10 books like The Accidental Billionaire

By Tom McLaughlin,

Here are 10 books that authors have personally recommended if you like The Accidental Billionaire. Shepherd is a community of 8,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Danger Is Everywhere

By David O'Doherty, Chris Judge (illustrator),

Book cover of Danger Is Everywhere

Emily Snape Author Of Fergus the Furball

From the list on reluctant readers aged 7-11.

Who am I?

My sons were both reluctant readers and that made me want to write books that they wouldn’t be able to resist reading! Reading should be a pleasure and this list is packed with books that are impossible to put down. They are perfect for young, reluctant readers, as they are not trying to be too serious or worthy or overwhelming with too much text. They pull you in and hook you from the start and you can’t help being moved by the characters as they grow and develop, fostering a love of books and fiction. I love comedy in books, but funny books also have to have heart, believable characters, and a great plot that keeps you reading till the very end.

Emily's book list on reluctant readers aged 7-11

Discover why each book is one of Emily's favorite books.

Why did Emily love this book?

This book is totally hilarious! It’s really pacy, utterly wacky, and laugh-out-loud silly. The pages are packed with lots of funny illustrations so none of the text seems overwhelming or goes on too long. It’s a handbook on how to avoid danger, written by Dr. Noel Zone, the greatest (and only) "dangerologist" in the world, and covers sneaky snakes posing as toothbrushes, sharks hiding in toilets, to robots disguised as kindly grandmas. My son, a reluctant reader first listened to the audiobook- which is narrated fantastically (we were in fits of giggles listening to it in the car), and then he happily and quickly read the second two books in the series. I think audiobooks are a fantastic way to get kids hooked on new characters and discover new authors.

Danger Is Everywhere

By David O'Doherty, Chris Judge (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Danger Is Everywhere as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets The Dangerous Book for Boys, DANGER IS EVERYWHERE is a brilliantly funny handbook for avoiding danger of all kinds that will have everyone from reluctant readers to bookworms laughing out loud (very safely) from start to finish.

DOES IT WARN YOU ABOUT WHAT TO DO IF A SHARK COMES UP OUT OF THE LOO WHILE YOU ARE SITTING ON IT?
Yes it does.

AND HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOUR GRANNY IS A ROBOT?
That too.

AND WHAT TO DO IF A VOLCANO ERUPTS UNDERNEATH YOUR HOUSE?
After you've made sure it's not a…


Head Kid

By David Baddiel, Steven Lenton (illustrator),

Book cover of Head Kid

Emily Snape Author Of Fergus the Furball

From the list on reluctant readers aged 7-11.

Who am I?

My sons were both reluctant readers and that made me want to write books that they wouldn’t be able to resist reading! Reading should be a pleasure and this list is packed with books that are impossible to put down. They are perfect for young, reluctant readers, as they are not trying to be too serious or worthy or overwhelming with too much text. They pull you in and hook you from the start and you can’t help being moved by the characters as they grow and develop, fostering a love of books and fiction. I love comedy in books, but funny books also have to have heart, believable characters, and a great plot that keeps you reading till the very end.

Emily's book list on reluctant readers aged 7-11

Discover why each book is one of Emily's favorite books.

Why did Emily love this book?

This book made me first want to write for 7 to 11-year-olds! It is really easy to get into and the characters are fun, believable, and have heart. Baddiel’s books are all set in the real world of school and normal life but with a fantastical twist. In this story, the naughtiest boy in school accidentally swaps bodies with the very strict headteacher, and they both learn a lot about themselves while having chaotic, madcap adventures along the way.

Head Kid

By David Baddiel, Steven Lenton (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Head Kid as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the million-copy bestselling author of THE PARENT AGENCY and BIRTHDAY BOY comes a wildly entertaining wish-fulfilment adventure that asks the question: what would happen if the strictest head teacher swapped bodies with the naughtiest kid in school?

Strictest head naughtiest boy = chaos.

Bracket Wood is about to be visited by the school inspectors. But there's one big problem: Ryan Ward.

The maestro of practical jokes, Ryan has played so many tricks that in the end the Head Teacher just walks out. And then the new Head Teacher, Mr Carter, arrives. A man so strict even the teachers are…


Cosmic

By Frank Cottrell Boyce,

Book cover of Cosmic

Emily Snape Author Of Fergus the Furball

From the list on reluctant readers aged 7-11.

Who am I?

My sons were both reluctant readers and that made me want to write books that they wouldn’t be able to resist reading! Reading should be a pleasure and this list is packed with books that are impossible to put down. They are perfect for young, reluctant readers, as they are not trying to be too serious or worthy or overwhelming with too much text. They pull you in and hook you from the start and you can’t help being moved by the characters as they grow and develop, fostering a love of books and fiction. I love comedy in books, but funny books also have to have heart, believable characters, and a great plot that keeps you reading till the very end.

