If you loved
Eighth Grade
Bo Burnham · Film · 2018
You loved Eighth Grade for the way it captures the excruciating, raw vulnerability of navigating adolescence and the search for belonging.
Books on the same thread
Guts
Raina Telgemeier · Book · 2019
Much like Eighth Grade, this memoir mirrors the internal struggle of adolescent anxiety. You will recognize the same quiet courage required to face personal fears during the turbulent middle school years.
Guts
Raina Telgemeier · Book · 2019
This story echoes the visceral discomfort of growing up seen in Eighth Grade. It highlights the intersection of physical health and mental distress that defines the fragile middle school experience.
Ramona
Beverly Cleary · Book · 1955
If you valued the authentic depiction of school life in Eighth Grade, you will appreciate how this classic explores the universal pressures and family dynamics inherent to the growing up process.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2007
This book captures the same social hierarchy anxieties that Kayla faces in Eighth Grade. It turns the terrifying, unpredictable landscape of middle school into a relatable journey of survival.
Series on the same thread
I Am Not Okay with This
Christy Hall · Series · 2020
This series amplifies the teen angst found in Eighth Grade with a supernatural edge. It perfectly captures the messy, overwhelming feeling of trying to navigate identity while everything feels impossible.
Never Have I Ever
Mindy Kaling · Series · 2020
If you connected with the self-discovery arc in Eighth Grade, you will find this show to be a natural follow-up, tackling the complexities of high school status and personal identity.
Love, Victor
Elizabeth Berger · Series · 2020
This show shares the poignant, coming-of-age spirit of Eighth Grade. It centers on the difficult process of self-discovery and the pressure to fit into a new social environment during adolescence.
PEN15
Anna Konkle · Series · 2019
This show is the spiritual successor to the cringe-inducing realism of Eighth Grade. It captures the specific, painful awkwardness of being thirteen with a sharp, nostalgic, and deeply honest lens.
Podcasts on the same thread
Worklife with Molly Graham
TED · Podcast · 2026
While this focuses on adulthood, the core themes of emotional intelligence and self-doubt mirror the internal monologue that Kayla experiences throughout the entirety of Eighth Grade.
IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson
Podcast
If the family dynamics in Eighth Grade resonated with you, this podcast provides a similar, candid space for exploring personal dilemmas and the messy realities of human relationships.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Eighth Grade about the start of high school?
Eighth Grade focuses on the final week of middle school for a thirteen-year-old protagonist. While the story concludes as she prepares for the transition, the film does not depict her actual experiences once she begins high school.
What is the premise of Eighth Grade?
The film follows a thirteen-year-old girl named Kayla as she navigates the challenges of contemporary suburban life. The narrative centers on her final week of middle school, capturing the difficulties of her eighth grade year before she moves on to high school.
Does Eighth Grade cover the entire middle school experience?
No, Eighth Grade does not cover the entire middle school experience. The film is specifically set during the final week of the protagonist's eighth grade year, documenting her struggles and social environment during that brief, concluding period of her middle school life.
Is Eighth Grade a story about a student finishing middle school?
Yes, Eighth Grade is a story about a thirteen-year-old girl enduring the end of her middle school years. The film documents the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence she faces during the final week of her eighth grade year.