Head-to-head
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School vs Brawl of the Wild
Both are comedies for ages 7-11 that boys especially love, but Wimpy Kid is illustrated prose chapters while Dog Man is a graphic novel with more visual humor.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School
by Jeff Kinney
The ultimate reluctant-reader magnet disguised as a diary about surviving life without Wi-Fi
Brawl of the Wild
by Dav Pilkey
Hilarious graphic novel with surprising emotional depth about responsibility and belonging
Score comparison
| Score | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School | Brawl of the Wild | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kid Score | 68 | 77 | Brawl of the Wild (+9) |
| Parent Score | 55 | 62 | Brawl of the Wild (+7) |
| Teacher Score | 56 | 65 | Brawl of the Wild (+9) |
✓ Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School — perfect for
- •Kids ages eight to twelve who love humor-driven stories with illustrations on every page. Especially effective for reluctant readers who resist traditional chapter books but will devour a diary-format story that feels more like reading a friend's notebook than doing homework.
✓ Brawl of the Wild — perfect for
- •Reluctant readers
- •graphic novel lovers
- •ages 7-10
- •comedy fans
- •readers who love character-driven stories
Our take
There's no universal winner here — the right pick depends on who's reading. Brawl of the Wild scores higher with kids (77 vs 68) — better if your goal is "my kid actually wants to read it."
Still not sure? Take the 2-minute SPARK quiz — we'll pick the one that fits your specific kid's reading personality.
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