2026
WISE Score
Amazon
Think The Baby-Sitters Club but with more dogs and a slightly messy turf war over flyers.
4.2
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If your kid is obsessed with Raina Telgemeier or the BSC graphic novels, this is an easy win. It’s Book 5 in the series, so the creators clearly know their audience.
It’s not 'brain rot'—it actually asks kids to think about why they hate the people they hate. The 'turf war' plot is relatable for anyone who’s ever had a playground rivalry, and the pet focus keeps it grounded and sweet. It’s a solid, high-quality read that won't make you roll your eyes.
This is the bullseye for 8 to 12-year-olds. It hits that sweet spot of 'growing up' drama without getting too heavy or dark.
It captures the messy reality of pre-teen friendships. The girls aren't perfect—they get petty and seek revenge—but the narrative eventually steers them toward empathy and self-reflection.
The 'Baby-Sitters Club for pets' hook is clever and well-executed. While it's grounded in reality, the graphic novel format allows for expressive, high-energy storytelling that keeps kids engaged.
Extremely safe. The 'turf war' is low-stakes and age-appropriate. No mature content, heavy violence, or language concerns to worry about here.
Great lessons on healthy competition and the 'villain' trope. It forces readers to realize that the people they dislike often have their own valid perspectives and struggles.
If you’ve got a kid who inhales graphic novels, you know the drill: they finish a 200-page book in twenty minutes and immediately ask for the next one. PAWS: The Trouble with Leo is exactly the kind of high-quality fuel they need. By this fifth installment, the series has found its groove as a modern, pet-centric successor to the Baby-Sitters Club formula, but with a bit more edge regarding how kids actually treat their "enemies."
The plot centers on a classic middle-school nightmare: the rival business. When Leo and his friends launch SCAMPS to compete with the girls' dog-walking empire, the story skips the "everyone should just be friends" lecture and leans into the heat of the moment. The girls aren't perfect here. They go for some petty sabotage—messing with flyers and general retribution—that feels incredibly authentic to how 11-year-olds actually handle a perceived threat. It’s a masterclass in the messy reality of middle school feuds where the protagonists are allowed to be the "bad guys" for a few chapters before they figure it out.
Nathan Fairbairn brings some serious industry cred to the table. He’s worked on massive titles like Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, and Scott Pilgrim, and that experience shows in the pacing. A lot of middle-grade graphic novels can feel a bit thin or rushed, but the layout here is tight and the visual storytelling is sophisticated without being confusing.
The art by Michele Assarasakorn keeps the tone light even when the "turf war" gets intense. It’s vibrant and expressive, making the dog-walking chaos feel as high-stakes as a superhero battle. If your kid is currently cycling through The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels, this is the most natural pivot available. It shares that same focus on friendship dynamics but adds a layer of "startup" stress that resonates with kids who are starting to think about their own independence.
The smartest move this book makes is the group project subplot. Forcing Mindy to work with Brandon—one of the "enemy" SCAMPS—is a trope for a reason: it works. It forces the characters (and the reader) to realize that Leo and his crew aren't just mustache-twirling villains; they’re just other kids trying to do the same thing the PAWS girls are doing.
It’s a solid way to talk about perspective without it feeling like a Sunday school lesson. You aren't just told to empathize; you watch the characters realize they were being kind of jerks.
Ultimately, The Trouble with Leo is a reliable win. It’s safe enough for the younger end of the 8-12 bracket but snarky enough to keep a sixth-grader from feeling like they’re reading a "baby book."
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