Liz Pichon turns the everyday chaos of childhood into comic gold with her winning mix of doodles, diary-style narration, and cheeky humor. Best known for the wildly popular Tom Gates series, she captures everything kids recognize instantly: annoying homework, embarrassing parents, school disasters, and the small victories that somehow feel enormous.
If you enjoy books by Liz Pichon, these authors are well worth adding to your reading list:
If Liz Pichon's blend of humor and relatability appeals to you, Jeff Kinney is an easy next pick. His hugely popular series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, follows Greg Heffley as he muddles his way through middle school, family life, and one awkward moment after another.
Kinney's style is direct, funny, and wonderfully observant, with plenty of jokes about friendship, sibling tensions, and school-day disasters. Like Tom Gates, Greg is far from perfect—and that's exactly what makes him so entertaining.
Readers who love Liz Pichon's diary format and comic tone should definitely try Rachel Renée Russell's Dork Diaries.
Through lively illustrations and funny journal entries, Russell chronicles Nikki Maxwell's triumphs and embarrassments as she deals with friendship, popularity, crushes, and school drama. The result is warm, witty, and easy for young readers to connect with.
If you enjoy Liz Pichon's doodles and school-based humor, Lincoln Peirce's Big Nate series is a great match.
Peirce follows Nate Wright, a confident and often chaotic sixth-grader who charges into trouble with impressive enthusiasm. School, friendships, detentions, and clashes with adults all become opportunities for sharp jokes and memorable mishaps.
His expressive cartooning and snappy dialogue give the books the same lively, kid-centered energy that makes Pichon's work so appealing.
Dav Pilkey is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy the mischievous, rebellious spirit running through Liz Pichon's books. His series, Captain Underpants, centers on George and Harold, two prank-loving friends who accidentally transform their principal into an absurd superhero.
Pilkey leans into pure comic fun with energetic illustrations, wild ideas, and nonstop silliness. Beneath the chaos, though, his stories also celebrate imagination, loyalty, and the joy of making kids laugh.
If you like Liz Pichon's mix of humor and everyday family drama, Francesca Simon's Horrid Henry is a natural recommendation.
Henry's world is packed with sibling rivalries, school frustrations, and schemes that rarely go to plan. Simon tells these stories in short, lively episodes that are easy to dip into and hard to put down.
Her writing is sharp, playful, and full of comic tension, making Henry's bad behavior both outrageous and instantly recognizable.
Andy Stanton writes wildly funny books bursting with playful language, absurd situations, and unforgettable oddballs. His stories have a gleeful sense of nonsense that many Liz Pichon fans will appreciate.
A great place to start is Stanton's You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum!, which introduces the gloriously horrible Mr Gum and the chaotic trouble he causes. It's silly, inventive, and full of lines kids will want to read aloud.
Joanna Nadin has a real talent for capturing childhood from a funny, affectionate angle. Her stories blend warmth with comic mishaps, showing how ordinary days can quickly spiral into disaster.
Readers who enjoy Liz Pichon's take on family, school, and friendship will likely love Nadin's Penny Dreadful is a Magnet for Disaster, about a well-meaning girl whose attempts to do the right thing usually end in total chaos.
Jim Smith writes hilarious stories from the perspective of kids who are usually making things worse for themselves. His illustrations are lively and expressive, giving his books a visual energy that will feel familiar to fans of Tom Gates.
His Barry Loser: I Am Not a Loser follows Barry through a string of school-time disasters, social embarrassments, and funny misunderstandings. It's a strong pick for readers who enjoy underdog characters and plenty of visual humor.
Pamela Butchart specializes in energetic stories packed with jokes, school antics, and just the right amount of ridiculousness. Her books often mix friendship, teamwork, and mystery in a way that keeps the pages turning.
Fans of Liz Pichon's playful storytelling should try Butchart's My Head Teacher is a Vampire Rat, in which a group of children become convinced their head teacher is hiding a very creepy secret.
Stephan Pastis brings dry humor, clever wordplay, and a distinctive cartoon style to his books. Readers who enjoy Liz Pichon's combination of illustrations and comic narration will find plenty to like here.
In Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made, Pastis introduces an overly confident boy detective whose investigations almost never go as planned. Timmy's total certainty in the face of obvious failure is what makes the series so funny.
Mo O'Hara is known for funny, fast-moving stories that instantly hook younger readers. Her books are imaginative, accessible, and full of lively characters, with humor rooted in both absurd ideas and recognizable emotions.
A standout example is My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish, where a boy brings his pet goldfish back to life and unleashes a series of gloriously silly adventures. It's a strong choice for kids who like their stories weird, energetic, and easy to dive into.
Raina Telgemeier writes graphic novels that feel personal, honest, and highly relatable. While her tone is often gentler than Liz Pichon's, she shares the same gift for making everyday childhood experiences feel vivid and engaging.
In Smile, Telgemeier tells a funny and heartfelt story about growing up, friendships, and dealing with braces after a dental injury. Readers who like illustrated books with emotional warmth as well as humor will find a lot to enjoy.
Terri Libenson creates thoughtful, funny stories about school, friendship, and the awkwardness of growing up. Her graphic novels have an easygoing style that draws readers in while still making room for genuine emotion.
Invisible Emmie is a particularly good choice, following two very different girls as their lives overlap in unexpected ways. It's sharp, relatable, and especially appealing to readers who like humor mixed with real-life feelings.
Jeremy Strong writes playful, accessible books filled with eccentric characters and comic mayhem. He has a knack for keeping the tone light and energetic while staying closely tuned to what young readers actually find funny.
His The Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog is a terrific choice for anyone looking for fast-paced comedy, following the chaos that comes with an unbelievably unruly dog. It's the kind of book that invites giggles from the very first chapter.
David Walliams writes stories filled with broad comedy, eccentric characters, and a surprising amount of heart. Like Liz Pichon, he understands how to balance laugh-out-loud moments with genuine affection for his young characters.
Fans of Pichon will especially enjoy Gangsta Granny, in which a boy discovers that his seemingly boring grandmother has a thrilling and completely unexpected secret life.
