of writing). It follows Stephanie, who has suddenly inherited her uncle’s incredible estate.
A horror writer, Uncle Gordon was an interesting character, and Stephanie has a lot to learn about him. Especially when she realises the terrors he wrote about in his books were all too real…
Skullduggery Pleasant shares a lot of similar themes to Artemis Fowl; it’s scary, it’s packed with magic, and it has tons of twists and turns.
Once kids get stuck into this, they won’t want to stop reading. (And they won’t have to for a long time, given the huge number of books in the series!)
Aimed at 9 years and up, this is a thrilling read for kids along with their parents and carers, too.
The Recruit: CHERUB #1 by Robert Muchamore
Much like the Alex Rider series, the CHERUB series brings in the mystery and crime-solving aspects of Artemis Fowl, while being reminiscent of the Spy Kids movies.
Cherub agents are all aged between 10 and 17, and it’s their job to slip undetected into the seedy underbelly of the criminal world, gathering information to lock up the bad guys.
It’s a fun and interesting twist on the traditional spy story, and it’s packed with twists and turns and exciting plot points to keep even reluctant readers on board.
There are 12 books in the original series, 5 in the spin-off series, and a short story collection to get stuck into.
Hopefully, these books will help to fill the Artemis Fowl-shaped gap in your life! These books are fantastical, intriguing, and funny enough to keep kids (and grown-ups) reading past their bedtime.
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Megan Bidmead
Guest writer
Megan is a freelance writer based in Somerset, England. When she’s not writing about books, video games, and pop culture, she’s running around after her two kids and trying to squeeze in the occasional walk in the countryside.