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Our Favorite Book Spin-Offs of Books (from Books)
Some authors create worlds so magical, so wonderful, that we never want to leave them. Sometimes it means reading the same story over and over; sometimes it means imagining stories of our own. But readers aren’t the only ones who can’t stand to leave these fabulous book worlds behind; sometimes authors can’t, either. And thanks to spin-offs, they don’t have to. We’re not just talking about spin-off series or stories, though. Some worlds are so rich that authors can—and have—written everything from background books, to full-length books mentioned or referenced within the worlds of their original books. Of course, our favorite recent example would be Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which is getting its own movie (!!!) later this year. There’s also the recent re-release of two other J.K. Rowling spin-offs in a classic boxed set. With all these delectable spinoffs of books (from books), we thought it was high time to celebrate some of our favorites.
Hogwarts Classics, by J.K. Rowling (The Harry Potter series)
J.K. Rowling, despite going on to write several adult books, (thankfully) has continued to return to the world of Harry Potter. While we aren’t getting full new spin-off books, this new Hogwarts Classics boxed set is a must for fans. First, it’s just. Absolutely. Beautiful. The set contains two books read and treasured by Hogwarts students: Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Harry and Ron’s notes and doodles add a special touch to Quidditch, while extensive commentary by none-other-than Albus Dumbledore in The Tales of Beedle the Bard gives us muggles some insight into the wizarding world. A portion of the sales also go to two charities, so even if you already have a copy, this is a great time to pick up a copy for a kid who hasn’t had a chance to become fully immersed in the rich universe of Harry Potter yet.
Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes, by Rick Riordan (The Percy Jackson & The Olympians series)
Rick Riordan is basically the god of writing about gods. His Percy Jackson series rocked my world when it first came out, and now his spin-off series’ like The Heroes of Olympus and The Trials of Apollo rock my son’s world (and mine too, if I’m honest). Riordan has also gone above and beyond by creating a number of books set in (or all about) in the world of his books. For example, there’s Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes or Greek Gods (narrated by our favorite demigod, Percy Jackson). Percy’s spent enough time with the gods to give readers a totally unique insight into these tales in the hilarious and fun way that only he can. Or, in The Demigod Files, you can get a better idea of what life is like at Camp Half Blood, with interviews from Grover and Clarissa, and the necessary camp map. Oh, yeah, and there are also short stories. No big deal. (It’s totally a big deal.)
Ships in 1-2 days.
Descendants: Mal’s Spell Book, by Disney Book Group (Disney’s Descendants Series)
The first book in this series, The Isle of the Lost, by Melissa de la Cruz, was originally billed as a prequel to a Disney Channel movie, but the books certainly stand on their own. The sequel, Return to the Isle of the Lost, hit shelves in May, so now is the perfect time to pick up this supplemental spin-off. Formerly the spell book of the evil Disney villain Maleficent, the book was passed down to her daughter Mal, who shared it with her friends Carlos, Evie, and Jay. On their way to the Isle of the Lost, they filled the spell book with notes, comments, and inside jokes, which are now available for us to read. And if you still haven’t had enough of Mal and her thoughts, you can also pick up Mal’s Diary, which includes pages for readers to write down their own thoughts.
The Ever Never Handbook, by Soman Chainani (The School for Good and Evil series)
This beautifully illustrated book is everything you need to learn how to survive the School for Good and Evil. Chainani’s series re-imagines the world of fairy tales by introducing readers to the School for Good and Evil, where students are trained to be fairy-tale heroes and villains, and nothing is what it originally seems. Not since Hogwarts have readers wanted so desperately to be whisked away to a magical school, and now, thanks to this handy, dandy school handbook, we’ll be prepared if (and when) it happens. This handbook has everything you need to survive, including dress codes, maps, and study tips. You certainly wouldn’t want to fall to the bottom of your class and risk turning into some sort of enchanted animal—or worse. This book doesn’t hit shelves until July 12, but never fear: you can pre-order your copy now.