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Quick answer: If you loved The Neverending Story, try Momo, Inkheart, The Phantom Tollbooth, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Coraline. Each one is a magical adventure about the power of stories, imagination and courage.
Michael Ende's novel follows Bastian Balthazar Bux, a lonely boy who steals a mysterious book and hides in a school attic to read it. The book tells of Fantastica, a land threatened by the Nothing, and of the young warrior Atreyu's quest to save it. Soon Bastian realizes he is part of the story. Readers love its imagination and its book-within-a-book structure. These books share its love of stories, quests and magical worlds.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Momo | Michael Ende | 9+ | readers who want more Michael Ende |
| Inkheart | Cornelia Funke | 10+ | readers who love books about books |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | Norton Juster | 8+ | readers who like wordplay |
| Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Lewis Carroll | 8+ | readers who like classic fantasy |
| The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | C. S. Lewis | 8+ | readers who like portal fantasy |
| Coraline | Neil Gaiman | 9+ | readers who like eerie portals |
| The Princess Bride | William Goldman | 12+ | readers who like stories within stories |
| The Golden Compass | Philip Pullman | 11+ | readers who like epic quests |
| A Wrinkle in Time | Madeleine L'Engle | 10+ | readers who like cosmic adventures |
| The Hobbit | J. R. R. Tolkien | 9+ | readers who like quests |
| Howl's Moving Castle | Diana Wynne Jones | 10+ | readers who like witty magic |
| The Girl Who Drank the Moon | Kelly Barnhill | 10+ | readers who like magical stories |
| The Book of Lost Things | John Connolly | 14+ | older readers |
| Nevermoor | Jessica Townsend | 9+ | readers who like magical cities |
| The Last Unicorn | Peter S. Beagle | 12+ | readers who like lyrical fantasy |
1. Momo by Michael Ende
A girl battles the gray men who steal people's time.
Best for: readers who want more Michael Ende.
2. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
A girl's father can bring book characters to life when he reads aloud.
Best for: readers who love books about books.
3. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A bored boy drives through a magic tollbooth into a strange land.
Best for: readers who like wordplay.
4. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Alice falls down a rabbit hole into a strange world.
Best for: readers who like classic fantasy.
5. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
Four children step through a wardrobe into Narnia.
Best for: readers who like portal fantasy.
6. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
A girl finds a door to a sinister alternate world.
Best for: readers who like eerie portals.
7. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
A grandfather reads an adventure to his grandson.
Best for: readers who like stories within stories.
8. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Lyra journeys north to rescue kidnapped children.
Best for: readers who like epic quests.
9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Meg travels through space to rescue her father.
Best for: readers who like cosmic adventures.
10. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Bilbo joins a quest to reclaim a dragon's treasure.
Best for: readers who like quests.
11. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
A cursed girl seeks help from a wizard.
Best for: readers who like witty magic.
12. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
A girl with moon magic grows up in a forest.
Best for: readers who like magical stories.
13. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
A grieving boy enters a dark world of fairy tales.
Best for: older readers.
14. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
A cursed girl joins a magical society.
Best for: readers who like magical cities.
15. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
A unicorn searches for others of her kind.
Best for: readers who like lyrical fantasy.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Neverending Story: 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.
How to Choose
For more Ende, read Momo. If you love books about books, choose Inkheart or The Book of Lost Things. For classic portal fantasy, try The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or The Phantom Tollbooth. Readers who want an epic quest should pick The Golden Compass or The Hobbit. For a modern magical world, try Nevermoor. If you are reading aloud to younger kids, The Phantom Tollbooth and The Hobbit are especially good choices, while The Book of Lost Things is darker and best for teens and adults.
Related: Funny Story Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes) · 15 Best Story Books for 3 Year Olds That Spark Joy
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is The Neverending Story for?
It is usually recommended for ages 10 and up, though younger kids enjoy it read aloud.
Is the book different from the movie?
Yes. The 1984 film covers only the first half of the book.
Who wrote The Neverending Story?
Michael Ende, a German author. It was first published in 1979.
Is The Neverending Story scary?
The Nothing and some creatures are eerie, but it is suitable for most kids.
Why is the book printed in two colors?
Many editions print Bastian's world and Fantastica in different colors to show the two stories.
Is The Neverending Story long?
Yes. It is around 400 pages, longer than many expect.