2021
WISE Score
Amazon
The essential 'survival guide' for middle school, minus the boring lectures.
4.8
4.8View →Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)
If your kid hasn't read these yet, just buy the box set. It’s one of the few 'viral' book series that actually deserves the hype.
Raina Telgemeier has a gift for making the mundane horrors of puberty feel manageable. Whether it's the dental trauma of Smile or the GI-tract-anxiety of Guts, these books act as a mirror for kids who think they’re the only ones going through it. It's the opposite of brain rot; it's emotional intelligence in comic strip form.
Perfect for the 8-13 crowd. It hits that sweet spot where kids are starting to deal with social hierarchy and body changes but still want a story that feels safe and grounded.
These books are the gold standard for navigating the messiness of middle school. They model healthy—if sometimes difficult—family dynamics and show kids how to process embarrassment and physical changes with grace.
While these are mostly contemporary memoirs, the graphic novel format is used brilliantly to visualize internal feelings like anxiety and fear. 'Ghosts' adds a touch of magical realism that expands the scope.
Extremely safe. There is zero graphic violence or inappropriate content. It deals with real-world 'dangers' like getting your teeth knocked out or having a panic attack, which are handled with care.
Huge empathy builder. 'Guts' is basically a child's first guide to understanding the mind-body connection of anxiety, and 'Ghosts' handles chronic illness and mortality better than most adult books.
Get a personalized guide on any topic
