Families who loved The Magician Next Door by Rachel Chivers Khoo often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child is struggling to adapt to a major life change, such as a move, while simultaneously processing the quiet, heavy grief of losing a loved one. It is a gentle but high-stakes fantasy that provides a safe space for children to explore the feeling that 'home' is a place they can never return to. Ten-year-old Callie has moved from London to Northern Ireland three years after her mother's death. She is resistant to her new surroundings until a magical, upside-down house crash-lands in her yard. To save the house's owner, Winnifred, Callie must embark on a quest that mirrors her internal journey toward healing. This 224-page chapter book is perfectly pitched for ages 8 to 12, offering a blend of whimsical magic and grounded emotional truth. It helps normalize the reluctance to 'move on' while showing the beauty in forming new connections.