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Quick answer: If you loved Bone, try Amulet, Hilda, Mighty Jack, Zita the Spacegirl, The Hobbit and Nimona. Each one is a funny, epic graphic novel adventure that kids and adults both enjoy.
Jeff Smith's Bone follows three cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone, who are run out of their hometown and get lost in a mysterious valley. There they meet the brave Thorn, her tough Gran'ma Ben and a host of dragons and rat creatures, and they get caught in an ancient war. It mixes slapstick humor with an epic fantasy plot. Readers love its art, its jokes and its heart. These books share its adventure and its appeal to all ages.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amulet | Kazu Kibuishi | 8-12 | readers who want another fantasy comic |
| Hilda | Luke Pearson | 7-11 | readers who like gentle magical adventures |
| Mighty Jack | Ben Hatke | 8-12 | readers who like modern fairy tales |
| Zita the Spacegirl | Ben Hatke | 8-12 | readers who want a space adventure |
| The Hobbit | J.R.R. Tolkien | 9+ | readers who want the classic quest |
| Nimona | ND Stevenson | 12+ | readers who like funny villains |
| Wings of Fire: The Graphic Novel | Tui T. Sutherland | 8-12 | readers who love dragons |
| The Adventures of Tintin | Hergé | 8+ | readers who like classic comics |
| Asterix the Gaul | René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo | 8+ | readers who want slapstick |
| Cucumber Quest | Gigi D.G. | 9+ | readers who like comic fantasy |
| Mouse Guard | David Petersen | 10+ | readers who like animal warriors |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | Norton Juster | 8-12 | readers who like silly quests |
| Dog Man | Dav Pilkey | 6-10 | younger readers |
| The Witch Boy | Molly Knox Ostertag | 9-12 | readers who like magic and family |
| The Lord of the Rings | J.R.R. Tolkien | 12+ | older readers who want the epic |
1. Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
Two siblings enter a strange world to save their mother.
Best for: readers who want another fantasy comic.
2. Hilda by Luke Pearson
A blue-haired girl explores a world of trolls and spirits.
Best for: readers who like gentle magical adventures.
3. Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke
A boy plants magic seeds that grow dangerous creatures.
Best for: readers who like modern fairy tales.
4. Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
A girl travels to another planet to save her friend.
Best for: readers who want a space adventure.
5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
A homebody hobbit joins a quest to reclaim a dragon's treasure.
Best for: readers who want the classic quest.
6. Nimona by ND Stevenson
A shapeshifter becomes a villain's sidekick.
Best for: readers who like funny villains.
7. Wings of Fire: The Graphic Novel by Tui T. Sutherland
Young dragons try to fulfill a prophecy.
Best for: readers who love dragons.
8. The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé
A young reporter and his dog travel the world.
Best for: readers who like classic comics.
9. Asterix the Gaul by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
A village resists the Roman Empire with a magic potion.
Best for: readers who want slapstick.
10. Cucumber Quest by Gigi D.G.
A timid bunny is called to be the hero.
Best for: readers who like comic fantasy.
11. Mouse Guard by David Petersen
Mice guard their territory in a medieval world.
Best for: readers who like animal warriors.
12. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A bored boy drives into a land of wordplay.
Best for: readers who like silly quests.
13. Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
A half-dog, half-man cop fights silly villains.
Best for: younger readers.
14. The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag
A boy wants to learn witchcraft in a family where only girls do.
Best for: readers who like magic and family.
15. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Frodo carries a dangerous ring to destroy it.
Best for: older readers who want the epic.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Bone: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Bone. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For the closest match in comics, start with Amulet, then Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl. If you loved the humor, Asterix and Dog Man deliver laughs, while Nimona suits older readers. Readers who were drawn into the epic war should try The Hobbit or Mouse Guard. Hilda is perfect for younger readers who want something gentle and magical.
Related: What Age Is Bone by Jeff Smith Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bone about?
Three cousins lost in a magical valley get caught up in a war against rat creatures and an evil Lord of the Locusts.
How many Bone books are there?
The main story fills nine color volumes, also collected in a one-volume edition.
What age is Bone for?
It is popular with readers about 8 and up, and many adults love it too.
Who created Bone?
Jeff Smith, who first self-published it from 1991 to 2004.
Is Bone in color?
It was originally black and white, but Scholastic published full-color editions.