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.
12 Book Recs for Fans of graphic novels like Dog Man and Big Nate
Graphic Novels
- Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat #1 by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
- Link + Hud: Heroes by a Hair by Jerome & Jarrett Pumphrey
- Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper
- The 39-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
Shorter Chapter Books/Diary Style
- Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look
- The Tyrell Show by Miles Grose
- Jake the Fake Keeps It Real by Craig Robinson and Adam Mansbach
- Zapato Power: Freddi Ramos Takes Off by Jacqueline Jules
Longer Novels
- Chupacarter by George Lopez and Ryan Calejo
- Planet Omar by Zanib Mian
- Stuntboy by Jason Reynolds
- The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John
Need more book recommendations? Check out our AI-Powered Book Bot search, or visit the Bookopolis Picks lists organized by grade level and genre. Click on covers to read summaries and explore reviews written by kids, for kids.
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