Families who loved Dance Disaster by Jason Platt often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your middle-schooler is feeling the weight of rapid social changes, whether it is the anxiety of a first school dance or the shock of seeing a parent enter a new relationship. This hilarious graphic novel follows Newell as he navigates the 'catastrophe' of his seventh-grade social circle shifting and the ultimate awkwardness of his dad dating his math teacher. While the humor is high energy and full of slapstick fun, the story deeply validates the very real fear kids have about their friend groups drifting apart. It is a perfect choice for 8 to 12-year-olds who enjoy Wimpy Kid style humor but are ready for a story that gently addresses the complexities of single-parent households and the transition into early adolescence.