What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedLooking for Alaska
Josh Schwartz · Series · 2019
If you loved Looking for Alaska, start with Looking for Alaska (John Green, 2014) — a book from the same story. Below: 3 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Looking for Alaska across media.
You were drawn to Looking for Alaska by the haunting intersection of teenage yearning, dark secrets, and the profound, life-altering experience of grief.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
Looking for Smoke
K. A. Cobell · Book · 2024
Explores: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), Grief and loss, Cultural identity.
Like Looking for Alaska, this thriller anchors its suspense in the heavy weight of loss and small-town secrets, capturing the same desperate search for truth amidst lingering personal trauma.
Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro · Book · 2005
Shares 2 threads with Looking for Alaska: Loss of Innocence, Existentialism.
This narrative mirrors the existential questioning found in Looking for Alaska, focusing on a group defined by their shared past and the inevitable confrontation with their own fragile mortality.
A Little Life
Hanya Yanagihara · Book · 2016
Explores: childhood trauma, enduring friendship, emotional endurance.
Readers captivated by the emotional intensity of Looking for Alaska will find a similar, albeit more harrowing, exploration of how childhood trauma shapes the enduring bonds between close-knit friends.
Films on the same thread
Mysterious Skin
Gregg Araki · Film · 2005
Explores: Childhood trauma, Sexual abuse, Memory and repression.
This film echoes the darker, coming-of-age undertones of Looking for Alaska, presenting a haunting character study where forgotten memories and traumatic secrets force protagonists to confront a painful reality.
Elephant
Film · 2003
Explores: High school alienation, Youth violence, Fatalism.
For those who appreciated the atmospheric tension in Looking for Alaska, this film provides a chilling look at high school alienation and the sudden, fatal disruption of ordinary student life.
The Fault in Our Stars
Josh Boone · Film · 2014
Shares 2 threads with Looking for Alaska: Existentialism, First Love.
If you enjoyed the philosophical romance of Looking for Alaska, you will recognize the same focus on terminal illness and the urgency of finding meaning in a fleeting life.
The Virgin Suicides
Sofia Coppola · Film · 2000
Explores: Adolescent angst, Lost innocence, Female Mystique.
This story captures the same sense of lost innocence and obsessive yearning that defined the friendships in Looking for Alaska, set against a backdrop of melancholy and suburban mystery.
Podcasts on the same thread
Up and Vanished
Tenderfoot TV · Podcast · 2026
Explores: missing persons, small town secrets, pursuit of truth.
Much like the investigative spirit of the characters in Looking for Alaska, this podcast drives deep into small-town secrets and the persistent, haunting nature of a cold case disappearance.
Crime Junkie
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2026
Explores: justice seeking, obsession, societal impact.
The obsession with uncovering hidden truths that propelled the plot of Looking for Alaska is mirrored here, offering a deep dive into the societal impact of unresolved mysteries.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Looking for Alaska based on a book?
Yes, the 2019 television series Looking for Alaska is an adaptation of the 2014 book of the same name. Both versions follow the same core narrative of Miles enrolling in a boarding school and navigating the tragic events that follow his friendship with Alaska.
How long is the Looking for Alaska series?
The television adaptation of Looking for Alaska, created by Josh Schwartz, was released in 2019. It covers the complete story of Miles and his friends as they experience the complexities of growing up and dealing with loss at their boarding school.
Should I read the book before watching Looking for Alaska?
You can experience the story in either order. Both the 2014 book and the 2019 television adaptation of Looking for Alaska cover the same plot, focusing on Miles, his group of friends, and the tragic turn of events that forces them to grapple with life and loss.
What is the plot of Looking for Alaska?
Looking for Alaska centers on Miles, who enrolls in a boarding school seeking adventure. He befriends a group of students led by the captivating Alaska. Their lives involve pranks and secrets until a night of celebration ends in tragedy, forcing the group to face the complexities of growing up.