What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedCheaper by the Dozen
Shawn Levy · Film · 2003
If you loved Cheaper by the Dozen, start with Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (Adam Shankman, 2005) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Cheaper by the Dozen across media.
What hooked you in Cheaper by the Dozen was the chaotic, endearing friction of navigating life within a large, unconventional family.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Cheaper by the Dozen 2
Adam Shankman · Film · 2005
Books on the same thread
A Year Down Yonder
Richard Peck · Book · 2002
Explores: Grandmother-Grandchild Relationship, Small Town Life, Great Depression.
Just as the Baker brood finds humor in their domestic upheaval, you will appreciate how this story captures the specific, humorous drama of growing up within a unique family unit.
Get Shorty
Elmore Leonard · Book · 1990
Explores: Fish-out-of-water, Hollywood satire, Mobster in Hollywood.
Much like the fish-out-of-water transition in Cheaper by the Dozen, this narrative centers on a protagonist thrust into a completely new environment, forcing them to adapt to sudden changes.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2014
Shares a thread with Cheaper by the Dozen: Sibling Rivalry.
If the sibling rivalry and chaotic travel energy of Cheaper by the Dozen resonated with you, this road trip disaster provides a similarly hilarious look at family-wide travel stress.
Little House on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder · Book · 1932
Explores: Family Life, Pioneer Life, Self-Sufficiency.
The resilience shown by the Baker kids in Cheaper by the Dozen finds a historical parallel here, focusing on the way a family relies on one another during major transitions.
Series on the same thread
Modern Family
Steven Levitan · Series · 2009
Shares a thread with Cheaper by the Dozen: Family Comedy.
This show mirrors the large-scale family dynamics of Cheaper by the Dozen, offering a hilarious, honest, and multi-generational look at the messy, warm, and complicated nature of modern parenting.
Schitt's Creek
Eugene Levy · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with Cheaper by the Dozen: Family dynamics.
Like the Bakers forced to relocate in Cheaper by the Dozen, the Rose family must navigate a sudden, jarring shift in their lives, leading to humorous fish-out-of-water family dynamics.
Arrested Development
Mitchell Hurwitz · Series · 2003
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Wealth and Privilege, Family Business.
The central struggle to keep a large, dysfunctional unit together mirrors the parental challenges seen in Cheaper by the Dozen, albeit with a sharper, darker comedic edge regarding wealth.
Shameless
Paul Abbott · Series · 2011
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Poverty, Resilience.
While darker than Cheaper by the Dozen, this series captures a similar spirit of industrious siblings relying on each other when their parent is largely absent from their daily lives.
Podcasts on the same thread
boomer and zoomer
Podcast
Shares a thread with Cheaper by the Dozen: family dynamics.
If you enjoyed the intergenerational connections in Cheaper by the Dozen, this podcast offers a candid, real-world exploration of the evolving relationship between a father and his adult daughter.
This American Life
This American Life · Podcast · 2026
Explores: The human condition, Personal narrative, Social observation.
The way Cheaper by the Dozen balances heart with humor is echoed in these personal narratives, which capture the messy, surprising, and often funny reality of the human condition.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I watch the Cheaper by the Dozen movies in?
You should start with the 2003 film Cheaper by the Dozen, which introduces the Baker family and their move to Chicago. After that, you can continue the story by watching the sequel, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, released in 2005.
Is Cheaper by the Dozen 2 a direct continuation of the 2003 movie?
Yes, Cheaper by the Dozen 2 serves as a follow-up to the 2003 film. It continues the experiences of the Baker family after they have already navigated the initial transition and challenges of moving to Chicago for Tom's coaching job at Northwestern University.
How long after the first Cheaper by the Dozen was the sequel released?
The sequel, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, was released in 2005. This was two years after the original Cheaper by the Dozen film debuted in 2003, which depicted the family's move to Chicago and the subsequent mischief caused by the twelve children.
Should I watch the original Cheaper by the Dozen before the sequel?
Watching the 2003 version of Cheaper by the Dozen first is recommended. This film establishes the premise of the Baker family and their move to Chicago, providing the necessary context for the characters and their dynamics before you proceed to Cheaper by the Dozen 2.