Books like I Funny
I Funny by James Patterson reads as humorous, heartwarming. These 12 books share its genome — matched by how they actually read, not just their shelf label.
What I Funny is like to read
A breezy, joke-forward middle-grade story about a kid chasing a stand-up comedy dream over one summer, structured episodically around bits and setbacks. Best for: reluctant middle-grade readers who want short chapters, illustrations, and a likable underdog.
Wonder
R.J. Palacio · 2012
A middle-grade novel told in short, first-person chapters that rotate through Auggie and the people around him — earnest, warm, and quietly devastating in its case for kindness.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney · 2007
Greg's candid, wryly self-aware diary entries chronicle the small social catastrophes and petty schemes of middle school with gentle humor and accessible charm.
I Totally Funniest
James Patterson · 2015
A feel-good YA comedy about a teenager with Tourette's navigating identity and ambition through humor.
Dork Diaries Collection
Rachel Renée Russell · 2020
A breezy, doodle-filled diary romp through middle-school mortification — crushes, mean girls, and best-friend hijinks rendered in exuberant first-person with cartoons on every page.
Don't Call Me Ishmael!
Michael Gerard Bauer · 2006
A warm, school-set story about a bullied boy whose life shifts when an unexpected new classmate arrives — pitched to middle-school and younger YA readers navigating identity and self-worth.
Wink
Rob Harrell · 2019
Both explore friendship & bullying
BIG JIM BELIEVES
Dav Pilkey · 2025
A zany, joke-packed superhero comic that races through slapstick chaos and comic-panel gags while sneaking in earnest lessons about believing in yourself and trusting your friends.
Tom Gates
Liz Pichon · 2011
A doodle-strewn, diary-style romp through school holidays, sibling pranks, and garage-band dreams — quick, silly, and reliably grin-inducing for young readers.
Melissa
Alex Gino · 2015
A tender, plainspoken middle-grade story about a girl the world still sees as a boy, finding the courage — and the friend — to be seen.
Big Nate Blasts Off!
Lincoln Peirce · 2016
A rapid-fire, cartoon-illustrated romp through middle-school mayhem where Nate's overconfident narration turns a school-paper scandal into escalating comic disasters.
Out of my mind
Sharon M. Draper · 2010
An urgent, first-person voice from inside a brilliant mind trapped by a body that won't cooperate — accessible, propulsive middle-grade that lands hard emotionally without slipping into pity.
Big Nate Genius Mode
Lincoln Pierce · 2013
A breezy, cartoon-illustrated romp through middle-school study drama, played for laughs across quick vignettes.
About I Funny — what the genome says
Is I Funny a complete story or a cliffhanger?
It's a complete, standalone-satisfying story.
Who is I Funny for?
It's written for middle-grade readers (roughly ages 8-12).
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