9 Modern Children’s Books Inspired by Classics

Some plots are just so good that they’re worth dusting off and retelling them in a new way. Here are 9 examples of great classic-retellings for readers ages 7+!

The Book of Boy / The Inquisitor’s Tale

Recent Newbery Honor winner Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s Book of Boy (which Wall Street Journal called “a treat from start to finish”) is a thrilling and perilous medieval treasure hunt page-turner following a small town outcast who must gather the seven precious relics of St. Peter!

The Last Musketeer / The Three Musketeers

On a family trip to Paris, Greg Rich’s parents disappear and he finds himself going back in time to rescue them. While in the past, he learns his family history is tied to the legendary Three Musketeers and teams up with them to stop a powerful enemy.

Max Tilt / 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Max Tilt is the great-great-great grandson of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea author and famed explorer, Jules Verne. When he finds one of Verne’s long-lost manuscripts it leads him on his own underwater adventure to find a treasure that could save his family from falling apart.

Lock and Key / Sherlock Holmes

When Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty meet as roommates at Baskerville Academy, they dislike each other almost immediately. But when mysterious doings start occurring around the school tied to the Moriarty family, James’s sister, Moira, teams up with Sherlock to unravel the secrets of the school and her family.

The School for Good and Evil / Fairytales

It’s your favorite fairytales like you’ve never seen them before. Welcome to The School for Good and Evil where students are trained for the day they’ll leave the school to be a character in their very own storybook. Just remember, not all fairytales have a happy ending…

Mice of the Round Table / King Arthur

Calib is a young mouse dreaming of becoming a Knight of Camelot like his father and grandfather before him. When he uncovers a plot that threatens the human and animal knights alike, he must unite unlikely foes to save the castle they all call home.

Dodger / Oliver Twist

When Artful Dodger decides to help a mysterious girl evade her captors, his decision takes him on a journey through the streets of London. On his adventure, he meets several famous characters including his original writer, Charles Dickens, as history and fantasy intertwine.

Argos / The Odyssey

For twenty years, the great hero Odysseus struggles to reunite with his family in Ithaka, but back at home, Argos, his faithful dog, keeps watch for the day his master will return and protects those he left behind. By collecting news from the other animals that set foot on the island, Argos tracks his journey while keeping an eye on rising dangers.

The Secret Destiny of Pixie Piper / Mother Goose

When ordinary Pixie Piper discovers that she is a direct descendant of Mother Goose and that she has the magical ability and poetry power to prove it, her life turns upside down. With the help of a long, lost relative, Pixie discovers that there’s more to the Goose Lady business than she originally thought!

Which classic story would you like to see reimagined?