3 Answers2026-08-20 19:11:33
The 'Fleabag' series by Helen Stephens is an early reader series, but don't let that fool you. The stories about a mischievous, loving dog are full of heart and humor, and the illustrations are integral. It's a great stepping stone for a younger sibling who wants to be like the older kid reading 'Tom Gates'. The visual storytelling is clear and funny, teaching how pictures and words work together to build a joke.
6 Answers2026-08-20 18:10:32
Honestly, just re-read 'Theodore Boone'. I've found that the series has a surprising amount of re-read value because you pick up on the legal foreshadowing you missed the first time. Sometimes the perfect tone match is the original itself. Those books are comfort food for my brain—smart, predictable in the best way, and utterly engaging.
6 Answers2026-08-20 12:04:35
For a more recent series, check out 'The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks' by Katie Kirby. It's a diary-format book about an 11-year-old girl, so it's a gender-flipped version of the same anxieties and humiliations. The illustrations are hilarious and the voice is painfully relatable. The humor is very much in the same vein of cringey, everyday disasters.
5 Answers2026-02-15 05:48:59
If you loved the chaotic, doodle-filled fun of 'Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic', you're probably craving more books that mix humor, relatable kid problems, and a touch of artistic flair. 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' by Jeff Kinney is an obvious pick—Greg Heffley’s misadventures have that same blend of cringe and comedy, plus those iconic stick-figure drawings. But don’t stop there! 'Timmy Failure' by Stephan Pastis is another gem, with its deadpan humor and absurd detective antics. For something a little more British, 'Billionaire Boy' by David Walliams has that over-the-top silliness Tom Gates fans adore.
If you’re after more doodles, 'Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life' by James Patterson (with illustrations by Chris Tebbetts) is packed with pranks and rebellion. And for pure, unfiltered kid-logic chaos, 'My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish' by Mo O’Hara is a riot. Honestly, half the fun is discovering how each series puts its own spin on the 'mischievous kid + drawings' formula. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve reread these while waiting for the next Tom Gates installment!
7 Answers2026-07-24 09:51:54
The raw, visceral body horror and transformation themes point me toward 'The Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka, but for a modern, expansive take, 'The Beauty' by Aliya Whiteley. It's a deeply weird, fungal, post-apocalyptic story about gender and transformation. The tone is lyrical and horrific, beautiful and grotesque. It’s short, unforgettable, and will sit in your brain for weeks, wrestling with its ideas about change and loss.
4 Answers2026-08-20 21:18:41
Don't forget about 'The Bad Guys' series by Aaron Blabey! It's a graphic novel series presented like early chapter books. The text is large and simple, and the art is hilarious, featuring a crew of 'bad' animals trying to be good. The humor is fast, slapstick, and full of sight gags. While it's not a diary, the episodic nature and the strong visual component make it a huge hit with the same audience. The books are short, satisfying, and encourage binge-reading.
Blabey's other series, 'Thelma the Unicorn', is for a slightly younger crowd but shares that same vibrant, funny illustration style. For the 'Tom Gates' age group, 'The Bad Guys' is a surefire win. It proves that you don't need a traditional narrative to hook readers; sometimes, bold visuals and a great concept are everything.
5 Answers2026-08-12 14:25:45
I rarely see this recommended: 'The Summer Book' by Tove Jansson (of Moomin fame). It's a series of vignettes about a grandmother and granddaughter on a tiny Finnish island. The 'travel' is across the rocks, through the seasons, and into each other's perspectives. It's a quiet, profound reflection on life, death, and nature, with a magical, unsentimental clarity. It's not a linear journey, but each chapter feels like a step on a path of understanding.
5 Answers2026-02-15 05:33:23
I picked up 'Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic' on a whim at the library, and it turned out to be such a delightful surprise! The doodle-style illustrations mixed with the text give it this quirky, notebook-diary vibe that feels so relatable, especially if you’ve ever daydreamed in class or scribbled in margins. Tom’s voice is hilarious—full of cheeky humor and exaggerated kid logic. The way he narrates his school disasters, family chaos, and band ambitions had me grinning the whole time. It’s not some deep philosophical read, but it captures the chaotic joy of being 10-ish perfectly.
What really won me over was how effortlessly it balances humor with heart. Like, Tom’s grumpy sister Delia or his grandad’s weird snacks could be straight out of a sitcom, but there are also these tiny moments where you see his genuine excitement or frustration. It’s great for reluctant readers too—the pages fly by with all the visuals and jokes. If you’re after something light, fun, and nostalgic for those 'awkward kid' years, this is a gem.
2 Answers2026-08-20 11:58:59
My nephew is obsessed with anything that has those 'how to draw' sections in the back. 'Tom Gates' has them, and so do a lot of the 'Big Nate' and 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' books. It's a genius hook. You finish the story and then immediately try to draw the characters yourself. It extends the experience beyond the last page and makes the reader feel like part of the creator's club.
3 Answers2026-08-12 08:21:47
Never seen a thread where so many people agree the sequel series just didn't capture the same feeling. Makes you wonder what the secret ingredient really was.