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Quick answer: If your child loves The Last Kids on Earth, try The Zombie Chasers, Dragonbreath, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Dog Man and The Terrible Two. They share funny narrators, doodles and monster-sized adventures.
Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate's series follows Jack Sullivan, a 13-year-old who survives a monster apocalypse with his friends in a tricked-out treehouse. It has big laughs, silly monsters and plenty of pictures. Kids who love it want more illustrated, funny and fast books. These 15 books suit ages 7 to 12.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Zombie Chasers | John Kloepfer | 8-12 | zombie fans |
| Dragonbreath | Ursula Vernon | 7-10 | reluctant readers |
| Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Jeff Kinney | 8-12 | fans of doodles |
| Big Nate: In a Class by Himself | Lincoln Peirce | 8-12 | comic fans |
| Dog Man | Dav Pilkey | 6-10 | younger comic fans |
| The Terrible Two | Mac Barnett and Jory John | 8-12 | prank lovers |
| Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House | R.L. Stine | 8-12 | scary-story fans |
| Bunnicula | Deborah and James Howe | 7-11 | younger readers |
| Captain Underpants: The Adventures of Captain Underpants | Dav Pilkey | 6-10 | early readers |
| Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich | Adam Rex | 8-12 | poetry skeptics |
| Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth | Judd Winick | 7-11 | graphic novel fans |
| Amulet: The Stonekeeper | Kazu Kibuishi | 8-12 | fantasy comic fans |
| Zita the Spacegirl | Ben Hatke | 7-11 | readers who like space adventure |
| Nightbooks | J.A. White | 8-12 | spooky-story fans |
| Tom Gates: The Brilliant World of Tom Gates | Liz Pichon | 7-11 | Wimpy Kid fans |
1. The Zombie Chasers by John Kloepfer
Zack and his friends fight zombies in their small town. Funny, gross and quick.
Best for: zombie fans.
2. Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon
Danny Dragonbreath, who cannot breathe fire, goes on a quest with his friend Wendell. Comic panels and humor.
Best for: reluctant readers.
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Greg Heffley records his middle school life with doodles. The classic funny diary.
Best for: fans of doodles.
4. Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce
Nate Wright believes he is destined for greatness, but school disagrees. Comic-style humor.
Best for: comic fans.
5. Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
A half-dog, half-man police officer fights crime in a silly comic. Perfect for reluctant readers.
Best for: younger comic fans.
6. The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John
Two pranksters at a school try to outdo each other. Smart, silly and illustrated.
Best for: prank lovers.
7. Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House by R.L. Stine
A family moves to a strange town with secrets. Classic spooky fun with cliffhangers.
Best for: scary-story fans.
8. Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe
A dog and cat suspect the new pet rabbit is a vampire. Funny and gentle.
Best for: younger readers.
9. Captain Underpants: The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Two pranksters hypnotize their principal into a superhero. Silly and loved.
Best for: early readers.
10. Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex
Poems about monsters in everyday life. Funny and well illustrated.
Best for: poetry skeptics.
11. 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.
12. Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi
Emily and Navin enter a world of robots and monsters. Beautiful art and strong pacing.
Best for: fantasy comic fans.
13. Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
Zita follows her friend through a portal to another planet. Funny and adventurous.
Best for: readers who like space adventure.
14. Nightbooks by J.A. White
Alex is trapped by a witch and must tell scary stories to survive. Spooky and clever.
Best for: spooky-story fans.
15. Tom Gates: The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon
Tom Gates writes and doodles about school, friends and bands. A British favorite.
Best for: Wimpy Kid fans.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Last Kids on Earth: 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 monster fun, read The Zombie Chasers or Goosebumps. For doodle-filled humor, choose Wimpy Kid, Big Nate or Tom Gates. For graphic novels, try Dog Man, Amulet or Hilo. For gentle spooky stories, pick Bunnicula or Nightbooks. Most of these books are great for reluctant readers. A quick reading plan: start with the funniest (Wimpy Kid or Tom Gates), then a monster pick (The Zombie Chasers), and end with a graphic novel (Hilo or Amulet). Kids who finish the series often enjoy drawing their own monsters or building treehouses, so try pairing the books with a craft day.
Related: The Last Thing He Told Me Ending Explained · The Last Thing He Told Me Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes)
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is The Last Kids on Earth for?
It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
Is there a Netflix series?
Yes. The animated series is based on the books.
How many books are in the series?
There are more than ten books, plus graphic novel and activity titles.
Is it scary?
It has monsters, but the tone is silly and fast, so most kids find it fun.
Are there other books by Max Brallier?
Yes. He also writes The Last Kids on Earth spin-offs and the Galactic Hot Dogs series.
Is the series good for reluctant readers?
Yes. The illustrations, short chapters and humor make it very approachable.