What to Read After Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney are incredibly popular with students in elementary through middle school. With the new movie to add to the popularity, both girls and boys can't get enough of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. But what happens after your child has already read Diary of a Wimpy Kid? What now? Are there any books similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid? As a school librarian I am always seeking out the best books to keep kids reading. If your child likes Diary of a Wimpy Kid, try suggesting these books to keep him reading.

Dear Dumb Diary series by Jim Benton. This series, written from the perspective of a girl, has been around for a while. The Dear Dumb Diary series is definitely more girl-oriented than the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is boy-oriented. For girls that enjoy the Wimpy Kid books, however, this is a nice option to keep them reading. There are several books in this series so Dear Dumb Diary will keep girls reading right along even after they have finished their Diary of a Wimpy Kid books for the umpteenth time.

Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell. This new book has only been on shelves for a short while, but it is the most obvious Diary of a Wimpy Kid knock-off out there. Written in the same style as Wimpy Kid with a font that looks hand written and little cartoons to set-off the situations presented in the book, Dork Diaries is the most like the Wimpy Kid books in terms of the general "look" of the books. Again, however, this series is more oriented to girls. Even though the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are about a boy, they seem to be almost equally popular among boys and girls.

Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce. Finally, here is a Diary of a Wimpy Kid-like book that appeals to boys. Big Nate gets in to very similar, and hilarious, situations ala Greg Heffley of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. While Big Nate is not a series yet, a second book is already in the works. If your child loves how funny the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are, then Big Nate may be your ticket to keep your kid reading even after the Wimpy Kid books are long read.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a fantastic and groundbreaking series of books for upper elementary and middle school students. With only 4 books available in the series (hopefully more are to come----are you listening, Jeff Kinney?), kids can read the series quickly and stop reading. Try these suggestions for anyone who loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series to keep those kids reading!