What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedIt's Kind of a Funny Story
Anna Boden · Film · 2010
If you loved It's Kind of a Funny Story, start with Takin' Over the Asylum (Donna Franceschild, 1994) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to It's Kind of a Funny Story across media.
What hooked you in It's Kind of a Funny Story was the way it navigates heavy mental health journeys through an empathetic, often humorous lens.
Books on the same thread
The Fault in Our Stars
John Green · Book · 2012
Shares a thread with It's Kind of a Funny Story: Coming-of-Age.
If you appreciated the poignant coming-of-age tone of It's Kind of a Funny Story, this story of young love and mortality offers a similarly devastating yet hopeful perspective on life.
Men Have Called Her Crazy
Anna Marie Tendler · Book
Explores: psychiatric hospitalization, identity reconstruction, emotional vulnerability.
This memoir mirrors the psychiatric hospitalization setting of It's Kind of a Funny Story, providing a raw and honest account of identity reconstruction that resonates with the same clinical vulnerability.
Fun Home
Alison Bechdel · Book · 2007
Shares a thread with It's Kind of a Funny Story: Self-Discovery.
The introspective look at family dynamics and personal development in this graphic novel echoes the self-discovery themes found in It's Kind of a Funny Story, albeit with a more complex familial focus.
Different Seasons
Stephen King · Book · 1982
Explores: Friendship, Loss of Innocence, Injustice.
While darker in tone, this collection shares the coming-of-age heart of It's Kind of a Funny Story, focusing on the profound ways that friendship and loss shape a developing psyche.
Series on the same thread
It's Okay to Not Be Okay
Park Shin-woo · Series · 2020
Explores: healing through love, emotional baggage, found family.
The bond between characters in a psychiatric setting mirrors the therapeutic community found in It's Kind of a Funny Story, proving that healing is often a collaborative and deeply emotional process.
Atypical
Robia Rashid · Series · 2017
Shares 2 threads with It's Kind of a Funny Story: Self-Discovery, Coming-of-age.
Much like the protagonist in It's Kind of a Funny Story, Sam navigates the challenges of independence and self-discovery, highlighting the often painful yet humorous reality of finding one's place in the world.
Takin' Over the Asylum
Donna Franceschild · Series · 1994
Explores: Mental Health Awareness, Outsider Perspective, Underdog Story.
This series captures the exact spirit of the psychiatric ward setting in It's Kind of a Funny Story, using humor to find humanity and connection within the constraints of a medical facility.
Sex Education
Laurie Nunn · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with It's Kind of a Funny Story: Self-Discovery.
If you enjoyed the awkward, honest teenage perspective in It's Kind of a Funny Story, this show provides a similarly candid exploration of adolescent angst, social navigation, and the process of finding oneself.
Podcasts on the same thread
A Story a Day ! Keep Your Worries Away
Podcast
Explores: Personal Growth, Inspirational Stories, Family.
These stories utilize a lighthearted, comedic approach to address personal growth and emotional well-being, reflecting the same optimistic desire for clarity found in the narrative arc of It's Kind of a Funny Story.
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
This podcast matches the dark, observational humor of It's Kind of a Funny Story by examining the complexities of human tragedy through a lens that finds irony and light in difficult situations.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is It's Kind of a Funny Story based on a true story?
The 2010 film It's Kind of a Funny Story is directed by Anna Boden and follows a clinically depressed teenager who checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward. The movie depicts his search for a new start within that specific clinical environment.
What is the premise of It's Kind of a Funny Story?
In It's Kind of a Funny Story, a teenager suffering from clinical depression decides to check himself into an adult psychiatric ward. The narrative focuses on his experiences and the personal growth he encounters while navigating his recovery in this new setting.
Who directed It's Kind of a Funny Story?
The 2010 movie It's Kind of a Funny Story was directed by Anna Boden. The film portrays the journey of a clinically depressed teenager who seeks a fresh start after admitting himself to an adult psychiatric ward for treatment.
Does It's Kind of a Funny Story feature a teenage protagonist?
Yes, the protagonist of It's Kind of a Funny Story is a clinically depressed teenager. The plot centers on his decision to check himself into an adult psychiatric ward, where he attempts to find a new start and manage his mental health.