kids love bad guys by aaron blabey. once they’ve devoured the series, they’ll surely head to the library to ask “what should I read next?” here is a list of great books like the bad boys just for them.
These books are adventure-packed, laugh-inducing adventures packed with illustrations, making them easy-to-read transitional chapter books for kids.
You are reading: Books like bad guys
So, while Misters Wolf, Snake, Piranha, and Shark are taking a nap, introduce your 7-10 year olds to some new misfit creatures (and a few humans) who can match the Bad Guys’ absurd plans, exaggerated dialogue and well-meaning shenanigans.
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books like the bad ones
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BIRD AND SQUIRREL (series) by James Burks
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The bird and the squirrel form a playful duo in this series of graphic novels. these two mismatched friends will make your kids laugh out loud. the bird is adventurous and carefree, the squirrel is more conservative and fearful. in the first book, the squirrel prepares for winter and a cat chases the bird. the squirrel comes to the bird’s rescue, but in doing so ruins his hard-earned stash of acorns. 7 years and up.
RICKY RICOTTA’S MIGHTY ROBOT (series) by Dav Pilkey, illustrated by Dan Santat
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dav pilkey’s hilarious series is great for kids who want books similar to the bad guys. Ricky and his new robot friend chase down the thugs and defeat the local evil scientist, Dr. stinky this is an easy book to read as there are only a few sentences per page and lots of illustrations. Plus, a fun “flip-o-rama” feature breaks up the pace of reading for kids who may find prolonged reading a challenge. from 7 years.
more: adventure-themed first chapter books
THE YETI FILES (series) by Kevin Sherry
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See Also: The 15 Best Relationship Books for Men To Read in 2022 – Next Luxury
blizz richards is a yeti living in nepal and it’s time for the annual bigfeet family reunion. However, Blizz’s cousin, Brian from Canada, was caught on camera by a big-footed stalker and disappeared. Blizz enlists the help of some wacky friends to find Brian. This picture-packed early chapter book is sure to appeal to readers who loved fun, easy-to-read books like the bad guys. from 7 years.
TWO DOGS IN A TRENCH COAT GO TO SCHOOL (series) by Julie Falatko, illustrated by Colin Jack
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Two dogs, Waldo and Sassy, decide to rescue their human from the boredom of school (wonderfully named, Bea Arthur Memorial Elementary School). The canine friends don the titular garment and pose as a new student, Salty Woofadogington. As you can imagine, hilarity and hijinks ensue. 7 years and up.
HAGGIS AND TANK UNLEASHED (series) by Jessica Young
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I was a little skeptical about this series, but my 7 year old was laughing out loud so I picked it up and found the pun to be quite funny. I am a great admirer of puns as a literary device; I think it gives children a better understanding of vocabulary. haggis the scottish dog plays the serious man to tank’s absent-minded goofiness and together they set out on an imaginary journey. from 7 years.
more: funny first chapter books
INSPECTOR FLYTRAP (series) by Tom Angleberger, illustrated by Cece Bell
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angleberger’s trademark goofy humor is on full display in this series. Inspector Flytrap is in fact a Venus Flytrap, and he narrates his strange and sometimes disgusting detective adventures. The walking, talking carnivorous plant and his sidekick Nina the goat (who’s not too impressed with everything) solve the mystery of a strange yellow stain on a DaVinci painting in the museum. we thought it was fun and his kids will too. from 7 years.
BUNJITSU BUNNY (series) by John Himmelman
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bunjitsu bunny one of my favorite series on this list! Each book is made up of short vignettes about Isabel and her friends, who are studying martial arts. each witty and funny story conveys a zen lesson without being preachy. my then 6 year old son was very interested in the idea of battles and fights so of course he loved reading a book where the first action sequence involved a character possibly banging on a door with the head (they don’t really go that far…). I, however, was delighted with the “sneaky” lessons in nonviolence, friendship, compassion, and self-discipline. from 7 years.
See Also: L.L. Muir – Book Series In Order
LET’S GET CRACKING! (series) by Cyndi Marko
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The Kung Pow Chicken series straddles the line between graphic novel and chapter book. my then 6 year old son loved this series and demanded that i check them all out of the library. I admit, the puns made me laugh. A young chicken gains superpowers when he accidentally falls into a mysterious tub in his uncle’s lab in his hometown of Fowladelphia (get what I mean?). In this first adventure, he and his partner must discover what is causing the local population to lose their feathers. silly and funny. from 7 years.
more: second grade reading list
JOP AND BLIP WANT TO KNOW by Jim Benton
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We loved Jim Benton’s Catwad series, and the same quirky humor is present in his new graphic novel series, which is full of all those random facts kids are dying to know. jop and blip are two curious robots who ask weird but important questions like “why do we need two ears?”, and then discuss the answers in surprisingly insightful ways. from 7 years.
BARB THE LAST BERZERKER by Dan Abdo, illustrated by Jason Patterson
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In this exciting adventure, Barb is the only one of her band of berzerkers to escape being captured by the evil witch’s head. Along with a Yeti named Porkchop and the mighty Sword of Shadows, she heads off to find the Northern Berzerkers so they can help her defeat the Witch’s Head. a great new series of fantasy graphic novels! from 8 years old.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A POO, A GNU AND YOU by Mike Barfield, illustrated by Jess Bradley
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I love having some wildcards in lists of similar reading books. you may not look in the nonfiction section when your reader wants to know what to read after the bad ones. however, why not? Do you have a child who loves facts and science, but also loves to laugh? this comic book style text about all things in the natural world will keep them reading all night. Packed with information on everything from Mars to poisonous jellyfish, Barfield’s text and Bradley’s illustrations make science highly entertaining. For 8 years and older.
by the way, did you know that the bad guys was recently made into a movie? it really looks like it could be good!