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Quick answer: If you loved The Borrowers, try The Borrowers Afield, The Indian in the Cupboard, Stuart Little, The Littles, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and The Mouse and the Motorcycle. Each one is a charming adventure about tiny people, hidden worlds or ordinary objects seen in a magical new way.
Mary Norton's 1952 Carnegie Medal winner follows the Clock family, tiny people who live under the floor of an old English house and “borrow” what they need from the humans upstairs: Pod, his wife Homily and their curious daughter Arrietty. When Arrietty befriends a human boy, the family's secret is in danger. Readers love its inventive details, such as postage-stamp portraits and thimble cups. These books share its tiny worlds and its adventure.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Borrowers Afield | Mary Norton | 7-11 | readers who want the sequel |
| The Indian in the Cupboard | Lynne Reid Banks | 8-12 | readers who like tiny people come alive |
| Stuart Little | E.B. White | 7-10 | readers who like small heroes |
| The Littles | John Peterson | 6-9 | younger readers |
| Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH | Robert C. O'Brien | 8-12 | readers who like hidden communities |
| The Mouse and the Motorcycle | Beverly Cleary | 7-10 | readers who like tiny adventures |
| The Doll People | Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin | 7-10 | readers who like dollhouses |
| The Secret World of Arrietty | Hayao Miyazaki | 6+ | readers who loved the film |
| Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan Swift | 10+ | older readers |
| Thumbelina | Hans Christian Andersen | 4-8 | younger readers |
| The Minpins | Roald Dahl | 6-9 | readers who like Dahl |
| Toys Go Out | Emily Jenkins | 6-9 | readers who like living toys |
| The Miniature World of Marvin and James | Elise Broach | 6-9 | readers who like beetle friends |
| Masterpiece | Elise Broach | 8-12 | readers who like tiny artists |
| The Castle in the Attic | Elizabeth Winthrop | 8-12 | readers who like shrinking |
1. The Borrowers Afield by Mary Norton
The Clocks flee into the countryside.
Best for: readers who want the sequel.
2. The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
A toy comes to life in a cupboard.
Best for: readers who like tiny people come alive.
3. Stuart Little by E.B. White
A mouse born to a human family.
Best for: readers who like small heroes.
4. The Littles by John Peterson
Tiny people live in a family's walls.
Best for: younger readers.
5. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
A mouse seeks help from clever rats.
Best for: readers who like hidden communities.
6. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
A mouse rides a toy motorcycle.
Best for: readers who like tiny adventures.
7. The Doll People by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin
A doll searches for her missing aunt.
Best for: readers who like dollhouses.
8. The Secret World of Arrietty by Hayao Miyazaki
The Studio Ghibli film based on the book.
Best for: readers who loved the film.
9. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
A traveler visits tiny Lilliputians.
Best for: older readers.
10. Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen
A thumb-sized girl's adventures.
Best for: younger readers.
11. The Minpins by Roald Dahl
A boy meets tiny people in a forest.
Best for: readers who like Dahl.
12. Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins
Three toys share adventures.
Best for: readers who like living toys.
13. The Miniature World of Marvin and James by Elise Broach
A beetle and a boy are friends.
Best for: readers who like beetle friends.
14. Masterpiece by Elise Broach
A beetle draws a masterpiece.
Best for: readers who like tiny artists.
15. The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
A boy shrinks into a toy castle.
Best for: readers who like shrinking.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Borrowers: 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 The Borrowers. 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
Continue with The Borrowers Afield. For tiny worlds, The Littles, The Minpins and Masterpiece are perfect. If your child loved Arrietty, Studio Ghibli's film is a great follow-up. The Indian in the Cupboard and The Castle in the Attic bring toys and small worlds to life.
Related: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien: Summary and Key Takeaways · The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Borrowers about?
Tiny people living under a house borrow from humans, until their daughter befriends a boy.
Did it win awards?
Yes. It won the Carnegie Medal in 1952.
How many Borrowers books are there?
Five.
Is there a film?
Yes, several, including Studio Ghibli's The Secret World of Arrietty.
What age is it for?
It suits readers about 7 to 11.
Who is Arrietty?
The curious young Borrower daughter.
What should my child read next?
The Borrowers Afield.