Eleanor & Park
Rainbow Rowell
Like Tell Me Three Things, it pairs a funny, observant narrator with a slow-burning romance that feels earned. Its two misfit teens are as tender and awkward as Jessie and her unseen confidant.
12 books to read next
Books Like Tell Me Three Things
If you loved Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
Readers who love Tell Me Three Things usually fall for its warm, funny voice and the way it balances heartbreak with humour. Jessie is grieving her mother and newly uprooted, and the anonymous email correspondent who helps her settle in gives the story its central pull. Expect a fast, conversational pace, a slow-building romantic mystery, and a sharp eye for the awkwardness of adolescence. The picks below share that mix of wit, loss, and a question you keep reading to answer.
Witty romance with a playful spark
Anna and the French Kiss
Stephanie Perkins
It captures the same mix of humour and longing, with a teen far from home at a new school. Its boarding-school setting and gradual romance will appeal to readers who enjoyed Jessie's fish-out-of-water year.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Becky Albertalli
Its story is told through emails and messages between anonymous correspondents, much like Jessie's exchanges with SN. Its warm humour and sweet, anxious romance will feel familiar to fans of the book.
Grief told with honesty and humour
The sky is everywhere
Jandy Nelson
It treats loss with the same blend of tenderness and wry humour found in Tell Me Three Things. Its grieving narrator is vivid and emotionally perceptive, and the story is full of music and messy feelings.
It's Kind of a Funny Story
Ned Vizzini
Like Jessie's story, it follows a teenager struggling under heavy emotional weight while still finding moments of real comedy. Its candid, self-deprecating voice suits readers who value honesty over sentiment.
Holding Up the Universe
Jennifer Niven
It shares the earlier book's interest in teenagers who feel out of place and are trying to find their footing. Its alternating voices and tender romance offer the emotional warmth fans of Tell Me Three Things enjoyed.
A mystery that keeps you turning pages
Paper Towns
John Green
It is built around a search for a missing person, and the question of who someone really is drives the plot much as SN's identity does. Its witty, teenage narration will suit readers who want the same blend of mystery and heart.
We Were Liars
E. Lockhart
It is a compelling young adult mystery with a strong emotional core, and it rewards readers who like a story that keeps shifting beneath them. Fans of the earlier book's suspense and urge to keep reading will find it gripping.
Words on Bathroom Walls
Julia Walton
A teenager at a new school forms a secret connection with an unseen person, a setup that echoes Jessie's relationship with SN. Its warmth, humour and questions about trust will appeal to readers who loved the book.
More heart, more coming of age
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Told through letters to an anonymous friend, it shares the intimate, confessional tone that makes Tell Me Three Things so personal. Its look at loss and finding one's place makes it a natural next read.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Jenny Han
It offers a lighter, sweetly funny romance with a tender family undercurrent, much like the book's comedic moments. Readers who enjoyed the playful romance in Tell Me Three Things will find it easy and comforting.
Dumplin'
Julie Murphy
It has the same funny, big-hearted teen voice and a story about a young woman learning to stand up for herself in an unfamiliar setting. Its humour and warmth will appeal to readers who loved Jessie's sharp narration.
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