Drama
Raina Telgemeier
Like Drama Queen, this graphic novel goes backstage at a middle school musical, mixing set-building disasters, crushes and friendship drama with plenty of humor and heart.
10 books to read next
Books Like Drama Queen
If you loved Drama Queen by Lara Bergen
Drama Queen follows Charlie and her best friend Nicole as they audition for the junior high musical, and readers enjoy its light, funny look at middle school theater, friendship strain and the nerves of putting yourself out there. It moves quickly, keeps the stakes relatable, like casting lists, rivalries and backstage chaos, and stays warm-hearted. Fans usually want more stage-struck heroines, best-friend stories tested by competition, and breezy middle-grade humor about growing up.
More stage-struck middle schoolers
Better Nate Than Ever
Tim Federle
If you loved the audition nerves in Drama Queen, Nate's secret trip to try out for a Broadway musical delivers the same funny, hopeful theater-kid energy.
Friendships put to the test
Real Friends
Shannon Hale
Drama Queen's best-friend tension gets a thoughtful, honest echo in this graphic memoir about shifting friend groups and finding where you belong.
The friendship code
Stacia Deutsch
Like Charlie and Nicole, the girls here learn to work together through misunderstandings, in a quick, upbeat read about friendship and teamwork.
Funny school-life diaries
Dork Diaries
Rachel Renée Russell
Nikki's doodle-filled diary captures the same embarrassing, laugh-out-loud middle school moments and social worries that make Drama Queen so relatable.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney
Greg's misadventures, including a disastrous school play, offer the same quick pace and comic take on school life that Drama Queen fans enjoy.
Middle School
James Patterson, Christopher Tebbetts
Fast chapters and a hero who keeps stumbling into trouble give the same breezy, funny feel as Drama Queen's junior high setting.
Big dreams in the spotlight
Ballet Shoes
Noel Streatfeild
A classic for readers who loved Drama Queen's love of performing, following three sisters training for the stage with warmth and determination.
Starring Jules
Beth Ain
Jules auditioning for a commercial captures the same excited, jittery spirit as Charlie's musical tryout, in a gentle, funny chapter book.
Front Desk
Kelly Yang
A move from stage to grit, but Mia's courage chasing her dreams and standing up for friends will appeal to Drama Queen fans who love a determined heroine.
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