Books About Alternate Realities

The Best Alternate Realities Books for Kids

Looking for excellent children's books about alternate realities? 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 Alternate Realities

Sale price

$858

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2015

Story Thieves

By James Riley · Book #1 in the Story Thieves series

Owen's world flips when he discovers Bethany can leap from books. Can they find her father without unraveling reality?

383 pages· 71,193 words· Est. 10 hour read

3.9/5 Goodreads · 12,431 ratings

$8.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: Owen's mundane life takes a thrilling turn when he witnesses Bethany, a half-fictional classmate, emerge from a library book. Bethany's quest to find her missing fictional father leads them into the pages of Owen's favorite series, Kiel Gnomenfoot. But their adventure risks exposing Bethany's secret and unraveling the story's fabric. Can they navigate this literary world without causing chaos, or will they be trapped in a final, perilous chapter?

Sale price

$1597

Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2020

The Thirteenth Fairy

By Melissa de la Cruz · Book #1 in the Never After series

A girl discovers her favorite fairy tales are real and must save their world from destruction.

336 pages· 56,492 words· Est. 6.5 hour read

3.9/5 Goodreads · 4,963 ratings

$16.99Save 6%

Hardcover

Summary: Filomena's mundane life shatters when Jack, a hero from her beloved books, appears, revealing the stories are real. Thrust into a realm of fairies and sorcerers, she must uncover the truth to stop an evil queen's destructive reign and save the kingdom of Westphalia. Can Filomena rewrite the fate of her favorite tales?

Sale price

$1899

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2002

Coraline

By Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean (Illustrator)

A hidden door leads Coraline to a sinister world where she must fight to escape.

162 pages· 30,719 words· Est. 4.5 hour read

4.3/7 Bookroo·4.1/5 Goodreads · 801,041 ratings

$19.99Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: Coraline discovers a hidden door in her new home, leading to a parallel world eerily like her own. There, a sinister other mother and father want her to stay forever. As Coraline uncovers the dark secrets of this world, she must use her courage and wit to save herself and other trapped children. Will she find a way back to her ordinary life, or be changed forever? This chilling tale of bravery and cleverness will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Sale price

$858

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1865

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

By Lewis Carroll · Book #1 in the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland series

A curious girl tumbles into a bizarre world where reality bends and nothing is as it seems.

160 pages· 26,630 words· Est. 3.5 hour read

4.0/5 Goodreads · 450,726 ratings

$8.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: Alice's curiosity leads her down a rabbit hole into Wonderland, a realm where logic is twisted and the impossible is routine. Encountering eccentric characters like the Mad Hatter and the elusive Cheshire Cat, Alice must navigate a world where rules are fluid and danger lurks behind whimsy. Can she find her way through the madness and return home, or will she be lost in Wonderland's chaos forever?

Sale price

$1899

Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2026

The Future Book

Discover a future world with unexpected twists and vibrant surprises.

40 pages· 473 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud

4.1/5 Goodreads · 784 ratings

$19.99Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: Journey into a future filled with strange customs and mind-blowing colors. This visionary tale invites readers to explore a world unlike any other, where every page reveals a new surprise. What mysteries and wonders await in this glimpse of tomorrow? Turn the pages to find out.

Sale price

$958

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2018

Worlds Apart

By James Riley · Book #5 in the Story Thieves series

Worlds torn apart, imaginations lost. Can they reunite and save reality?

479 pages· 90,558 words· Est. 12.5 hour read

4.4/5 Goodreads · 2,097 ratings

$9.99Save 4%

Paperback

Summary: Owen and Bethany face a shattered reality, split between fiction and nonfiction. With imaginations erased, Owen is trapped in a bleak future, while Bethany, now a sidekick, discovers her world is fading. To defeat the villain Nobody and restore balance, they must risk everything. Will they reunite and save both worlds before it's too late?

Sale price

$1797

Chapter Book · Ages 8–11 · 2024

The Witch in the Woods

Book #1 in the Grimmworld series

Twins must escape a fairy tale world and defeat a witch to save their friends.

320 pages· 63,906 words· Est. 9 hour read

4.0/5 Goodreads · 519 ratings

$18.99Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: Twins Willow and Jake Grimm find themselves in Grimmworld, where fairy tales come to life. As their friends transform into Hansel and Gretel, trapped by a candy-obsessed witch, the siblings must navigate a medieval landscape filled with jetpacks, robots, and lightning-sword battles. With only their wits and courage, they venture into the Cursed Forest, facing perilous challenges to rescue their friends and return home. Can they outsmart the witch and prevent the universe from falling into her clutches? The fate of their world hangs in the balance as they confront the ultimate fairy tale nightmare.

Sale price

$1501

Chapter Book · Ages 7–10 · 1996

Through the Medicine Cabinet

By Dan Greenburg Jack E. Davis · The Zack Files series

A boy encounters his doppelgänger in a mysterious twist.

57 pages· 4,952 words· Est. 42 min read

4.0/5 Goodreads · 339 ratings

$15.80Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: While searching for his retainer, a boy stumbles upon a shocking discovery: a boy who looks exactly like him, but isn't his reflection. What secrets lie behind this uncanny encounter?

Sale price

$1597

Chapter Book · Ages 10–13 · 2009

Sent

By Margaret Peterson Haddix · Book #2 in the The Missing series

Can they rewrite history without sealing their own fate in 1483?

320 pages· 58,966 words· Est. 6.5 hour read

3.9/5 Goodreads · 18,310 ratings

$16.99Save 6%

Hardcover

Summary: Jonah, Chip, Katherine, and Alex are thrust back to 1483, tasked with fixing history. Chip and Alex must reclaim their roles as England's king and prince, but records show the princes were murdered. Can they alter history without sacrificing themselves? As they navigate the treacherous past, the stakes are life and death, and the clock is ticking. Will they find a way to save themselves and return to their time, or is their fate sealed in history's pages? The challenge is immense, and the consequences are dire.

Sale price

$1697

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2021

The Messengers

By Margaret Peterson Haddix · Book #3 in the Greystone Secrets series

Mysterious coins warn of a looming threat across worlds. Can the Greystones save both realities?

416 pages· 75,688 words· Est. 8.5 hour read

3.9/5 Goodreads · 2,408 ratings

$17.99Save 6%

Hardcover

Summary: The Greystone kids, reunited with their mother, face a new threat as mysterious coins appear, urging them to act. With their doubles, the Gustanos, they must unravel secrets and confront a mind-controlling force threatening both worlds. As they journey across dimensions, they must solve the mysteries of the alternate world and find a way to defeat an evil that seems unstoppable. Will teamwork and courage be enough to save everything they hold dear?

The Bookroo Book Club