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Quick answer: If your son loves reading but wants something like Owl Diaries, try The Notebook of Doom, Dragon Masters, Press Start!, Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea, The Bad Guys and Dog Man. They are short, funny and illustrated chapter books.
Rebecca Elliott's Owl Diaries follows Eva Wingdale, an owl who writes about school and friends in a colorful diary. Boys can love it too, but some want more action, monsters and silly comics. These 15 books suit ages 5 to 9 and make strong first chapter-book picks.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Notebook of Doom: Rise of the Balloon Goons | Troy Cummings | 6-9 | monster fans |
| Dragon Masters: Rise of the Earth Dragon | Tracey West | 6-9 | dragon fans |
| Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! | Thomas Flintham | 6-9 | gamers |
| Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea | Ben Clanton | 5-8 | young comic fans |
| The Bad Guys | Aaron Blabey | 5-9 | reluctant readers |
| Dog Man | Dav Pilkey | 6-10 | comic fans |
| Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth | Judd Winick | 7-11 | graphic novel fans |
| Captain Underpants | Dav Pilkey | 6-10 | early readers |
| Mercy Watson to the Rescue | Kate DiCamillo | 5-8 | readers who like animals |
| Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Book! | Mo Willems | 4-8 | beginner readers |
| Frog and Toad Are Friends | Arnold Lobel | 4-8 | young readers |
| Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark | Mary Pope Osborne | 6-9 | adventure fans |
| Nate the Great | Marjorie Weinman Sharmat | 5-8 | young detectives |
| Zita the Spacegirl | Ben Hatke | 7-11 | space fans |
| The Wild Robot | Peter Brown | 7-11 | readers who like nature |
1. The Notebook of Doom: Rise of the Balloon Goons by Troy Cummings
Alexander finds a notebook about monsters and sets out to stop them. Funny and spooky.
Best for: monster fans.
2. Dragon Masters: Rise of the Earth Dragon by Tracey West
Drake becomes a Dragon Master and trains an earth dragon. Short chapters for early readers.
Best for: dragon fans.
3. Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! by Thomas Flintham
A video game hero faces a villain in a comic-style chapter book. Fast and fun.
Best for: gamers.
4. Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton
Narwhal and Jelly share silly adventures in the sea. A cheerful comic series.
Best for: young comic fans.
5. The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
A wolf, a shark, a piranha and a snake try to be good. Comic-style humor.
Best for: reluctant readers.
6. Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
A half-dog, half-man police officer fights crime in a silly comic. Perfect for reluctant readers.
Best for: comic fans.
7. Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick
A robot boy falls from the sky and befriends two kids. Funny and exciting.
Best for: graphic novel fans.
8. Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Two pranksters hypnotize their principal into a superhero. Silly and loved.
Best for: early readers.
9. Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
Mercy Watson, a pig who loves toast, saves the day. Funny and fast.
Best for: readers who like animals.
10. Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems
Elephant and Piggie discover they are in a book. Funny and interactive.
Best for: beginner readers.
11. Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Two best friends share small adventures. A classic of friendship.
Best for: young readers.
12. Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel through time. A great series for early readers.
Best for: adventure fans.
13. Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Nate solves small mysteries with his dog Sludge. Gentle and funny.
Best for: young detectives.
14. Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
Zita follows her friend through a portal to another planet. Funny and adventurous.
Best for: space fans.
15. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
A robot learns to live with animals on an island. Short, thoughtful and illustrated.
Best for: readers who like nature.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Owl Diaries: 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.
How to Choose
For monsters, start with The Notebook of Doom. For action and dragons, read Dragon Masters. For comics, choose Dog Man, The Bad Guys or Narwhal. For classic gentle stories, pick Frog and Toad. A simple plan is to let your child choose a book, read the first chapter together and see if it sticks. All of these are short enough to finish in a week. Make reading a routine: choose one book for the week, and ask your child to draw their favorite scene. Library books let you try many series without cost. For reluctant readers, graphic novels count, and they can build confidence for longer books.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What age is Owl Diaries for?
It is recommended for ages 5 to 8.
Are Owl Diaries only for girls?
No. Any child who likes animals and diaries can enjoy it.
Is Owl Diaries a Branches book?
Yes. It is part of the Scholastic Branches line for new readers.
How can I encourage boys to read?
Offer many kinds of books, such as comics and funny stories, and read together.
Are comics good for early readers?
Yes. The pictures give context clues and make reading less intimidating.
What if my son wants only one series?
Let him enjoy it, then add a second series with a similar style.