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If you loved
Books like Blubber
An unflinching, sharply observed dive into the casual cruelty of childhood and the terrifying fragility of schoolyard social standing. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Blubber.
- uncomfortable
- tense
- claustrophobic
- schoolyard-anxious
- 01
Freckle Juice
Judy Blume · 1971
A brisk, hilarious slice of elementary school life that perfectly captures the desperate, gullible lengths children will go to change their appearance.
- 02
Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade
Barthe DeClements · 1981
A raw, honest look at the cruelty of the classroom that slowly thaws into a story of unexpected solidarity and grace.
- 03
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
Judy Blume · 1984
A hilarious, exasperated dispatch from the frontlines of sibling rivalry and the everyday injustices of growing up.
- 04
The earth, my butt, and other big, round things
Carolyn Mackler
A funny, fiercely honest journey of a girl learning to stop shrinking and start taking up the space she deserves.
- 05
Dumplin'
Julie Murphy
A big-hearted, Dolly Parton-fueled anthem about taking up space and finding the courage to be unapologetically yourself.
- 06
Girls under pressure (Girls #2)
Jacqueline Wilson · 1998
A fiercely honest, chatty dive into the agonizing mirror-checks and intense friendships of early adolescence.
- 07
Seventeen and in Between
Barthe DeClements · 1984
An earnest, nostalgic journey through the messy intersection of lingering childhood insecurities and the complicated dawn of young adulthood.
- 08
Stand tall, Molly Lou Melon
Patty Lovell · 1994
A joyful, chest-puffing celebration of owning exactly who you are, quirks and all.
- 09
First Day Jitters
Julie Danneberg · 2000
A clever, comforting embrace of a story that validates the universal dread of starting over before delivering a delightful, tension-breaking twist.
- 10
By the time you read this, I'll be dead
Julie Anne Peters
A raw, unflinching look into the mind of a girl at the edge of her endurance, anchored by the fragile hope of unexpected human connection.
- 11
Amber Brown Goes Fourth
Paula Danziger
A funny, deeply empathetic snapshot of growing up and finding your footing when everything around you is changing.
- 12
Gooney Bird Greene
Lois Lowry · 2002
A joyful, classroom-bright celebration of storytelling and unapologetic individuality.
