3 Reasons Your Kid Should Be Reading the Descendants Series

But just in case your young readers are not totally immersed in this Disney-lover’s dream series, here’s the basic premise: Twenty years ago, after all of the Disney good guys got their happily ever after and it seemed like most of the villains were killed, it turns out that the iconic Disney villains and their minions were banished by King Beast of Auradon to the Isle of the Lost, a faraway island surrounded by an impenetrable dome. And these big bad guys and gals actually had kids who are now teens. The books focus on Mal, daughter of Maleficent; Evie, daughter of Evil Queen; Jay, son of Jafar; and Carlos, son of Cruella de Vil, who may not be as rotten to the core as their baddie parents.

There’s plenty of awesome material to keep your kids’ noses buried in a book. There are three books out in the de la Cruz series so far—all of which are action-packed and filled with enchanting details to build out this fantasy world and pop culture references aplenty to keep things current. And since it’s a multiplatform entity, there are also Disney Channel original movies in the mix to fill out the story. As for the books, there are The Isle of Lost, the book prequel to the Disney Channel original movie Descendants; Return to the Isle of the Lost, which finds the fierce foursome now living reformed lives in Auradon all while being beckoned back to the island by some anonymous notes; and now the brand-new Rise of the Isle of the Lost, in which the baddies-turned-mostly-goodies face another threat to Auradon when King Triton’s magical trident is in danger of being apprehended by Uma, daughter of Ursula, and her villainous pirate crew.

Even if Disneyland or Disney World aren’t on your summer travel itinerary, your kids can still experience some Disney magic within the pages of this series. You don’t have to make the trek to Orlando or Anaheim for your kiddos to visit their fave Disney characters—and get to know the famed characters’ kids. Your young readers can read all about Mal and her crew, as well as pop in on Fairy Godmother and her daughter, Jane; King Beast and Queen Belle and their son, Ben; Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip and their daughter, Audrey; and more. Plus, readers get to explore all the cool places within Auradon, including Neverland, Atlantica, Agrabah, Notre Dame, Bayou de Orleans, and more.