If you loved
PEN15
Anna Konkle · Series · 2019
If PEN15 resonated with you, it is because you recognize the excruciating, hilarious, and deeply vulnerable experience of navigating the social minefields of early adolescence.
Books on the same thread
Guts
Raina Telgemeier · Book · 2019
Like the protagonists in PEN15, Raina confronts the visceral physical and emotional discomfort of growing up, capturing the same authentic anxiety that defines the middle school experience.
Tina Fey: Bossypants
Tina Fey · Book · 2011
Tina Fey shares the same sharp, observant comedic DNA found in PEN15, offering a witty look at the awkward and often absurd realities of womanhood and creative ambition.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2007
This book mirrors the social hierarchy and humiliating pitfalls of PEN15, documenting the daily struggle to survive middle school while feeling like an outsider among your peers.
Guts
Raina Telgemeier · Book · 2019
Much like the raw portrayal of middle school in PEN15, this graphic memoir navigates the overwhelming anxiety of childhood with a balance of humor and genuine emotional vulnerability.
Films on the same thread
Eighth Grade
Bo Burnham · Film · 2018
Eighth Grade captures the exact digital-age isolation and social awkwardness that PEN15 explores, focusing on the painful, transformative final days of middle school through a deeply personal lens.
mid90s
Jonah Hill · Film · 2018
This film reflects the specific nostalgia and identity-seeking behavior of the early teenage years seen in PEN15, highlighting the importance of friendship when navigating a difficult home life.
Turning Red
Domee Shi · Film · 2022
Turning Red uses a fantastical metaphor to illustrate the same puberty-induced chaos and mother-daughter tension that grounded the characters and central relationships throughout the run of PEN15.
Bottoms
Emma Seligman · Film · 2023
Bottoms captures the desperate, comedic lengths that unpopular best friends will go to for social validation, echoing the intense, codependent female friendship that anchors the narrative of PEN15.
Podcasts on the same thread
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
If the dark, observational humor of PEN15 appealed to you, these comedians provide a similarly cynical and analytical perspective on the strange realities of small-town life and human behavior.
VIEWS with David Dobrik & Jason Nash
VIEWS · Podcast · 2026
The candid, anecdote-driven storytelling style of this podcast mirrors the unfiltered, laugh-out-loud honesty that made the banter between the main characters in PEN15 feel so authentic and real.