Michael Ende Books In Order

Publication Order of Jim Knopf Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Collections

Michael Ende was a published German author. His full name is Michael Andreas Helmuth Ende. He was born in Bavaria, Germany in Garmisch on November 12, 1929 and passed away in 1995. He is famous for writing fantasy novels as well as children’s books.

Michael was the son of a father that was also in the arts, as Edgar Ende was a surrealist painter who would be banned by the Nazis back in 1936. Michael would go on to become one of the most famous and popular German authors in the twentieth century. His popularity and fame was likely due to his popular books for children, which enjoyed huge success.

Michael attended the Waldorf school but would drop out when the army called upon him to enlist in 1945 at sixteen. Once the war was done, he would go on to work as an actor, a critic, and eventually a writer. He would achieve a taste of success early on with his book for children titled “Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivfuehrer”, which translates in English to “Jim Knopf and Lukas the Engine-Driver”. The book was made into a television series in 1961, then in 1962, a television movie in 1970, another television series in 1977 and 1978, again in 1998 and 2000, and then inspired movies that came out in 2018 and 2020.

He would achieve great recognition and awards, but throughout his career appeared shy and modest, always recognizing the real world when it comes to his work but of course lacing it through with the fantasy world that he often preferred.

Even though the author did write books for children, he was not limited solely to this realm. He also penned books for adults. The author himself claimed that the stories that he wrote were for the child that he had in himself and that each person has inside of us. His writing is frequently described to be a surreal combination of fantasy and reality. The readers of his stories often are beckoned to come and enjoy a role that is more interactive in the story than most. The worlds that Ende details in his novels frequently hold up a mirror to the reality that we all occupy, and the writer is no stranger to utilizing the genre of fantasy to try and shine a light on the issues and challenges facing our modern society that is always becoming more technological and complex.

The author was recognized while alive for being an advocate of economic reform. When he was writing his book Momo, the author was said to have been having an idea in his mind of ‘aging money’ while in the process of bringing the novel to completion. Michael was also said to have had an interest in anthroposophy, which he was also influenced by. This was a system of creativity, therapy and education formed by Rudolf Steiner that had the goal of reaching optimal well being and health through methods of mostly natural means.

Michael was married twice. The first time was to Ingeborg Hoffman, who was married to him beginning in 1964 until her death on March 27, 1985. He would eventually get married again to Mariko Sato in September of 1989, who would become a widow when he passed away on September 28, 1995 from stomach cancer in Stuttgart.

Michael Ende’s works have inspired the 1986 movie The Neverending Story, as well as the followup movies The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter in 1990 and The Neverending Story III in 1994 from his work “Die Unendliche Gerschichte”. A television series called “The Neverending Story” was launched in 1995. Two television movies and a television series by the title “Tales from the Neverending Story” were also released in 2001. His novel Momo would be made into a movie in 1986 and again in 2001 and 2003 as a television series and “Legend of Raana” would be a television mini-series in 2014. His books have been translated into over forty languages, have been adapted into movies, plays, television shows, audio books, and operas, and have sold over 20 million copies.

Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver is the 1963 book from author Michael Ende. The story is about Luke and Jim Button and follows them along on their adventures.

The two have converted a railroad engine to become a boat. Now they are free to seek adventure and set sail. They want to leave because the island that they call their home is overly crowded with people. Luke and Jim immediately come across an adventure when they find out that the Princess of China has been kidnapped.

Can they rescue her from Dragontown and return her home safely? Will they get a reward? Read this classic book to find out!

Momo (The Grey Gentlemen) is the 1974 book from Michael Ende. This book tells the story of Momo. He’s very smart, so when two strange men arrive in town and they start telling everyone to save up time and then put it in the local bank.

Momo wants to find out what these men are doing with time. So she gets the help of a turtle and Professor Hora to find out. Can she solve this mystery? Get a copy of this book and read to the end to find out!

The Neverending Story is a 1976 book from Michael Ende that inspired the classic and popular movie by the same name. Check out this epic fantasy book for yourself and see why it is so dear to so many readers!

This is the story of Bastian, a boy that is often lonely. When a weird book takes him to Fantastica, a gorgeous but ultimately doomed world, it’s an escape like none other. Suddenly his world comes alive in this wondrous place like no other. It is ruled by the Empress. If a human can give her a new name, Fantastica may be saved.

But as Bastian makes his way to the tower where she lives, he must face all types of challenges. Can he make it through this quest, save Fantastica, and make it back to his own world? Read this book to find out!