raina telgemeier is one of the most popular graphic novel authors and illustrators. readers love her books and librarians tell me they get book requests like smile all the time. Whether you want more graphic novels like smile, guts, and drama or you want to inspire your kids to read middle grade non-graphic novels, this book list will help you get great stories into the hands of young readers ages 8-13! !
I have divided this book list into two parts with 5 book options each. First, choose from a selection of graphic novels like smile. second, find some good mid-grade non-graphic novels for raina telgemeier fans.
You are reading: Books like smile by raina telgemeier
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graphic novels like smile
everything is fair in high school
by victoria jamieson
amazon | independent
Imogene (impy) vega’s parents work at the renaissance fair and impy helps out as a squire. Though she fits right in at the fair, she feels out of place navigating the perils of sixth grade. impy makes mistakes that alienate her peers and make her doubt herself. however, she works hard and learns to make better decisions.
get ready
by vera brosgol
amazon | independent
I thought this graphic novel, based on the author’s childhood experiences, was a lot of fun. Vera wants to fit in with the rest of his friends, but finds it difficult when her Russian immigrant family can’t keep up with the Joneses. however, he has high hopes for a new summer camp in russia. After a bumpy start, Vera is able to harness his interests, identity, and intelligence to salvage his summer camp experience.
star gazing
by jen wang
amazon | independent
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This was such a lovely story. Christine’s mom invites a single mother and her daughter, Moon, to live in her guest house. Christine and Moon couldn’t be more opposites on the outside, but they discover they have more in common than they thought. soon moon shares a secret with christine, a secret that turns out to be not what anyone expected.
new guy
by jerry craft
amazon | independent
After I brought this book home from the library, my son loved it and read it ten times in a row. I’m not surprised because after reading it, I realized how nuanced this story is! Jordan, an art lover, navigates a new school as one of the few black kids in his seventh grade class. the story of craft offers much to discover, even after multiple readings.
this was our pact
by ryan andrews
amazon | independent
ben and his friends have made a pact. this year, after the lanterns from the fall festival are left drifting in the river, they will follow the lanterns to see where they go. they want to know if the legend that says they become stars is true. However, the children leave the pact one by one until only Ben and Nathaniel remain. however, they keep going and what they discover and find is truly magical.
novels to read after smiling
dear sweet pea
by julie murphy
amazon | independent
Sweet Pea’s divorced parents live next door to each other in an effort to co-parent their daughter. While Sweet Pea’s friendships are going through a transition, a neighbor asks her to watch her mail. The neighbor is an advice columnist and Sweet Pea can’t resist answering some of the letters. understandably, he gets into trouble! funny and moving.
go ahead
by jamie sumner
amazon | independent
Ellie loves to bake! her cerebral palsy means that her mother is a bit overprotective and that she has to spend more time with the doctors than she would like. ellie’s grandfather has alzheimer’s disease, so ellie and her mother move in with her grandparents to help out. Starting a new school means Ellie finally finds some good friends and feels like she fits in somewhere. shooting with him is a wonderful book, dealing with so many topics, but with good humor and likable characters.
stanley will probably be fine
by sally j. pla
amazon | independent
I found myself laughing a bit while reading this book. stanley fortinbras (love that name!) battles anxiety and sensory processing disorder. he even faints sometimes, what a shame! however, she loves comic trivia and she walks away from her worries to join a gigantic comic trivia scavenger hunt with her quirky new neighbor. Trivia Quest takes the pair across town, and Stanley works hard to overcome her difficulties and win the day.
the first rule of punk
by celia c. perez
amazon | independent
i chose perez’s book for kids who want books like smile not only because it’s a great story, but because the format (text mixed with collage illustrations and malu magazine excerpts) will appeal to kids who love graphic novels . Malú is a punk through and through, but his mom and the school administration don’t understand that punk isn’t a bad thing. So Malú sets out to convince them!
cake in the sky
by remi lai
amazon | independent
Lai’s novel about a boy who immigrates to Australia with his mother and younger brother will touch your heart and tickle your funny bone. Woven into the narrative are comics that reveal the emotional experiences of 11-year-old jingwen as he struggles to learn a new language and navigate an unfamiliar culture. Jingwen is grieving the loss of his father, and she gets by by baking cakes with his little brother. a wonderful book
more books like smile to consult:
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- funny graphic novels
- non-violent graphic novels
- graphic novels for 4th-8th graders