Matilda
Roald Dahl
Like The Willoughbys, it lets a clever child outwit selfish, careless grown-ups, with a mischievous tone that delights in how awful the adults are.
11 books to read next
Books Like The Willoughbys
If you loved The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
The Willoughbys is a witty, deliberately old-fashioned send-up of Victorian children's stories. Four siblings are left to fend for themselves by parents who would rather be rid of them, and the narrator comments on their schemes with dry, knowing asides. Readers love its brisk pace, gleeful villainy and the sense that the grown-ups are the joke. It suits fans of sly narration and clever children who outthink the adults around them.
Same witty, knowing narrator
The Westing Game
Ellen Raskin
Its playful puzzles and sharp, witty characterisation echo The Willoughbys' tongue-in-cheek style, rewarding readers who enjoy spotting clues and clever asides.
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Scholastic, Inc. Staff, Richard Atwater
A comic, deadpan family story with an absurd premise told with straight-faced charm, much like the Willoughbys' cheerful deadpan about their own misfortunes.
Neglectful grown-ups, clever kids
Holes
Louis Sachar
Fans of The Willoughbys' dark humour will enjoy its odd, interlocking plot and a hero who is wrongly treated by adults yet keeps his wits and wry outlook.
The Mysterious Benedict Society
Trenton Lee Stewart
Gifted children who must rely on their own ingenuity against adults with questionable motives make this a natural next step after The Willoughbys.
Victorian pastiche and gothic fun
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Joan Aiken
A gothic adventure set in a Victorian-style world of orphaned children and wicked guardians, offering the same pastiche flavour that The Willoughbys parodies.
The Penderwicks
Jeanne Birdsall
Four warm, spirited sisters and a gently comic tone make this a satisfying match for readers who loved the Willoughby children's lively bickering and resourcefulness.
Nevermoor
Jessica Townsend
An inventive, slightly wicked fantasy with an unloved heroine, a sardonic voice and a swirl of eccentric characters that will appeal to Willoughbys fans.
Playful, wordy and whimsical
The Phantom Tollbooth
Norton Juster
Its clever wordplay and wry, adult-friendly humour match The Willoughbys' love of language, and its young hero also sees through the nonsense around him.
Flora & Ulysses
Kate DiCamillo
A funny, big-hearted story with a sharp narrator and quirky characters, showing the same warmth beneath the wit that makes The Willoughbys so enjoyable.
Ella Enchanted
Gail Carson Levine
A witty fairy-tale retelling with a spirited heroine and cheeky humour, appealing to readers who enjoyed The Willoughbys' playful take on familiar storybook conventions.
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