Emily's book list on reluctant readers aged 7-11

Discover why each book is one of Emily's favorite books.

Why did Emily love this book?

I love all of Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s books. They are funny and clever and the stories are full of twists and loveable characters. This book hooks you from the start and takes you on an adventure you would never have expected. It will make you laugh out loud and bite your nails with worry and you won’t want to stop reading till the end! The story follows the life of Liam, an extraordinarily tall boy, who with one small lie, ends up being launched into space in an ice cream van.

Cosmic

By Frank Cottrell Boyce,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cosmic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Liam has always had trouble keeping his feet on the ground. Being 239,000 miles from earth doesn't make it any easier.


Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the Badness of Badgers

By John Dougherty, Sam Ricks (illustrator),

Book cover of Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the Badness of Badgers

Emily Snape Author Of Fergus the Furball

From the list on reluctant readers aged 7-11.

Who am I?

My sons were both reluctant readers and that made me want to write books that they wouldn’t be able to resist reading! Reading should be a pleasure and this list is packed with books that are impossible to put down. They are perfect for young, reluctant readers, as they are not trying to be too serious or worthy or overwhelming with too much text. They pull you in and hook you from the start and you can’t help being moved by the characters as they grow and develop, fostering a love of books and fiction. I love comedy in books, but funny books also have to have heart, believable characters, and a great plot that keeps you reading till the very end.

Emily's book list on reluctant readers aged 7-11

Discover why each book is one of Emily's favorite books.

Why did Emily love this book?

This hilarious series is totally bonkers but full of sibling love and loyalty. The writing is witty and surprising, and a great fantastical read. The intrepid heroes are brother and sister, Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and we follow them as they set off on a nail-biting but very silly adventure. I love books about sibling relationships as children seem to spend SO much time bickering with their brothers and sisters and I think books can be a great way to remind them how awesome their sibling really is and how lucky they are to have a brother or sister to love them!

Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the Badness of Badgers

By John Dougherty, Sam Ricks (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the Badness of Badgers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the Great Kerfuffle
Best Book of Last Tuesday

Hey you! No, not you - the person behind you. No, not him either. Left a bit, left a bit more . . . You! Oh for goodness sake . . . never mind . . .

Dear Everyone (including you!)!

Welcome to the world of Great Kerfuffle!

It's really great. And there's usually a kerfuffle (the clue's in the name really).

Come and join our intrepid heroes Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face as they set off on a highly dangerous and nail-biting adventure (or it may just be very silly and…


The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

By Lilian Jackson Braun,

Book cover of The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

Susan Corso Author Of Legally Bond

From the list on mysteries for exceptionally quirky female sleuths.

Who am I?

My mom always wanted to write mysteries, so I learned to read them from her. It’s the puzzle part of a mystery that pulls me. Cozies, world travelers, no matter, just not thrillers, no real menace. The mysteries, like every other book I read, need to be character-based, and the quirkier, the better. I prefer women sleuths as I write one. It doesn’t matter if they’re amateurs or professionals. Again, character. Who is this person becoming through her cases? How is she different, better, wiser, because of them? Who does she serve, help, heal? I do jigsaw puzzles for meditation. Got puzzle? Bring it. Except math.

Susan's book list on mysteries for exceptionally quirky female sleuths

Discover why each book is one of Susan's favorite books.

Why did Susan love this book?

On the surface, the sleuth in this series would seem to be mustachioed Jim Qwilleran, newspaperman, who, when he inherits a boatload of money with a condition, moves to Moose County—400 miles north of everywhere. Two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, in tow. It might seem that his male feline, Koko, is the sleuth; he’s the more vocal of the two. But when all’s said and done, no matter if he’s writing his weekly column, The Qwill Pen, acting in a community theatre production, or patronizing local artists, when it comes right down to it, Yum Yum, his little girl Siamese, is always the one who inadvertently points him in the direction of the miscreant. Clever girl.

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

By Lilian Jackson Braun,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Cat Who Could Read Backwards as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The world of modern art is a mystery to many. But for Jim Qwilleran it turns into a mystery of another sort when his assignment to cover the art beat for the Daily Fluxion leads down the path to murder. A stabbing in an art gallery, vandalised paintings, a fatal fall from a scaffolding - this is not at all what Qwilleran expects when he turns his reporting talents to art. But now Qwilleran and his newly found partner, Koko the brilliant Siamese, are in their element - sniffing out clues and confounding criminals intent on mayhem and murder.


