12 Book Recs for Fans of Dog Man and Big Nate

I often get questions from parents who are concerned that their kids are only reading funny graphic novels like Dog Man or Big Nate. First of all, THAT’S AWESOME THAT THEY ARE READING! If you haven’t read these books, do! They are wonderfully hilarious and clever.

Quick PSA for parents – research shows that graphic novels help kids learn and practice many literacy skills such as sequencing, text connections, and inference.

That said, we want our kids to read widely across different formats to help them practice other skills and build stamina. We also want our kids to be exposed to books with protagonists with diverse lived experiences that can serve as “windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors.“

So, if you’re looking for suggestions for what your graphic novel-obsessed kid might enjoy next, see below for 16 book recommendations to explore with them. (Pro tip: giving kids choice in what they read is key!) You can also download this PDF and click on the covers to read full summaries and see reviews from Bookopolis kid readers.