Disney+’s Percy Jackson & The Olympians TV adaptation has been well-received thus far, making it intriguing to consider 10 more young adult/children’s fantasy book series that deserve an adaptation of their own. The Percy Jackson & The Olympians show has been lauded for its loyalty to the source material, thanks in large part to the involvement of Percy Jackson author, Rick Riordan. The show’s success makes it overwhelmingly likely that Percy Jackson & The Olympians season 2 will happen.
While Percy Jackson season 1’s ending makes the prospect of a second season exciting, the idea that this show’s success could lead to more book-to-TV adaptations in this genre is even more exciting. Fantasy is one of the most popular genres in the young adult age-group, and the best of these series are enjoyable for both kids and adults. With that in mind, 10 children’s fantasy books stand out as excellent candidates for a TV adaptation.
Related
Every Mythological Species & Monster In Percy Jackson Season 1 Explained
Percy Jackson and the Olympians includes many monsters, creatures, species, and races from the world of Greek mythology in its opening season.
10 Fablehaven — By Brandon Mull
Includes five novels and a five-novel sequel series
Fablehaven is a young adult franchise that deserves a TV adaptation after Percy Jackson more than almost any other series. Fablehaven is centered around siblings, Kendra and Seth Sorenson, who find out while visiting their grandparents that their home is a secret preserve for magical creatures. Kendra and Seth then embark on a series of missions to protect Fablehaven from dark forces. This incredibly creative series is full of unique magical creatures that would be a joy to see on-screen, and the riveting story is suitable for adults and kids alike, making it a strong candidate for a TV series.
9 Magnus Chase And The Gods Of Asgard — By Rick Riordan
Includes three novels
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard is another series by Percy Jackson‘s Rick Riordan, this one focused on Norse mythology rather than Greek. Much like the Percy Jackson series, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard is full of intriguing characters and fascinating information about ancient mythology. It has a similarly entertaining story, and even takes place in the same universe as Percy Jackson, meaning a TV show adaptation could potentially connect to the new Disney+ series. Based on Percy Jackson‘s success, a Magnus Chase adaptation seems extremely likely.
8 Pendragon: Journal Of An Adventure Through Time And Space — By D.J. MacHale
Includes 10 novels
Pendragon is a 10-novel series that follows young Bobby Pendragon, who begins training with his uncle to become a “Traveler.” Travelers are young warriors who travel through wormholes to fight against an evil demon called Saint Dane. Bobby becomes an accomplished Traveler, thwarting Saint Dane in every novel and embracing his destiny of becoming the lead Traveler. This incredibly popular series has the perfect structure to become a serialized drama, and it has plenty of nuanced characters and compelling storylines that would work perfectly for a TV show.
7 Inkheart — By Cornelia Funke
Includes four novels
Inkheart is another great young adult/children’s fantasy series that would make for an intriguing TV show. The series follows the protagonist, Meggie Folchart, who learns she has the power to bring book characters to life by reading the words aloud. Inkheart is a highly acclaimed series, remembered for its creative premise and captivating pace. In 2008, Inkheart was adapted as a film, but it underperformed, receiving mixed reviews from critics and barely managing to break even at the box office. This amazing series deserves to be redeemed by a fully committed TV series.
6 Redwall — By Brian Jacques
Includes 22 novels and two picture-books
Redwall is an iconic children’s fantasy series about a group of anthropomorphic animals living in a land known as Mossflower Wood. A TV adaptation of Redwall began in 1999 and lasted three seasons, but the advancements in modern animation techniques make a reboot well-worth it. The rights to Redwall were acquired by Netflix in 2021, and the streaming platform is currently working on a feature film and an animated “event series” adapting different parts of the series. If things go well, Redwall could eventually become a fully serialized TV adaptation for Netflix.
5 The Bartimaeus Sequence — By Jonathan Stroud
Includes three main novels and a prequel novel
The Bartimaeus Sequence follows a teenage magician named Nathaniel, and his djinni, Bartimaeus. The series is an alternate history of Earth, drastically changed by the existence of magic, demons, and other spirits. This compelling tale makes all sorts of poignant historical observations, despite taking place in a drastically altered version of reality. Its clever plot and layered characters would fit ideally in a TV adaptation, and its scope and spectacle give it the potential to be a real hit if it ever gets adapted.
4 The Chronicles Of Prydain — By Lloyd Alexander
Includes five novels
The Chronicles of Prydain are centered around a youth named Taran, who embarks on a series of adventures in the fictional kingdom of Prydain. Disney currently holds the adaptation rights to the series and plans to adapt it into a series of movies. The project is in the earliest stages of development, and because Disney has yet to appoint a writer, director, or producer, it’s entirely possible that this project could pivot to a TV series, which would have a better chance of recreating Lloyd Alexander’s incredibly rich world.
Related
Percy Jackson & The Olympians EP Reveals Which Character Will Play A Major Role In Season 2
Exclusive: Percy Jackson & The Olympians executive producer teases which character from the novels they are most excited to explore in season 2.
3 The Underland Chronicles — By Suzanne Collins
Includes five novels
The Underland Chronicles is a series of fantasy novels written by Hunger Games author, Suzanne Collins. The series is centered around a boy named Gregor, who goes on numerous adventures in the “Underland,” a subterranean world beneath New York City. Like The Hunger Games, The Underland Chronicles received consistent praise from critics, and it boasts many of the same qualities that make The Hunger Games great: nuanced characters, intriguing storylines, and unique worldbuilding. Considering the massive success of The Hunger Games adaptations, The Underland Chronicles is a great candidate for a TV adaptation.
2 The Dark Is Rising Sequence — By Susan Cooper
Includes five novels
The Dark Is Rising Sequence is a five-novel young adult fantasy series that follows a struggle between the forces of Light and Dark. Written by Susan Cooper, the series draws on various northern European mythologies to create an incredibly complex and fascinating world. The Dark Is Rising has the scope to become a breathtaking TV series, and its ambiguous characters would fit well in the modern world of fantasy. This is one of the most acclaimed young adult series ever written, and it’s one of the premier candidates for a TV adaptation.
1 The Land Of Stories — By Chris Colfer
Includes six books and an ongoing prequel series
The Land of Stories series follows twins Alex and Connor Bailey as they fall from their world into a land of fairy tales they used to read about. This magical series has plenty of wonder and imagination to attract audiences, and the visuals from the books could make for some extravagant sets if it were adapted for TV. The Land of Stories also has a riveting story that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike, making it an even stronger candidate to be the next young adult TV series adaptation after Percy Jackson & The Olympians.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
- Release Date
- December 20, 2023
- Cast
- Walker Scobell , Leah Sava Jeffries , Aryan Simhadri , Jason Mantzoukas , Megan Mullally , Glynn Turman , Adam Copeland , Virginia Kull , Lance Reddick
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney Plus
- Showrunner
- Jonathan E. Steinberg , Dan Shotz
