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Quick answer: If you loved Skellig, read Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting, then Lois Lowry's The Giver, then Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tiger Rising and Flora & Ulysses, and Brian Selznick's Wonderstruck and Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia. All are magical, poetic stories for young readers.
David Almond's 1998 Skellig follows a boy who finds a strange creature in a garage. It is short, odd and moving. These picks share its magic.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuck Everlasting | Natalie Babbitt | 9-12 | readers who like gentle stories |
| The Giver | Lois Lowry | 12+ | readers who like ideas |
| Because of Winn-Dixie | Kate DiCamillo | 8-12 | dog lovers |
| Wonderstruck | Brian Selznick | Ages 9-13 | silent and illustrated |
| The Tiger Rising | Kate DiCamillo | 9-12 | grief and friendship |
| Bridge to Terabithia | Katherine Paterson | 9-12 | readers who want emotion |
| A Wrinkle in Time | Madeleine L'Engle | 9-13 | science-fantasy fans |
| Coraline | Neil Gaiman | 8-12 | readers who like gothic fantasy |
| The Graveyard Book | Neil Gaiman | 9-13 | readers who like ghosts with heart |
| Flora & Ulysses | Kate DiCamillo | 8-12 | funny animal tales |
| Wonder | R.J. Palacio | 8-12 | readers who like school stories |
| Walk Two Moons | Sharon Creech | 10-14 | readers who like layered stories |
| Holes | Louis Sachar | 10+ | readers ready for a longer book |
| The Girl Who Drank the Moon | Kelly Barnhill | Teen/Adult | readers who like fairy tales |
| Pax | Sara Pennypacker | 9-13 | readers who like animals |
1. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Winnie meets a family who drink from a spring and never age. Short, quiet and reflective.
Best for: readers who like gentle stories.
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry
Jonas lives in a society without pain, and learns its secrets. Short and thoughtful.
Best for: readers who like ideas.
3. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
India Opal Buloni adopts a stray dog and makes friends in a small town. Warm and funny.
Best for: dog lovers.
4. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Two deaf children's stories from different eras. Visual and moving.
Best for: silent and illustrated.
5. The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo
A boy finds a caged tiger behind a motel in Florida. Quiet and moving.
Best for: grief and friendship.
6. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Jess and Leslie create a magic kingdom, until tragedy strikes. Not about war, but a moving companion about friendship and loss.
Best for: readers who want emotion.
7. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Meg Murry travels through space to rescue her father. Imaginative and a classic of good versus evil.
Best for: science-fantasy fans.
8. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Coraline finds a door to a world where her other mother has button eyes. Eerie but loving, and a modern classic.
Best for: readers who like gothic fantasy.
9. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Bod grows up in a graveyard raised by ghosts after his family is killed. Winner of the Newbery Medal.
Best for: readers who like ghosts with heart.
10. Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
A girl rescues a squirrel who gains superpowers after an accident. Funny and heartfelt.
Best for: funny animal tales.
11. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Auggie, who has a facial difference, starts fifth grade at a school for the first time. A story about kindness and difference.
Best for: readers who like school stories.
12. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Sal tells the story of a road trip while she tells her friend's story. A Newbery winner.
Best for: readers who like layered stories.
13. Holes by Louis Sachar
Stanley Yelnats digs holes at a camp, and a hidden secret emerges. A funny Newbery winner.
Best for: readers ready for a longer book.
14. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Luna, a girl accidentally fed moonlight by a kindly witch, grows up with magic. A story about love and memory.
Best for: readers who like fairy tales.
15. Pax by Sara Pennypacker
A boy and his pet fox are separated during a war. Emotional and illustrated.
Best for: readers who like animals.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Skellig: 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 Skellig. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For gentle magic, read The Giver or Tuck Everlasting. For quiet drama, try Because of Winn-Dixie. For wonder, pick Wonderstruck.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Skellig?
David Almond, in 1998.
What is Skellig?
A strange creature a boy finds in a garage.
What age is it for?
About 10 and up.
Which book here is best for readers who like animals?
Try Pax by Sara Pennypacker, which suits readers looking for readers who like animals.
Which book here is best for readers who like fairy tales?
Try The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill, which suits readers looking for readers who like fairy tales.
Which book here is best for readers ready for a longer book?
Try Holes by Louis Sachar, which suits readers looking for readers ready for a longer book.