Jerry Craft is known for thoughtful graphic novels for younger readers that balance humor, heart, and insight. His acclaimed book, New Kid, explores fitting in, identity, and school life through memorable characters and expressive artwork.
If you enjoy Jerry Craft, these authors are well worth exploring next:
Raina Telgemeier writes heartfelt graphic novels about family, friendship, and the awkward moments of growing up. Her inviting art style and emotionally honest storytelling make her books especially easy to connect with.
In Smile, she draws on her own middle school experiences to tell a funny, relatable story about dental mishaps, self-consciousness, and finding confidence.
Victoria Jamieson creates lively stories about perseverance, friendship, and discovering who you are. Her expressive illustrations keep the tone energetic while still making room for vulnerability and growth.
In her graphic novel Roller Girl, she captures the excitement and uncertainty of middle school through a girl who finds confidence, purpose, and resilience in roller derby.
Gene Luen Yang blends humor, strong characterization, and thought-provoking themes in graphic novels that often explore culture, identity, and belonging. His work is accessible yet layered, making it rewarding for a wide range of readers.
His graphic novel American Born Chinese examines cultural identity, the immigrant experience, and the pressure to fit in through a story that is both entertaining and deeply meaningful.
Cece Bell brings warmth, humor, and empathy to stories about friendship and overcoming obstacles. Her illustrations are playful and full of personality, which helps serious themes feel approachable for younger readers.
In her graphic memoir El Deafo, Bell shares her childhood experiences with hearing loss and the challenge of fitting in, creating a story that is funny, honest, and moving.
Svetlana Chmakova writes middle-grade graphic novels that capture the social ups and downs of school with humor and sincerity. Her characters feel believable, and their emotional struggles are handled with real care.
Her book Awkward explores friendship, self-expression, and the difficulty of navigating social situations, all through a cast of relatable students.
Ngozi Ukazu brings charm, warmth, and wit to her comics, creating stories that feel welcoming and emotionally grounded. Her popular graphic novel, Check, Please!, follows Eric Bittle, a former figure skater adjusting to life on his college hockey team.
Readers who appreciate Jerry Craft’s emphasis on belonging and personal growth will likely enjoy Ukazu’s affectionate take on friendship, pressure, and finding your place.
Gale Galligan has a bright, expressive style that works especially well for younger readers who enjoy stories about friendship, change, and growing up. Their artwork brings energy and emotion to every scene.
Her adaptation of Ann M. Martin’s popular series, like Kristy's Big Day, adds fresh visual charm and warmth to the world of The Baby-Sitters Club.
If you like the way Jerry Craft captures the everyday highs and lows of adolescence, Galligan’s lively storytelling should be a great fit.
Kayla Miller writes compassionate graphic novels about the everyday challenges kids face, with a strong focus on friendship, inclusion, and self-discovery. Her stories are gentle, realistic, and easy to relate to.
Click, one of her best-known books, follows a girl named Olive as she tries to find where she belongs among different friend groups. Fans of Jerry Craft’s sensitive understanding of childhood will find a similar appeal here.
Terri Libenson combines approachable artwork with gentle humor in stories about middle school and the quiet difficulties that often come with it. Her books are especially good at capturing insecurity, social tension, and the small moments that can feel huge at that age.
Her graphic novel Invisible Emmie thoughtfully explores what it feels like to be overlooked or misunderstood. Readers who admire Jerry Craft’s feel for school dynamics and authentic emotion will likely connect with Libenson’s work too.
Vera Brosgol brings humor, sincerity, and emotional depth to stories about identity, family, and growing up. Her writing often balances uncomfortable truths with warmth and sharp observation.
Her graphic memoir, Be Prepared, recounts her experiences at summer camp with honesty and humor, showing the awkwardness, loneliness, and growth that come with trying to belong.
For readers drawn to Jerry Craft’s themes of identity and acceptance, Brosgol offers a similarly resonant reading experience.
Lincoln Peirce is a strong choice for readers who enjoy the comic timing and school-centered energy found in Jerry Craft’s books. His stories lean more heavily into humor while still feeling grounded in kid life.
His popular series, Big Nate, follows a mischievous middle schooler as he stumbles through friendships, classroom trouble, and everyday chaos.
Shannon Hale writes engaging, emotionally perceptive stories about identity, friendship, and personal growth. Like Jerry Craft, she has a talent for making common childhood experiences feel vivid and important.
In her graphic memoir, Real Friends, Hale tells an honest story about complicated childhood friendships and the process of becoming comfortable with yourself.
LeUyen Pham is celebrated for expressive illustrations and storytelling that captures childhood with warmth and honesty. Her artwork is lively, nuanced, and full of feeling.
Working frequently with Shannon Hale, she illustrated the graphic memoir Real Friends, helping bring its story of friendship and growing up to life with charm and emotional clarity.
Kazu Kibuishi creates imaginative graphic novels filled with adventure, courage, and strong emotional stakes. His work is more fantastical than Jerry Craft’s, but it shares a similar focus on character and resilience.
Readers who enjoy relatable themes alongside compelling storytelling may appreciate Kibuishi’s series, Amulet, a fantasy adventure about siblings fighting to protect both their family and another world.
Jennifer L. Holm writes graphic novels that explore family, friendship, and the everyday struggles young readers recognize immediately. Her stories are warm, funny, and emotionally grounded.
Her graphic novel, Sunny Side Up, follows a girl sent to stay at her grandfather’s retirement community, where she begins to understand more about family relationships and herself. Readers who enjoy Jerry Craft’s blend of humor and heart should find a lot to like here.