I Am a Cat (Bilingual)

By Soseki Natsume,

Book cover of I Am a Cat (Bilingual)

Gwen Cooper Author Of Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat

From the list on with cats as characters.

Who am I?

Gwen Cooper is the New York Times bestselling author of the memoirs Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat, as well as the novel Love Saves the Day (narrated from a rescue cat's perspective) and The Book of PAWSOME: Head Bonks, Raspy Tongues, and 101 Reasons Why Cats Make Us So, So Happy--among numerous other titles. The first book in her forthcoming "Homer Whodunit" Cozy Mystery Series, You Only Live Nine Times, will be released in Summer 2022. Gwen's work has been published in more than two-dozen languages, and she is a frequent speaker at shelter fundraisers across the U.S. and Europe.

Gwen's book list on with cats as characters

Discover why each book is one of Gwen's favorite books.

Why did Gwen love this book?

The original, and still unsurpassed! First published in Japan in 1906, this gleeful skewering of the foibles of Japan’s upper-middle-class during the Meiji era—told in first-person narration from the perspective of an eminently observant and sardonic housecat—manages to feel fresh and modern more than 100 years later and reads like something that could have been published last week. When I first set about writing my own novel from a cat’s perspective, Love Saves the Day, this was the first book I turned to for inspiration. It was so good, it almost left me too intimidated to write mine. Almost.

I Am a Cat (Bilingual)

By Soseki Natsume,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Am a Cat (Bilingual) as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"A nonchalant string of anecdotes and wisecracks, told by a fellow who doesn't have a name, and has never caught a mouse, and isn't much good for anything except watching human beings in action..." -The New Yorker

Written from 1904 through 1906, Soseki Natsume's comic masterpiece, I Am a Cat, satirizes the foolishness of upper-middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji era. With acerbic wit and sardonic perspective, it follows the whimsical adventures of a world-weary stray kitten who comments on the follies and foibles of the people around him.

A classic of Japanese literature, I Am a Cat is one…


Cats in Medieval Manuscripts

By Kathleen Walker-Meikle,

Book cover of Cats in Medieval Manuscripts

Celia Haddon Author Of Being Your Cat: What's really going on in your feline's mind

From the list on cat lovers and cat rescuers.

Who am I?

I adore cats and am anxious to improve their welfare. Late in life, I took a second degree and a masters in animal behaviour to learn more about feline welfare. People are now researching cats’ needs and discovering more about their welfare. I passionately want to get the message out there to ordinary cat lovers. Purrlease, the more you learn about cats, the more your cats will benefit. 

Celia's book list on cat lovers and cat rescuers

Discover why each book is one of Celia's favorite books.

Why did Celia love this book?

Although this book seems quite different from my other choices, there is a serious message among the fun.

In between the glorious medieval cat pictures, the author tells us what past writers thought about cats. When I read how cats were misjudged and ill-treated in the past, I feel better about the present. So, I read this book to cheer myself up when I am feeling gloomy about cat welfare.

And the pictures are a joy too.

Cats in Medieval Manuscripts

By Kathleen Walker-Meikle,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cats in Medieval Manuscripts as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Cats were illustrated in medieval manuscripts throughout the Middle Ages, often in exquisite detail and frequently accompanied by their natural prey, mice. Medieval cats were viewed as treasured pets, as fearsome mousers, as canny characters in fables, as associates of the Devil and as magical creatures. Featuring an array of fascinating illustrations from the British Library's rich medieval collection, Cats in Medieval Manuscripts includes anecdotes about cats - both real and imaginary - to provide a fascinating picture of the life of the cat and its relationship with humans in the medieval world.


What's Michael?

By Makoto Kobayashi, Toren Smith (translator), Dana Lewis (translator)

Book cover of What's Michael?: Fatcat Collection Volume 1

Abby Denson Author Of Kitty Sweet Tooth

From the list on cat-themed graphic novels and manga.

Who am I?

I’m a cartoonist who often features cat characters in my books, including Cool Japan Guide, Cool Tokyo Guide, Dolltopia, and Kitty Sweet Tooth. As a life-long cat-lover, I enjoy drawing and writing about my beloved feline friends. I’m also an avid reader of manga and frequent visitor to Japan, where I studied in my college days, so I particularly love reading manga featuring cats and collecting Maneki Neko lucky cat figures as well. I hope you enjoy these books and consider adopting a cat!

Abby's book list on cat-themed graphic novels and manga

Discover why each book is one of Abby's favorite books.

Why did Abby love this book?

