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Not All about Hogwarts: Teen Books Set in Magic Schools

By Grace Menary-Winefield

Recent young adult chapter books and graphic novels set in academies for magic and witchcraft for those of us who want to explore beyond the sorting hat.

  • A Door in the Dark

    2023 by Reintgen, Scott

    Six teenage wizarding students get stranded in the wilderness when a portal spell malfunctions. To make matters worse, one of them was murdered. Can they find their way home alive and unhexed? Imagine a portkey gone wrong, Slytherins and Gryffindors stranded together, and a dead body.

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  • A Hundred Vicious Turns

    2023 by O'Brien, Lee Paige

    Rat Evans, heir to one of the oldest magical bloodlines in New York, is hiding out at Bellamy Arts. When a friend-turned-enemy arrives on campus, they are both drawn toward long-buried magic that could turn their world upside down. An enemies-to-lovers scenario for those who might have wanted to see two particular Hogwarts students just make up and kiss already.

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  • It Ends in Fire

    2021 by Shvarts, Andrew

    Alka is on a mission to infiltrate the heart of Blackwater Academy and burn wizarding society to the ground. Imagine if Harry Potter was on a secret mission to kill Dumbledore (he has his reasons!) with secretive professors and murderous students behind every turn.

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  • The Grimoire of Grave Fates

    2023

    When a professor's body is found dead on the grounds of Galileo Academy, the students must solve the murder themselves. This book is written by 18 authors, each writing a chapter from the 18 magic students/suspects. Contributors include Hafsah Faizal, Darcie Little Badger, Kwame Mbalia, and other writing wizards.

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  • Wildseed Witch

    2022 by Dumas, Marti

    Hasani is a "wildseed," a witch born into a nonmagical family. She sticks out like a sore thumb at Les Belle Demoiselles, but she'll soon learn that her power is more potent than she could ever dream. A middle grade fantasy about finding your people in a magical world that is more Gossip Girl than Hogwarts.

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  • Basil and Oregano

    2023 by Capriglione, Melissa

    Porta Bella Magiculinary Academy is the premiere school for cooking magic in the country, and Basil knows she's going to fit right in. When another girl named Arabella joins for her senior year, they stick together like peanut butter and jelly. But do too many cooks spoil the broth, and what happens when secrets come to light? This charming, funny, and romantic graphic novel could make even Snape crack a smile.

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  • The Witch Haven

    2021 by Peyton Smith, Sasha

    1911, New York City: Frances is mourning the mysterious death of her brother when she discovers Haxahaven. Finally, Frances can grow her power in the sisterhood she had been missing. But finding the truth about her brother and a growing attraction to a boy named Finn make things more complicated. A book about seeking destiny as a possible Chosen One and fighting for the truth above all (sound familiar?).

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  • Gallowgate

    2023 by Alexander, K. R.

    Sebastian sees things others don't--ghosts, monsters, ghouls--and they want him dead. The only safe place is Gallowgate Academy, where they train students to hunt the dark things they see. But not all enemies are undead, and Sebastian has some skeletons in his closest that could be his undoing. For any readers who wished they could major in Defense against the Dark Arts, this scary new take on a magical boarding school enchants.

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  • House of Marionne

    2023 by Elle, J.

    To find safety in a world that rejects magic, Quell must embrace the darkness inside her. But her training is unconventional, to say the least: days include assassination classes, brooding mentors, and a prestigious Order that will go to any lengths to defend its wealth and power. Are security and privilege worth the risk, or could she end up as She Who Will Not Be Named?

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  • Over My Dead Body

    2022 by Boo, Sweeney

    When Abby's best friend Noreen goes missing, she is told that the coven has it under control. But as Samhain approaches in the hallowed halls of Younwity's Institute of Magic, Abby begins to wonder if the forbidden forest has something to hide, along with her teachers, fellow witches, and the people she should trust the most. Readers will find plenty of Harry Potter parallels, but with a queerer and more Ghibli-esqe aesthetic.

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  • Tempests and Slaughter: A Tortall Legend

    2018 by Pierce, Tamora

    Starring a student trio to rival Harry, Hermione, and Ron, this book explores the Imperial University of Carthak and the origins of one of Pierce's best characters: Numair Salmalín. Never fear, this perfect standalone series will have a new book out in 2024.

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  • The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy

    2021 by Ursu, Anne

    Marya is a woman, and therefore is taught she'll never be much except in service of the men and their greater magic. Now, she finds herself at Dragomir Academy, a school that promises a way for wayward girls to find a place in society. Perhaps this is where squibs would have been banished to--and just like Marya, maybe they could have found a way to fight back.

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