Books like The Bad Guys
The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey reads as playful, humorous. These 12 books share its genome — matched by how they actually read, not just their shelf label.
What The Bad Guys is like to read
A zippy, cartoon-fast caper starring would-be heroes who can barely stop bickering long enough to rescue a kitten. Short, silly, and built for reluctant readers who want jokes on every page. Best for: middle-grade readers (and younger) who want laugh-out-loud illustrated capers with a lovable misfit crew.
Investigators
John Patrick Green · 2020
A fast, goofy graphic-novel romp with two mismatched alligator agents bumbling through a case with lots of visual gags and buddy-comedy banter.
The Next Chapter
Jeff Kinney · 2017
A breezy behind-the-scenes scrapbook of a movie shoot, packed with photos, storyboards, and cartoons — light, browsable, and pitched squarely at kid fans.
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.
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.
Grosso guaio a New York
Elisabetta Dami · 2007
A bright, breezy middle-grade mystery-adventure with the Thea Sisters chasing an arsonist through New York while cheering on a marathon — friendship-forward, low-stakes-feeling despite the threat, and briskly plotted.
Big Nate Genius Mode
Lincoln Pierce · 2013
A breezy, cartoon-illustrated romp through middle-school study drama, played for laughs across quick vignettes.
The Brilliant World of Tom Gates
Liz Pichon · 2011
An illustrated, doodle-packed romp through the daily scrapes of a distractible middle-schooler — episodic, breezy, and constantly cracking jokes at Tom's own expense.
Dork Diaries 7
Rachel Renée Russell · 2014
A breezy, doodle-filled diary romp where middle-school crises (bratty sister, mean-girl rival, will-they-kiss crush) tumble one into the next.
My brother is a superhero
David Solomons · 2015
Both explore friendship & humor
Smile
Raina Telgemeier · 2010
An earnest, episodic middle-school memoir in comics form — funny and cringey by turns, with real warmth as Raina grows past her insecurities.
The strange case of Origami Yoda
Tom Angleberger · 2010
A quick, funny middle-grade mystery told through multiple classmates' accounts of a paper Yoda puppet, with a light school-life mystery at its center.
The Last Kids on Earth
Max Brallier · 2015
A zippy, wisecracking monster-apocalypse romp built for reluctant readers — short chapters, comic-book energy, and a scrappy team of kid friends taking on the end of the world.
About The Bad Guys — what the genome says
Is The Bad Guys a complete story or a cliffhanger?
The main arc resolves, with wider series threads left open.
Who is The Bad Guys for?
It's written for middle-grade readers (roughly ages 8-12).
Find your next read by its genome
Tell Novelome one book you love — get recommendations tuned to your taste, including the ones other sites never surface.
Start free →More readalikes: Books like THE LET THEM THEORY · Books like EXTREME OWNERSHIP · Books like WINGS OF STARLIGHT · Books like DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK, EXPANDED EDITION · Books like I WILL TEACH YOU TO BE RICH, SECOND EDITION · Books like FAKE SKATING · Books like THE CREATIVE ACT · Books like IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER