If your child has raced through every Diary of a Wimpy Kid and is asking, "What should I read next?", you're not alone. Diary-style books have become a favourite with children aged 5–12 because they combine laugh-out-loud humour, relatable characters and illustrations that make reading feel fun rather than like homework.

The good news is there are plenty of brilliant books that capture the same magic while introducing young readers to new characters and adventures.

One of the best things about diary-style books is that they often encourage children who don't think they enjoy reading. The combination of cartoons, handwritten text and realistic situations helps build confidence while making reading genuinely entertaining.

When choosing the next book,focus less on whether it's marketed for boys or girls and more on your child'sinterests. Whether they enjoy school stories, fantasy, animals, sport or sillyhumour, there's a diary-style series to match.

Once children discover a new favourite character, they often find themselves reading book after book—and that's exactly how lifelong readers are made. Don’t forget to encourage them to create their own diary or journal, too. It’s a great way to flex their creative muscles while focusing on mindfulness and wellbeing.

Here, Team Jenny Many gives our pick of the best diary-style reads to keep your child engrossed and engaged.

‍

Younger Readers Aged 5–7

·     Unicorn Diaries by Rebecca Elliott

·     The Accidental Diary of B.U.G. by Jen Carney

·     The Secret Diary of Kitty Cask, Smuggler’s Daughter by Philip Ardagh

·     Clarice Bean: Utterly Me by Lauren Child

·     Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine

·     The UnbelievableTop Secret Diary of Pig by Emer Stamp

‍

Readers Aged 8 – 12

·     The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon

·     The Extremely Embarassing Diary of Lottie Brooks

·     Barry Loser by Jim Smith

·     The Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce

·     Dork Diaries by Rachel Rene Russell

·     Glow Up Lara Bloom by Dee Benson

·     Diary of a Big, Bad Wolf by Ben Miller

·     Hercules: Diary of a Sort Of Hero by Tom Vaughan

·     Maddy Yip’s Guide to Life by Sue Cheung

·     This is not the Diary of Izzy Dobson by Abigail Balge

·     Diary of an Accidental Witch by Honor Cargill

·     The Offline Diaries by Yomi Adegoke

Tweens and Beyond

·     Lila McKay is Completely Misunderstood by Gill Simms

·     Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time-traveller by Amelia Tait

·     I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

·     SPUD by John Van der Ruit

·     Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari

·     Finn’s Epic Fails by Phil Earle

·     The Overthinkers Club by Nat Luurtsema

·     The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend

·     The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank

‍