Books like The Sphinx at Dawn by Madeleine L'Engle
The collection follows Yehoshuah, the son of a carpenter, who becomes friends with Pakko, the arrogant son of a wealthy merchant, after caring for Pakko’s camel. Yehoshuah shares stories of precious gifts he received from three wise men, but when his treasures are taken, he learns that all gifts have a price. In the second story, Yehoshuah and his camel venture into the desert, where they encounter a monstrous, hungry Sphinx. Unafraid, Yehoshuah attempts to answer the Sphinx’s riddles, beginning a real journey toward an incredible destiny. The tales blend adventure, spirituality and moral lessons suitable for children.
First publish date: 1982
Genre: Children's Fiction/Children's Fantasy
Authors: Madeleine L'Engle
★
★
★
★
★
0.0 (0 community ratings)
How are these books recommended?
The books recommended for The Sphinx at Dawn by Madeleine L'Engle are shaped by reader interaction. Votes on how closely books relate, user ratings, and community comments all help refine these recommendations and highlight books readers genuinely find similar in theme, ideas, and overall reading experience.
Have you read any of these books?
Your votes, ratings, and comments help improve recommendations and make it easier
for other readers to discover books they’ll enjoy.
Books similar to The Sphinx at Dawn (16 similar books)
A timeless tale of a prince visiting Earth to learn about adults and human folly.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A magical, time‑travel adventure for young readers, A Wrinkle in Time follows Meg and Charles Murry, the children of a missing father who was working on a tesseract. The novel blends science, fantasy, and strong family bonds, and was awarded the Newbery Medal.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
After her parents are murdered, 7‑year‑old Jude, along with her sisters, is brought to the High Court of Faerie. Mortals like her are despised, but she seeks a place among the fey—especially the cruel Prince Cardan—while navigating palace intrigue and danger.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A timeless adventure where Dorothy and her companions journey through Oz to seek the Great Wizard’s help and find their own courage, heart, and brains.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Alice, a curious girl, follows a rabbit into Wonderland and the Looking‑Glass world, meeting eccentric characters like the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts in Lewis Carroll’s celebrated children’s fantasy.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A Christmas Carol is Charles Dickens’ allegorical novella about Ebenezer Scrooge, whose miserly ways are transformed through visits from Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Jonathan Swift’s comic tour of absurd societies—Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, and the Houyhnhnms—satirises 18th‑century politics, human nature, and the perils of travel.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A young priestess in the secretive Tombs of Atuan is forced to confront her isolated life when a daring thief arrives seeking a hidden treasure.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Shorten sentence: "Tip and his creation, Jack Pumpkin, run away to Oz, where they save the city after it is captured by girls."
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Five siblings encounter a magical creature that grants them wishes, offering a whimsical adventure that teaches the classic lesson: be careful what you wish for.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A shy, friendless girl finds shelter in a mysterious eight‑sided house where unexpected inhabitants open a world of magic and wonder.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Twins discover they are djinn, set on a quest to find the tomb of Akhenaten, a pharaoh who vanished mysteriously.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A ten‑year‑old orphan heiress named Maria wanders an overgrown island on the lake of the crumbling estate Malplaquet and discovers the descendants of Gulliver's Lilliputians, turning her quiet life into an adventurous fantasy.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
A rare black cheetah named Kichebo, an outcast among her kin, possesses powerful telepathy and time‑travel abilities that let her glimpse the mind of Tutankhamen’s favorite felid, Asu‑Kheknemt, while safeguarding a fragile human infant she has adopted.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Describes the singular role of the caterpillar--to eat and grow fat--before spinning a cocoon, and changing into a sphinx moth.
Similar?
✓ Yes
0
✗ No
0
Some Other Similar Books
A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'EngleThe Moon by Night by Madeleine L'Engle
Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle
The Young Unicorns by Madeleine L'Engle
Circle of Light by Madeleine L'Engle
Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle
The Small Rain by Madeleine L'Engle
A House Like a Lotus by Madeleine L'Engle
A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
Have a similar book in mind? Let others know!
Please login to submit books!