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Quick answer: If you loved Nothing to See Here, read Kevin Wilson's The Family Fang and Perfect Little World, then Where'd You Go, Bernadette, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and A Man Called Ove. All are quirky, big-hearted novels about odd families and unlikely caregivers.
Kevin Wilson's 2019 novel follows Lillian, a woman with little direction who is hired to look after two children who burst into flames when they are upset. It is funny, strange and moving. The books below offer similar mixes of weird premises, warm characters and emotional depth.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Family Fang | Kevin Wilson | Adult | more Wilson |
| Perfect Little World | Kevin Wilson | Adult | experimental family |
| Where'd You Go, Bernadette | Maria Semple | Adult | quirky mother |
| Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine | Gail Honeyman | Adult | healing loneliness |
| A Man Called Ove | Fredrik Backman | Adult | grumpy hearts |
| Anxious People | Fredrik Backman | Adult | humour and heart |
| The Rosie Project | Graeme Simsion | Adult | romantic comedy |
| The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry | Gabrielle Zevin | Adult | bookshop heart |
| Convenience Store Woman | Sayaka Murata | Adult | work and alienation |
| The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry | Rachel Joyce | Adult | gentle journey |
| Fleishman Is in Trouble | Taffy Brodesser-Akner | Adult | modern marriage |
| Pizza Girl | Jean Kyoung Frazier | Adult | restless young woman |
| Bunny | Mona Awad | Adult | surreal campus horror |
| The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared | Jonas Jonasson | Adult | comic adventure |
| Olive Kitteridge | Elizabeth Strout | Adult | linked stories |
1. The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson
Two adult children return home after a childhood in their parents' performance art. Funny, sad and original.
Best for: more Wilson.
2. Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson
A young woman joins a social experiment to raise children together. Warm and offbeat.
Best for: experimental family.
3. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
A teenager searches for her mother, who has disappeared before a family trip. Funny and unusual.
Best for: quirky mother.
4. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A socially awkward woman slowly opens up. Sad, funny and deeply human.
Best for: healing loneliness.
5. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A cranky widower finds friendship and purpose despite himself. Funny and moving.
Best for: grumpy hearts.
6. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
A failed bank robbery turns into a hostage situation at an apartment viewing. Warm and quirky.
Best for: humour and heart.
7. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A genetics professor designs a questionnaire to find a wife. Light and charming.
Best for: romantic comedy.
8. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A grumpy bookseller finds a baby in his shop. Warm and bookish.
Best for: bookshop heart.
9. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
A woman who works in a convenience store resists social pressure. Short and strange.
Best for: work and alienation.
10. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
A retired man walks across England to deliver a letter. Quiet and moving.
Best for: gentle journey.
11. Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
A divorced doctor is left with his children, and the story shifts to a surprising point of view. Sharp and honest.
Best for: modern marriage.
12. Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier
A pregnant pizza delivery girl becomes obsessed with a customer. Funny and tender.
Best for: restless young woman.
13. Bunny by Mona Awad
A student is drawn into a clique of friends who call each other Bunny. Weird and funny.
Best for: surreal campus horror.
14. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
A man escapes his nursing home and stumbles into adventure. Silly and charming.
Best for: comic adventure.
15. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Linked stories about a prickly retired teacher in a small Maine town. Pulitzer-winning.
Best for: linked stories.
How to Choose
For more Wilson begin with The Family Fang or Perfect Little World. For quirky families pick Where'd You Go, Bernadette or Anxious People. For lonely, healing stories read Eleanor Oliphant or A Man Called Ove. For lighter comedy try The Rosie Project. For stranger novels read Bunny or Convenience Store Woman. Nothing to See Here is short and funny, so these picks suit readers who like warmth with their weirdness. Wilson's novel was adapted for television, but the book is worth reading first for its voice. It also works well as an audiobook. If you liked the mix of strange and sweet, Kevin Wilson's other books will feel familiar. If you liked the caregiving theme, Eleanor Oliphant and A Man Called Ove show similar unlikely friendships. If you liked the humour, The Rosie Project and Anxious People are quick. Audiobooks suit Wilson's dry storytelling voice.
Related: 15 Books Like All the Light We Cannot See You’ll Love · All the Light We Cannot See Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nothing to See Here about?
A young woman cares for twins who catch fire when they are agitated.
Who wrote it?
Kevin Wilson.
When was it published?
2019.
Is it funny?
Yes, with real heart.
Is it a fantasy?
It has a fantastical premise but is mostly a character-driven novel.
Is it a short read?
About 250 pages.
Is there a TV series?
Yes, an Amazon series. Check current listings.
What should I read next?
Try The Family Fang.
Is Nothing to See Here a good book club pick?
Yes. It raises questions about parenting, class and what we owe other people's children.
Is the ending hopeful?
Yes, it is moving and warm.