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The brilliant, awkward business of growing up

Warm, funny, true-to-life graphic novels and diaries about friendship, feelings and the drama of growing up, for readers aged 8 to 12.

Warm15 picksAges 6–13Last reviewed July 2026
Descriptions
i.

Cringe Club

by Emily-Jane Clark · 2025–2026

Series · 3 books · Illustrated Chapter Books · Ages 8–12

A group-chat-and-doodle comedy about surviving a mortifying new secondary school, holding on to long-distance friendships and a blended family - perfect for fans of Lottie Brooks.

FunnyIrreverentWarm
ii.

Lottie Brooks

by Katie Kirby · 2021–2026

Series · 8 books · Illustrated Chapter Books · Ages 9–12

A warm, painfully relatable illustrated diary about secondary-school survival - friendship wobbles, first crushes and family chaos - perfect for fans of Dork Diaries.

FunnyIrreverentWarm
iii.

Cath Howe

by Cath Howe · 2018–2026

Series · 6 books · Chapter Books · Ages 9–12

The standalone contemporary novels of Cath Howe — honest, warm-hearted fiction about friendship, family and belonging for 9–12s, readable in any order.

WarmBittersweetThought provoking
iv.

Jess Jackson

by Catherine Wilkins · 2012–2015

Series · 4 books · Illustrated Chapter Books · Ages 8–11

Best for 8–11s who love funny, true-to-life school stories — pin-sharp comedies about friendship, jealousy and being yourself, illustrated by Sarah Horne.

FunnyIrreverentWarm
v.

Besties

by Kayla Miller · 2021–2026

Series · 5 books · Graphic Novels · Ages 8–12

Best for readers who like friendship-focused graphic novels with school-age drama, humour, teamwork and light social complications.

WarmFunnyHeartwarming
vi.

Nina Peanut

by Sarah Bowie · 2024–2026

Series · 4 books · Illustrated Chapter Books · Ages 7–10

A fast, full-colour comic-diary series about a fame-hungry girl, her frenemies and her stinky cat — a reluctant-reader magnet in the Wimpy Kid mould.

FunnySillyWarm
vii.

Drama

by Raina Telgemeier · 2012

Graphic Novels · Ages 9–13

A theatre-kid graphic novel about crushes, friendship, stage crew and middle-school feelings. It is upbeat and funny, but also notable for LGBTQ+ representation and the discussion it can open around identity and inclusion.

FunnyWarmHeartwarming
viii.

The Unfamous Diaries of Daisy Brewster

by Jenny Valentine · 2025–2026

Series · 3 books · Illustrated Chapter Books · Ages 9–12

A sparkling, doodle-filled diary series about ordinary Daisy and her Hollywood-famous cousin — funny, warm and irresistible for Dork Diaries fans.

FunnyWarmIrreverent
ix.

Pocket Peaches

by Dora Wang · 2023–2026

Series · 4 books · Graphic Novels · Ages 6–11

Four cosy, funny graphic novels about a gang of fruity friends and the small, kind adventures of everyday life. A gentle first graphic-novel series.

FunnyGentleCosy
x.

Click

by Kayla Miller · 2019–2025

Series · 7 books · Graphic Novels · Ages 8–12

Best for readers who want realistic graphic novels about school, friendship groups, confidence, changing relationships and everyday growing-up pressure.

WarmFunnyHeartwarming
xi.

Sunny

by Jennifer L. Holm · 2015–2025

Series · 6 books · Graphic Novels · Ages 8–12

Best for readers who like realistic graphic novels with humour and warmth, but who can handle some family difficulty beneath the fun.

FunnyWarmHeartwarming
xii.

Roller Girl

by Victoria Jamieson · 2024

Graphic Novels · Ages 9–13

A warm, funny and empowering middle-grade graphic novel about roller derby, changing friendships and finding your own confidence. A modern graphic-novel essential for readers moving beyond early comics.

FunnyWarmHeartwarming
xiii.

Dork Diaries

by Rachel Renée Russell · 2009–2024

Series · 16 books · Illustrated Chapter Books · Ages 9–12

Sixteen doodle-packed diary adventures about surviving middle school with true friends - warm, funny and endlessly re-readable for fans of Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates.

FunnySillyWarm
xiv.

The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix

by Ann M. Martin · 2015–2026

Series · 19 books · Graphic Novels · Ages 8–12

Best for readers who want realistic graphic novels about friendship groups, family life, responsibility and growing independence.

WarmFunnyHeartwarming
xv.

Ghosts

by Raina Telgemeier · 2016

Graphic Novels · Ages 8–12

A moving, magical-realistic graphic novel about sisters, cystic fibrosis, ghosts and Día de los Muertos. It is beautiful and accessible, but more emotionally sensitive than many Raina books because illness and mortality are central.

WarmBittersweetHeartwarming

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