What to read next
Books like Smile, Sisters and Guts, by age
Finished Smile, Sisters and Guts? Here are 8 series to try next, grouped by age and kind: the same age as smile, sisters and guts; a bit older, when they're ready; the same kind of book as smile, sisters and guts. Each one says why it's here and links to the books in order with a checklist.
The picks come from what the series share with Smile, Sisters and Guts (real-life, family, school, friends) and the next reads its own page names. No one paid to be here and there are no shop links. Checked October 30, 2026.
The same age as Smile, Sisters and Guts
Sunny by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Ages 8–12 Like Smile, Sisters and Guts, it's real-life and family. The Smile, Sisters and Guts page names it as a next read. Colourful comic panels with short speech bubbles, set in a girl's everyday life.
Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham
Ages 9–13 Like Smile, Sisters and Guts, it's real-life and family. It starts a little older, at 9. The Smile, Sisters and Guts page names it as a next read. Comic panels with short speech bubbles, in the first person from the author as a child.
Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Ages 7–10 Like Smile, Sisters and Guts, it's school and friendship. It starts a little younger, at 7, so it's a quick, easy read. The Smile, Sisters and Guts page names it as a next read. Comic panels with short speech bubbles and a few lines of narration.
A bit older, when they're ready
Berrybrook Middle School by Svetlana Chmakova
Ages 10+ Like Smile, Sisters and Guts, it's real-life and school. It starts a little older, at 10. Manga-style panels read left to right, with short speech bubbles, lots of facial expressions and a few pages of heavier feeling.
Space Boy by Stephen McCranie
Ages 10+ Like Smile, Sisters and Guts, it's friendship. It starts a little older, at 10. Long, quiet comic pages with a lot of talking and feelings, and a big story that builds over many volumes.
The same kind of book as Smile, Sisters and Guts
Owly by Andy Runton
Ages 5–8 Like Smile, Sisters and Guts, it's real-life and family. It starts a little younger, at 5, so it's a quick, easy read. Almost wordless pictures where pictures and small symbols in the speech bubbles tell the story, so a child can read it with no words at all.
Narwhal and Jelly by Ben Clanton
Ages 6–9 Like Smile, Sisters and Guts, it's friendship. It starts a little younger, at 6, so it's a quick, easy read. Very short comics in big panels with only a line or two of text each, plus sea-creature facts at the end of some chapters.
Pizza and Taco by Stephen Shaskan
Ages 5–8 Like Smile, Sisters and Guts, it's friendship. It starts a little younger, at 5, so it's a quick, easy read. Big panels with a line or two of speech in each bubble, split into short chapters.
More ways to find the next one
- What should I read next?: three taps, three picks.
- By age: 8-year-olds · 9-year-olds · 10-year-olds · 11-year-olds · 12-year-olds
- Smile, Sisters and Guts graphic memoirs in order