9 Charming Books Like The Wild Robot

Leo follows the story of a lonely, friendly ghost. He’s been haunting his old home for years, but when a new family moves in, they don’t appreciate his company. Heartbroken, Leo chooses to leave his familiar haunt. He explores the city in search of somewhere to belong. 

When he meets a young girl named Jane, she mistakes him for her imaginary friend. Leo assumes the role instead of correcting her, happy to feel as though he belongs somewhere. But when trouble arises, Leo has to decide whether he ought to reveal his ghostly truth. 

If you’re looking for The Terminator meets Wall-E, look no further. XR_935 is a robot that lives in a world where all humans have been eliminated. XR_935 has been instilled with the idea that humans cause destruction and pollution, and that the planet is better off with them extinct. But XR’s world is turned upside down when he finds the impossible: a real, live, incredibly human girl named Emma. 

XR’s beliefs are rattled by the fact that Emma is nothing like he was led to believe. She’s curious, kind, funny—nothing like the destructive monsters XR was told. With the authorities out to capture her, it’s up to XR and his friends to protect her. 

When Charles finds out that he’ll be staying at his Uncle Cletus’s ranch for the summer, he doesn’t think that anything particularly extraordinary will happen. Charles idolizes his uncle, and is determined to prove that he can be an excellent cowboy. 

Summer at Casa Mia seems ordinary at first, but things take a turn when one of the horses gives birth to a winged colt, whom Charles quickly bonds with. As word spreads about the spectacular colt, Charles and Cletus need to find a way to keep him safe. There’s a chance that someone may want to take him, study him, or use him for their own agendas. 

Finn is a science-loving kid who believes in logic, facts, and things that can be proven. But when his mother disappears without a trace, he’s faced with a mystery that science can’t explain. Then, his grandmother drops a bombshell: the women in their family have the secret ability to travel through time. 

At first, Finn doesn’t believe her. Time travel? That’s science fiction. But as Finn digs deeper, he discovers that not only is time travel real, but it’s more complicated than he could’ve ever imagined. Time travel isn’t as simple as moving into the past or future, especially when he learns that his mother is trapped in time. 

Lillian Kindred loves to explore the woods around her home. She dreams of seeing fairies, talking animals, and legendary creatures, but she never expects to become part of a magical story herself. One day, while wandering alone, she’s bitten by a deadly snake. Just when all hope seems lost, something incredible happens: mystical forest cats surround her and use their magic to transform her into a kitten, saving her life.

But Lillian doesn’t want to be a cat! Determined to become human again, she ventures on to find a way to break the spell. Along the way, she encounters a wise old possum, a trickster fox, and other magical beings. All offer their own unique advice, and warnings. She quickly learns that magic is not something to be taken lightly. Every choice has a consequence, and sometimes, even well-meaning magic can change things in ways you never intended.

12-year-old Alma Lucas doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere: not at school, and not even in her own family. Ever since her family moved to a new town, she’s battled anxiety, panic attacks, and loneliness. It just feels like something is missing in her life—but that all changes when she comes across a telescope in an old shop. 

Gazing at the stars makes Alma feel like she’s part of something bigger. One night, as she looks through the telescope, Alma sees something impossible: a star falling from the sky. But this isn’t just any star—it’s young, and alive. And if she doesn’t find a way to return it to the sky, it will fade away forever.

AZ is on a mission to build a robot. She’s determined, but finds herself up against a steep learning curve, and challenging situations with some of the other students in the program. AZ quickly realizes that building a robot isn’t just about circuits and coding. It’s about teamwork, problem-solving, and never giving up, even when things don’t go as planned. 

This novel is set in an alternate colonial Philadelphia, where alchemy is real and magic is controlled by the rich. In this high-stakes environment, a young girl named Ruby has a secret that could change everything. When she gets caught in a dangerous game of espionage, she finds herself hunted by the Royal Navy. With her wits, sword skills, and the edge gained by being a pirate’s daughter, Ruby must unravel a mystery that could change her world forever.

Everyone experiences burnout—even wizards! Nita Callahan has been hard at work on her wizardry. Her parents send her to Ireland to stay with her aunt, hoping that she’ll unwind. But it turns out that Ireland is just as full of magical trouble as home is. Ghostly warriors, dark forces, and mysterious magical beings are all in danger, and Nita may be the only one that can stop a devastating battle that’s been brewing for centuries. 

As she dives deeper into Ireland’s rich magical history, Nita meets new allies, an old friend, and a group of local wizards who may (or may not) be trustworthy. The more she learns, the more dangerous things become, and soon she finds herself caught in an epic showdown that will test her powers like never before.