
Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five)
Start of The Forgotten Five seriesby Lisa McMann
Why you'll love it:
Another Lisa McMann book — if you love their writing style, this is a natural next pick.
If you loved The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann, here are the most similar books our readers recommend.
The best books like The Unwanteds are:

In the dystopian society of Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted annually—the intellectual "Wanteds" go to university while the creative "Unwanteds" are supposedly sent to die. When artistic Alex is separated from his twin brother Aaron and sent to his expected death, he discovers instead a secret magical world called Artime where creativity becomes powerful magic. But when the hidden sanctuary faces destruction, Alex must prepare for an ultimate battle that will pit brother against brother.
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by Lisa McMann
Why you'll love it:
Another Lisa McMann book — if you love their writing style, this is a natural next pick.

by Andrew Peterson
Why you'll love it:
This fantasy shares a whimsical yet earnest tone that will resonate with The Unwanteds fans.

by Rick Riordan
Why you'll love it:
This fantasy shares a adventurous and empowering tone that will resonate with The Unwanteds fans.

by Rick Riordan
Why you'll love it:
This fantasy shares a adventurous and urgent tone that will resonate with The Unwanteds fans.

by Tui T. Sutherland
Why you'll love it:
This fantasy shares a hopeful but tense tone that will resonate with The Unwanteds fans.
| Book | Author | Rating | Year | Pages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five)📚 Series starter | Lisa McMann | 4.6 | 2022 | 384 | Same author |
| The City of Ember | Jeanne DuPrau | 4.6 | 2004 | 270 | Similar vibes |
| The School for Good and Evil📚 Series starter | Soman Chainani | 4.0 | 2013 | 488 | Start a new series |
| Fablehaven📚 Series starter | Brandon Mull | 4.7 | 2026 | 384 | Start a new series |
| The Son of Neptune: The Graphic Novel | Rick Riordan | 0 | 2017 | — | Similar vibes |
| On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness | Andrew Peterson | 4.7 | 2020 | 285 | Similar vibes |
| Half Upon a Time | James Riley | 4.6 | 2010 | 401 | Similar vibes |
| Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief📚 Series starter | Rick Riordan | 4.7 | 2013 | 400 | Start a new series |
| The Red Pyramid📚 Series starter | Rick Riordan | 4.7 | 2010 | 516 | Start a new series |
| The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire)📚 Series starter | Tui T. Sutherland | 4.7 | 2012 | 336 | Start a new series |
If you enjoy Lisa McMann's writing style, explore these similar authors.
The most similar books to The Unwanteds are Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five), The City of Ember, The School for Good and Evil.
After finishing The Unwanteds, readers most commonly pick up Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five) next. Alternatively, you might enjoy more books by Lisa McMann, such as Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five).
Authors similar to Lisa McMann include Brandon Mull, Soman Chainani.
The Unwanteds is a Fantasy novel by Lisa McMann, published in 2012.
The Unwanteds is 416 pages long.
A riveting middlegrade dystopian novel from New York Times bestselling Wake author Lisa McMann that Kirkus Reviews calls “The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter.” Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths. Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret--behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime. In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation. But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.