If you loved
Books like Loser
A gentle, big-hearted ode to the kids who march to the beat of their own drum, blissfully oblivious to the world's judgments. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Loser.
- heartwarming
- bittersweet
- uplifting
- nostalgic
- 01
Crash
Jerry Spinelli
A punchy, fast-paced journey inside the mind of a middle-school bully who slowly learns that vulnerability takes more strength than tackling people.
- 02
Fourth Grade Rats
Jerry Spinelli
A funny, fast-paced exploration of the exhausting pressure to be cool and the ultimate relief of just being yourself.
- 03
Milkweed
Ron Rifkin · 2003
A heartbreakingly naive perspective on unimaginable tragedy, told with breathless energy and profound empathy.
- 04
Someday Angeline
Louis Sachar
A thoughtful exploration of school life and self-acceptance centered on a dynamic, gifted young girl.
- 05
Slacker
Gordon Korman
A hilarious, fast-paced romp about a dedicated couch potato who accidentally becomes a school hero.
- 06
Frindle
Andrew Clements
A clever, warm-hearted celebration of how a single spark of imagination can outgrow its creator and take on a life of its own.
- 07
Dogs don't tell jokes
Louis Sachar
A funny, tender exploration of what happens when the class clown finally decides to take himself seriously.
- 08
New Kid
Jerry Craft
A warm, funny, and sharply observant graphic novel about the awkward, everyday tightrope walk of middle school and code-switching.
- 09
Class Clown
Johanna Hurwitz · 1987
A warm, empathetic glimpse into the bustling world of a third-grade classroom and the earnest heart of a kid who just can't seem to stay out of trouble.
- 10
The Invisible Boy
Trudy Ludwig
A tender, quiet exploration of what it feels like to be overlooked, and the transformative magic of a single act of inclusion.
- 11
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney
A hilarious, highly visual survival guide to the everyday humiliations of middle school.
- 12
The janitor's boy
Andrew Clements
An earnest, grounded exploration of schoolyard embarrassment and the heavy weight of misdirected anger between a father and son.