This is a fantastic collection featuring humorous stories all centering around an orange cat named Michael and his interactions with different humans and animals. The humor is absurd and zany, and lampoons the behavior of cats and humans alike! I’m really happy to see that these Fatcat Collections are being released. All ages can enjoy this one, as the humor works for adult and child audiences.

What's Michael?

By Makoto Kobayashi, Toren Smith (translator), Dana Lewis (translator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What's Michael? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

True-to-life daily cat scenarios and off-the-walls crazy feline fantasies combine in this epic manga collection. Makoto Kobayashi's hilarious New York Library Award and Parents' Choice Award Winning Series returns in a set of oversized collections.

What's Michael? FatCat Collection Volume 1 contains the out-of-print original What's Michael? Volumes 1 to 6. Over 500 pages of tumultuous fun, including the out-of-print volumes Michael's Album, Living Together, Off the Deep End, A Hard Day's Life, Michael's Favorite Spot, and Michael's Mambo.


Kat Kong

By Dav Pilkey,

Book cover of Kat Kong

Steve Patschke Author Of Don't Look At It! Don't Touch It!

From the list on funny picture reads kids will sit still for.

Who am I?

Steve Patschke is a retired elementary school library media teacher of over thirty years, now living in Woodstock, N.Y. In November of 2022, his essay appeared in The New York Times' “Tiny Love Stories.” In February of 2023, his essay appeared in Chicken Soup For The Soul: Cat Lovers Edition. He has published six children’s picture books. His most recent is Don’t Look At It, Don’t Touch It. Steve’s rendition of the classic Nutcracker and the Mouse King will be published as a pop-up book through Templar books in the fall of 2023.

Steve's book list on funny picture reads kids will sit still for

Discover why each book is one of Steve's favorite books.

Why did Steve love this book?

Dev Pilkey is another New York Times best-selling children’s book author that I highly recommend for funny picture books that children will sit still for.

His Captain Underpants series is read worldwide and even earned its main character a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

As a children’s Librarian this is another sure shot book I loved to pull from my shelf if ever I needed an emergency read or as a recommendation for parents looking for a book to interest boys who were more interested in action stories.

This book is a follow-up to Pilkey’s Dogzilla. In both books Pilkey’s humor is a parody. In Dogzilla he uses photos (which is always a novel idea) superimposed on illustrations. Dogzilla acts like Godzillia combating mice.

In Cat Kong the cat is a parody of King Kong and battles the same mice for control of mouse-opolis.

This book is…

Kat Kong

By Dav Pilkey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Kat Kong as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Kat Kong is a funny picture book from the genius mind of Dav Pilkey—creator of laugh-out-loud kid favorites including Captain Underpants and Dog Man.

When the fearsome Kat Kong wreaks havoc on the rodent citizens of Mousopolis (all played by Pilkey's own pets in mixed-media photographic illustrations) someone must halt the massive meowing menace before it's too late!

But is anyone clever enough to halt this massive meowing menace?

For kids not quite ready to enter the chapter book world, Kat Kong is a winner. This silly spoof of King Kong has all of the zany cat-and-mouse action you'd expect…


A Man and His Cat

By Umi Sakurai,

Book cover of A Man and His Cat

Abby Denson Author Of Kitty Sweet Tooth

From the list on cat-themed graphic novels and manga.

Who am I?

I’m a cartoonist who often features cat characters in my books, including Cool Japan Guide, Cool Tokyo Guide, Dolltopia, and Kitty Sweet Tooth. As a life-long cat-lover, I enjoy drawing and writing about my beloved feline friends. I’m also an avid reader of manga and frequent visitor to Japan, where I studied in my college days, so I particularly love reading manga featuring cats and collecting Maneki Neko lucky cat figures as well. I hope you enjoy these books and consider adopting a cat!

Abby's book list on cat-themed graphic novels and manga

Discover why each book is one of Abby's favorite books.

Why did Abby love this book?

This heart-melting story of an unusual-looking cat and the widower who adopts him will bring happy tears to the eyes of any animal-lover. Fukumaru is a cat who isn’t conventionally cute, and worries he’ll never be adopted. When an older gentleman takes him home, they begin a new life together, introducing love and laughter into their days. An uplifting story, but make sure to have tissues handy when reading this!

A Man and His Cat

By Umi Sakurai,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Man and His Cat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The top manga launch in Japan in the first half of 2018, A Man and His Cat was also voted one of the top ten manga of 2018 by Japanese bookstore employees nationwide. Having won hearts and topped charts in Japan, this hotly anticipated series about an older gentleman and his unique, adorable cat is available in English for the first time!

In the pet shop he calls home, a chubby, homely cat whiles away the hours listening to coos of delight from potential pet parents...but he knows it's not him they're fussing over. Even as his price drops with…


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