Readers who have enjoyed The Seven Magpies can try reading Hughes's earlier novel The Refuge to see how the author uses many of the same plot elements to produce a contemporary story with an entirely different effect upon the reader.

Other contemporary authors whose works may be enjoyed by fans of Monica Hughes are Dave Duncan (especially his three young adult novels of his series "The King's Daggers"), Eileen Kernaghan (Dance of the Snow Dragon and The Snow Queen), and Julie Lawson.

Readers who are looking for more stories set at boarding schools will find there are many similarities between The Seven Magpies and several books by British author Enid Blyton. As well, the novel The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis is also set at a boarding school, at least for the frame of the narrative.