If your kid has been devouring the Mac B., Kid Spy series, you already know the magic formula: short chapters, big illustrations, laugh-out-loud humor, and just enough action to keep pages turning. Mac Barnett's series about a kid recruited by the Queen of England to solve international mysteries hits that sweet spot for early chapter book readers—usually ages 6-9—who are ready to graduate from picture books but not quite ready for dense paragraphs.
The series works because it doesn't take itself seriously. Mac (the character shares the author's name) gets into absurd spy situations involving stolen crown jewels, runaway corgis, and evil villains with ridiculous names. The books are heavily illustrated by Mike Lowery, so kids still get visual breaks every few pages. And they're genuinely funny—not in that "trying too hard" way some kids' books have, but with real wit that even adults can appreciate.
Now your kid has burned through the whole series and is asking "what's next?" Here's the good news: there's a whole world of chapter books that nail this same vibe.
The Notebook of Doom series by Troy Cummings
Ages 7-10. If your kid liked Mac B.'s mix of humor and adventure, this series is a no-brainer. Alexander Bopp moves to a new town and discovers it's overrun with monsters—and he's been recruited to fight them. Same heavily-illustrated format, same silly humor, but with monsters instead of spies. The vocabulary is slightly more challenging than Mac B., which makes it a nice next step. Fair warning: there are like 14 books in this series, so budget accordingly.
Hilo series by Judd Winick
Ages 6-10. Technically these are graphic novels, not chapter books, but hear me out. If what your kid loved about Mac B. was the illustrations breaking up the text, Hilo delivers that in spades. It's about a robot boy who crash-lands on Earth and has to save the world with his new friends. The humor is similar—absurd situations, visual gags, genuine heart. And honestly? Graphic novels are reading. Full stop. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey
Ages 7-10. Another graphic novel series that hits the Mac B. sweet spot. A gang of "bad guy" animals (a wolf, a shark, a snake, a piranha) decide to become good guys and keep screwing it up in hilarious ways. The illustrations are fantastic, the jokes land, and there's actual character development hidden in all the chaos. Plus, there's now a Bad Guys movie on Netflix, so your kid can do the classic "but I read the book first" flex.
Wayside School series by Louis Sachar
Ages 7-11. If your kid vibed with Mac B.'s absurdist humor, Wayside School is the move. These books about a school built sideways (30 stories tall, one classroom per floor) are genuinely weird and funny. Each chapter is a self-contained story about a different kid or teacher, so they're perfect for short attention spans. They're older books (first published in the 1970s), but the humor holds up. Warning: there's a chapter about a dead rat. Kids think it's hilarious. You've been warned.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
Ages 8-12. Yeah, yeah, everyone knows Wimpy Kid. But there's a reason it's a phenomenon. If your kid liked Mac B.'s first-person narration and illustrated format, Wimpy Kid is the natural evolution. Greg Heffley is less heroic than Mac B.—he's kind of a selfish jerk, actually—but the books are compulsively readable and genuinely funny. Just be prepared for your kid to start saying "I'm not cut out for this" about every minor inconvenience.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Ages 8-12. Okay, this one's different. It's a full chapter book with fewer illustrations and more emotional depth. But if your kid connected with the adventure and problem-solving aspects of Mac B., The Wild Robot delivers. A robot named Roz washes up on an island and has to learn to survive in the wilderness. It's heartfelt, exciting, and beautifully written. There's also a sequel (The Wild Robot Escapes) and a Wild Robot movie that just came out.
The Last Kids on Earth series by Max Brallier
Ages 8-12. Post-apocalyptic monster fighting meets middle school humor. Jack Sullivan and his friends are surviving a zombie apocalypse from a treehouse fortress, battling monsters and eating junk food. Heavily illustrated by Douglas Holgate, funny, action-packed. If Mac B. felt a little young for your kid, this series has a slightly older sensibility while keeping the same illustrated format.
Here's the thing about this transition from early readers to chapter books: every kid moves at their own pace, and that's completely fine. Some 6-year-olds are ready for Wimpy Kid, some 10-year-olds still prefer heavily illustrated books. Neither is better or worse.
The illustrated chapter book format isn't "easier" or "less than" traditional chapter books—it's just a different reading experience. And honestly? These books are often more engaging because the illustrations give visual learners something to anchor to. If your kid is devouring these books and building reading stamina, that's the win.
Also, don't stress if your kid wants to reread the same Mac B. book five times instead of moving on to something new. Rereading builds fluency and comprehension. Let them marinate in what they love.
The Mac B., Kid Spy series works because it respects kids' intelligence while keeping things fun and accessible. The books on this list share that same philosophy—they're not dumbed down, they're not preachy, they just tell good stories that happen to be for kids.
Start with whatever sounds most interesting to your kid. If they're obsessed with spies, try Notebook of Doom for the secret-agent-fighting-monsters vibe. If they loved the illustrations, go for Hilo or Bad Guys. If they're ready for something with more text, try The Wild Robot or Last Kids on Earth.
And here's a pro tip: let your kid pick at the library or bookstore. The cover art, the first page, the vibe—kids know what they're drawn to. Your job is just to keep the pipeline full of options.
Oh, and if they finish all these and want more? Come back and ask us for more recommendations
. We've got you.