Books About Alchemy

The Best Alchemy Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for excellent children's books about alchemy? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Alchemy

The Alchemyst
Sale price
$1139
Chapter Book · Ages 12–15 · 2007

The Alchemyst

By Michael Scott · Book #1 in the The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series

An ancient alchemist's secrets threaten the world. Can two teens unlock their powers in time?

369 pages· 85,668 words· Est. 8 hour read
3.9 Goodreads · 169,759 ratings
$11.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Nicholas Flamel, the legendary alchemist, is alive and guarding the Book of Abraham the Mage, a tome of unimaginable power. When the sinister Dr. John Dee steals it, the world teeters on the brink of destruction. Teenagers Sophie and Josh Newman are thrust into a battle of magic and prophecy. They must harness their newfound abilities to prevent catastrophe. Will they master their powers in time to save humanity, or will Dee's dark ambitions prevail? Dive into a world where myths come alive and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 2
Graphic Nov.
Chapter Book · 2002

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 2

By Hiromu Arakawa · Book #2 in the Fullmetal Alchemist series

A scientist's dark secret and a vengeful killer put two young alchemists in danger.

192 pages
4.5 Goodreads · 23,072 ratings
Kindle Edition
Summary: Edward and Alphonse Elric search for the Philosopher's Stone to restore the bodies they lost to forbidden alchemy. A fellow alchemist's horrifying experiment shows them how far some will go for results, and a scarred killer who hunts State Alchemists sets his sights on Edward. Badly beaten, his mechanical arm destroyed, Edward must head home for repairs while the brothers wonder what being an alchemist really costs.
Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 4
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1139
Chapter Book · Ages 14–17 · 2003

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 4

By Hiromu Arakawa · Book #4 in the Fullmetal Alchemist series

Trapped in a burning lab, two brothers glimpse a vast conspiracy behind a legendary stone.

200 pages
4.5 Goodreads · 16,609 ratings
$11.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Edward Elric lost an arm and a leg in a failed alchemical ritual, and his brother Alphonse's soul is bound to a suit of armor. Hunting for the Philosopher's Stone, Edward is trapped and wounded in a secret laboratory by the sinister Lust and Envy, who want him alive for plans of their own. As the lab goes up in flames, the brothers escape with only a hint of how vast the conspiracy is, while Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes uncovers a shocking secret.
Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1
Graphic Nov.
Chapter Book · 2005

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1

By Hiromu Arakawa · Fullmetal Alchemist series

Two brothers pay a terrible price for forbidden alchemy and hunt for a way to undo it.

192 pages
4.5 Goodreads · 198,904 ratings
eBook Kindle
Summary: Edward and Alphonse Elric broke alchemy's greatest taboo when they tried to bring their mother back to life. The attempt cost Edward an arm and a leg and left Alphonse's soul bound to a suit of armor. Now Edward is a State Alchemist, and the brothers search for the legendary Philosopher's Stone, the one thing that might restore their bodies.
Fullmetal Alchemist: To Each His Own Bonds
Sale price
$958
Chapter Book · Ages 14–18 · 2005

Fullmetal Alchemist: To Each His Own Bonds

By Makoto Inoue, Alexander O. Smith (Translator), Hiromu Arakawa (Illustrator) · Book #5 in the Fullmetal Alchemist Boxset series

Two brothers seek a forbidden book while a soldier faces chimeras and a ghost from his past.

228 pages· 46,361 words· Est. 4.5 hour read
4.5 Goodreads · 1,314 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Edward and Alphonse Elric, driven by the allure of a forbidden book, embark on a perilous quest that echoes their tragic past. Meanwhile, Roy Mustang, newly stationed in Central City, unravels a mystery involving chimeras, only to confront a figure from his history. As the brothers' journey intertwines with Mustang's investigation, secrets and dangers emerge, challenging their resolve and revealing unexpected connections. Will they uncover the truth behind the book and the chimeras, or will their pasts consume them?
The Sorceress
Sale price
$1049
Chapter Book · Ages 12–15 · 2009

The Sorceress

By Michael Scott · Book #3 in the The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series

Twins must master Water Magic to escape a city under dark control.

502 pages· 107,128 words· Est. 10 hour read
4.1 Goodreads · 88,751 ratings
$10.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Sophie and Josh face a dire challenge: trapped in a city controlled by the sinister John Dee, they must learn Water Magic to survive. With Perenelle imprisoned and Nicholas Flamel weakening, their only hope lies with the mad King Gilgamesh. Can they unlock the secrets of elemental magic before it's too late? The stakes are high, and the path is fraught with danger as they navigate a world of magic and mystery.
The Magician
Sale price
$1049
Chapter Book · Ages 12–15 · 2008

The Magician

By Michael Scott · Book #2 in the The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series

A magical race against time in Paris to stop a world-ending plot.

464 pages· 104,305 words· Est. 9.5 hour read
4.1 Goodreads · 102,557 ratings
$10.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: In a world teetering on the edge of chaos, Nicholas Flamel and his allies, Sophie and Josh, must protect the missing pages of a powerful book. Pursued by the cunning Dr. John Dee and Niccolo Machiavelli, they flee to Paris. As danger closes in, Sophie must master Fire Magic from the enigmatic Comte de Saint-Germain. Can they outwit their enemies and save the world before time runs out?
This Dark Endeavor
Sale price
$1697
Chapter Book · Ages 12–17 · 2011

This Dark Endeavor

By Kenneth Oppel · Book #1 in the The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein series

A desperate teenager hunts for a forbidden elixir to save his dying twin.

304 pages· 74,594 words· Est. 7 hour read
3.8 Goodreads · 12,147 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein and his twin Konrad discover a hidden library of alchemy in their family's chateau near Geneva. When Konrad falls gravely ill and the doctors fail, Victor defies his father and seeks the ancient Elixir of Life. With Elizabeth and Henry, he turns to a disgraced alchemist and risks everything to gather three dangerous ingredients. A gothic prequel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
The Trumpeter of Krakow
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 10–13 · 1928

The Trumpeter of Krakow

By Janina Domanska (Illustrator)

A boy must protect a powerful crystal from a ruthless Tartar chief.

Newbery Medal (1929)
208 pages· 58,852 words· Est. 6.5 hour read
3.8 Goodreads · 7,991 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: In medieval Krakow, young Joseph Charnetski is sworn to protect the mysterious Great Tarnov Crystal. As a Tartar chief hunts the jewel, Joseph and his family are ensnared in a web of alchemists, hypnotists, and dark forces. Can Joseph safeguard the crystal and the city from impending doom? The stakes are high, and danger lurks at every turn.
Doctor Illuminatus
Sale price
$1398
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2003

Doctor Illuminatus

By Martin Booth · Book #1 in the The Alchemist's Son series

An alchemist's son wakes after centuries asleep, hunted by his father's old enemy.

173 pages
3.3 Goodreads · 691 ratings
$14.99Save 7%
Hardcover
Summary: When a family moves to an old English country estate, Sebastian, the son of an alchemist, is accidentally woken from a centuries-long sleep. His father's evil enemy has woken too, and he is still relentlessly pursuing his sinister plan. Now Sebastian and the family's children must find a way to stop him.
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