6 YA Books for Neil Gaiman Fans

Dark Lord of Derkholm, by Diana Wynne Jones
The fact that Diana Wynne Jones and Neil Gaiman were friends should be enough to make you read all of her books, like, NOW—and you should start with this one. In a story that’s equal parts fantasy, adventure, and humor, we meet Derk, a wizard who lives on a planet existing solely for tourism. Every year, a group of “pilgrims” visits for a Camelot-style quest, and Derk and the other locals are subjected to burned crops, destroyed buildings, and the occasional dead body. So when Derk is selected to be the villain of this year’s pilgrimage, he finds himself involved in a plot to bring an end to the terrible tours.

The Looking Glass Wars, by Frank Beddor
I loved Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as much as the next kid, but the book is delightful nonsense. So when I read Beddor’s version, I fell in love. Wonderland is real—and it’s in trouble. Alice, well, Alyss, actually, is the deposed heir to the throne of Wonderland, but when she escapes her murderous Aunt Redd by fleeing to Victorian London, she represses most of her past. Toss in the world’s deadliest bodyguard and a seriously scary Jabberwocky and you’ve got a Gaiman-like mixture of thrill and fairytale. Also, a spinning top-hat of death.

Sorcery and Cecelia, Or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
If you’re looking for a Stardust-esque tale that’s lighthearted, fast-paced, and magical, check this book out. Cousins Cecelia and Kate have always been the best of friends, and spending several months apart isn’t going to change that. The pair exchange letters while Kate is in London for the Season, but solving the mysteries behind Kate’s run-in with an evil wizard and Cecelia’s potential stalker is much harder with all those miles in between them. If Aunt Charlotte thought splitting these two up would stop them from getting into mischief, she was very, very wrong.

Pretty Monsters, by Kelly Link
Maybe what you’re really missing is Gaiman’s mastery of the short story. If that’s the case, pick up Kelly Link’s Pretty Monsters collection. Her writing hits the same lilting, dreamlike tone of Gaiman’s most fantastical tales. Reading these stories is like wandering through the woods of your favorite fairy tale and finding out nothing is quite what you expected it to be…in the best way possible.

Howl’s Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones
There will never be a book recommendation list I don’t want to be put this book on, it’s that good. But besides the aforementioned point that Gaiman and Jones were buddies, take a minute to compare the plot of this book to the plot of Stardust. Both reference the same Donne poem, both are about a fallen star bound to a human in an unconventional way, and both involve a crossover between Wales/England and a mysterious magical realm. Also included: evil, heart-stealing witches, siblings in disguise, and just the right amount of romance. According to Gaiman, they weren’t intended to be related…but come on. Aren’t you intrigued?

Battling Boy, by Paul Pope
If you’re really into the graphic novel scene and you’ve been looking for a follow-up to Sandman, your next read should be Battling Boy. Acropolis (a dystopian sort of city that apparently spans an entire continent) is overrun with monsters, and its hero is recently dead. Enter Battling Boy, a demigod sent to Acropolis to prove his worth. He has the power to save the city, probably…if only he would stop running to dad for help. Bonus read: The Rise of Aurora West, a companion/prequel graphic novel to Battling Boy.