I do not know exactly what to call this style of book, but I know it when I read it. Lately, I have been reading a lot of them. This new book trend is a hybrid of the diary book format and a graphic novel, and they are all over the place. It is an updated version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and I find the newer versions a little more clever. I do not anticipate any of these books winning a Newbery, but I do catch myself laughing aloud now and then.

How do I know I am reading a journal voice book?

1. The book is written in 1st person, and the speaker has a conversational “kid-speak” voice (very casual).
2. The main character is usually not a popular kid at school and has social dilemmas.
3. Most books have a graphic element to them. They include doodles and cartoon drawings in the margins and/or images that make the page look like a piece of notebook paper. They often have fun fonts.
4. The main character is often a reluctant reader or a struggling student in some way.
5. There is a lot of white space on the page, and it is easy to finish the book quickly.
6. And here is my final little observation. Almost all of the books have a male main character– especially the ones targeted at 3rd+ grade levels.

• The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda (and sequels) by Tom Angleberger
• The Great Hamster Massacre series by Katie Davies
• I Funny: a Middle School Story by James Patterson
• Other Middle School stories by James Patterson
• What the Dog Said by Randi Reisfeld
• Wonkenstein, The Creature From My Closet by Obert Skye**
• Potterwookie, The Creature From My Closet by Obert Skye **
• My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian
• My Life as a Stunt Boy by Janet Tashjian
• Justin Case School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters by Rachel Vail

Younger Readers (not past 3rd grade):

• Hailey Twitch series by Lauren Barnholdt
• Dear Dumb Diary series by Jim Benton
• Frankly, Frannie series by A.J. Stern

** My Personal Favorites