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Quick answer: If you loved Avalon High, try The Princess Diaries, The Mediator: Shadowland, Legendborn, The Once and Future King, Once & Future and The Kiss of Deception. Each one offers a fun YA twist on legends, high school romance and secret destinies.
Meg Cabot's 2005 novel follows Ellie Harrison, who moves to Annapolis and starts at Avalon High, where she meets the perfect A. William Wagner, his girlfriend Jennifer and his best friend Lance. As strange events pile up, Ellie realizes they may be reliving the legend of King Arthur, and she might be the Lady of the Lake. Readers love its humor and its Arthurian twist. These books share its legends and its romance.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Princess Diaries | Meg Cabot | 12+ | readers who want more Cabot |
| The Mediator: Shadowland | Meg Cabot | 13+ | readers who like ghosts |
| Legendborn | Tracy Deonn | 14+ | readers who want a modern Arthurian story |
| The Once and Future King | T.H. White | 12+ | readers who want the classic Arthur |
| Once & Future | Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy | 14+ | readers who like Arthur in space |
| The Kiss of Deception | Mary E. Pearson | 13+ | readers who like royal secrets |
| Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief | Rick Riordan | 9-13 | readers who like modern myths |
| Vampire Academy | Richelle Mead | 13+ | readers who like secret academies |
| The Lost Years of Merlin | T.A. Barron | 10+ | readers who like young Merlin |
| Squire's Tale | Gerald Morris | 9-12 | readers who like funny Arthur stories |
| The Kissing Booth | Beth Reekles | 13+ | readers who like romance |
| Gallagher Girls: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You | Ally Carter | 12+ | readers who like secret schools |
| Evernight | Claudia Gray | 13+ | readers who like secret identities |
| Graceling | Kristin Cashore | 13+ | readers who like heroic destinies |
| The Iron King | Julie Kagawa | 13+ | readers who like hidden worlds |
1. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
A girl learns she is a princess.
Best for: readers who want more Cabot.
2. The Mediator: Shadowland by Meg Cabot
A girl who sees ghosts falls for one.
Best for: readers who like ghosts.
3. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
A girl uncovers a secret society of Arthur's descendants.
Best for: readers who want a modern Arthurian story.
4. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
The life of King Arthur.
Best for: readers who want the classic Arthur.
5. Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy
A girl is the latest Arthur reincarnation.
Best for: readers who like Arthur in space.
6. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
A runaway princess is pursued by a prince and an assassin.
Best for: readers who like royal secrets.
7. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
A boy is the son of a Greek god.
Best for: readers who like modern myths.
8. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
A guardian in training protects her friend.
Best for: readers who like secret academies.
9. The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron
Merlin's youth.
Best for: readers who like young Merlin.
10. Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris
A squire's adventures in Camelot.
Best for: readers who like funny Arthur stories.
11. The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles
A girl falls for her best friend's brother.
Best for: readers who like romance.
12. Gallagher Girls: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
A spy school for girls.
Best for: readers who like secret schools.
13. Evernight by Claudia Gray
A girl at a strange academy.
Best for: readers who like secret identities.
14. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
A girl with a killing gift.
Best for: readers who like heroic destinies.
15. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
A girl is a faerie princess.
Best for: readers who like hidden worlds.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Avalon High: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Avalon High. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For more Cabot, The Princess Diaries and The Mediator are favorites. If you loved the Arthurian twist, Legendborn and Once & Future are modern takes, while The Once and Future King is the classic. Squire's Tale is a funny Arthur story for younger readers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Avalon High about?
A new girl suspects her classmates are reliving the legend of King Arthur.
What age is it for?
It suits readers about 12 and up.
Is there a movie?
Yes. A Disney Channel film came out in 2010.
Is there a sequel?
A manga continuation was published.
Who is the Lady of the Lake?
A legendary figure who protects Arthur; Ellie may be her.
Is it a romance?
Yes, with a light mystery.
What should I read next?
Legendborn.