Here are 100 books that Pete the Cat fans have personally recommended if you like Pete the Cat. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Rachel's Holiday

Liz Foster Author Of The Good Woman's Guide to Making Better Choices

From my list on make you laugh and leave you smiling.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always loved reading and its ability to take you far away to a distant time and place and lift you up. As a kid, I never left the house without a book, and the ones that made me laugh were my go-to's. I believe the ability to make people laugh is a truly special talent, especially while making the text relatable, so the reader’s always asking, wow, what would I do in that situation? My readers often tell me that my writing sounds just like me, which is wonderful because there’s no need to pretend. You will always know what you’ll get with me!

Liz's book list on make you laugh and leave you smiling

Liz Foster Why Liz loves this book

I absolutely adored the way the narrative creates almost continual laugh-out-loud moments whilst tackling some pretty heavy themes.

Drug abuse and its effect on others is handled in a genuinely uplifting way, alongside hilarious family and relationship dynamics. I love Keyes’ ability to shine light through darkness every time.

By Marian Keyes ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Rachel's Holiday as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Here's Rachel Walsh, twenty-seven and the miserable owner of size 8 feet. She has regular congress with Luke Costello, a man who wears his leather trousers tight. And she's fond - some might say too fond - of recreational drugs. Until she finds herself being frogmarched to the Cloisters - Dublin's answer to the Betty Ford Clinic. She's outraged. Surely she's not thin enough to be an addict? Heartsick and Luke-sick, she seeks redemption in the shape of Chris, a man with a past. A man who might be more trouble than he's worth.


If you love Pete the Cat...

Book cover of Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace

Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace by Evonne Blanchard,

My books are a space adventure fantasy series for children ages 5-10. The first book in the series is Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace.

Amelia gets a present that's not a present for her birthday. It's an alien called Uglesnoo from Pluto. Crazy stuff eh! Uglesnoo’s sister…

Book cover of Money: A Suicide Note

Lee Darkin-Miller Author Of It's All About Teddy

From my list on comedy for smirks: edgy and irreverent reads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m primarily a music composer for film and TV, but I’ve also ventured into filmmaking, with one of my films being featured at an international film festival, so my journey in storytelling spans many years, and comedy has always been at its heart. Growing up, my father worked as a pit musician, which gave me exposure to the comedy acts of the time. Humor was a constant in our home, so when I started writing fiction, it felt only natural my writing would find a home in comedy.

Lee's book list on comedy for smirks: edgy and irreverent reads

Lee Darkin-Miller Why Lee loves this book

This book is an unyielding portrayal of the excesses of 1980s consumerism, hedonism, and self-destruction. Amis pulls no punches in his depiction of John Self, a 35-year-old director of TV commercials who lives a life of excess driven by his appetites—primarily for food, drugs, alcohol, sex, and, of course, money. Through John Self’s descent, the novel delivers a harsh commentary on the culture of greed and indulgence that characterized the decade.

The novel's portrayal of greed, addiction, and sexism rubbed some readers and critics the wrong way. Some saw it as too nihilistic or excessively grim in its critique of 1980s culture, where everything seemed for sale, including morality. However, in this age of trigger warnings, safe spaces, and pervasive purity spirals, I personally found its unapologetically gritty satire a breath of fresh air.

This book will appeal not only to fans of dark humor and satire but also to…

By Martin Amis , Bert Krak (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Money as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of Time's 100 best novels in the English language-by the acclaimed author of Lionel Asbo: State of England and London Fields

Part of Martin Amis's "London Trilogy," along with the novel London Fields and The Information, Money was hailed as "a sprawling, fierce, vulgar display" (The New Republic) and "exhilarating, skillful, savvy" (The Times Literary Supplement) when it made its first appearance in the mid-1980s. Amis's shocking, funny, and on-target portraits of life in the fast lane form a bold and frightening portrait of Ronald Reagan's America and Margaret Thatcher's England.

Money is the hilarious story of John Self,…


Book cover of The Magic Kingdom

Carol LaHines Author Of Someday Everything Will All Make Sense

From my list on funny books about serious subjects.

Why am I passionate about this?

For me, the most affecting stories are those that are leavened with a sardonic sensibility. Italo Calvino, one of my favorite writers, notes “th[e] particular connection between melancholy and humor,” speaking of how great writing “foregrounds [with] tiny, luminous traces that counterpoint the dark catastrophe.” I’ve always veered toward the great literary comic writers—from Cervantes to Laurence Sterne to Pynchon, with a particular reverence for Nabokov. For me, there is no greater exposition of the underbelly of love and madness than Lolita; of artistic obsession than Pale Fire.  Nabokov believed that the best writing places the reader under a spell, enchanting them with the magic of words — and I concur!

Carol's book list on funny books about serious subjects

Carol LaHines Why Carol loves this book

Eddy Bale becomes a crusader for children after the death of his own young son and decides to take a group of terminally ill children to Disneyland for a holiday. The antic hyperbolic tone of the narration is utterly at odds with the grave subject matter and the novel is as hilarious as it is heartbreaking.  

By Stanley Elkin ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Magic Kingdom as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Abandoned by his wife and devastated by the death of his twelve-year old son, Eddy Bale becomes obsessed with the plight of terminally ill children and develops a plan to provide a last hurrah dream vacation for seven children who will never grow-up. Eddy and his four dysfunctional chaperones journey to the entertainment capital of America--Disney World. Once they arrive, a series of absurdities characteristic of an Elkin novel--including a freak snowstorm and a run-in with a vengeful Mickey Mouse--transform Eddy's idealistic wish into a fantastic nightmare.


If you love James Dean...

Book cover of Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace

Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace by Evonne Blanchard,

My books are a space adventure fantasy series for children ages 5-10. The first book in the series is Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace.

Amelia gets a present that's not a present for her birthday. It's an alien called Uglesnoo from Pluto. Crazy stuff eh! Uglesnoo’s sister…

Book cover of The World According to Garp

M.P. Newman Author Of A Damn Tree

From my list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been passionate about absurdist literature since my early youth when we read Kafka’s Metamorphosis in school. Later in life, friends recommended Irving, Vonnegut, Bellow, and Boyle to me. I discovered Murakami, Mendoza, and Niven. Films like Common Wealth or The Last Circus by Spanish filmmaker Alex De La Iglesia, which are equally entertaining and thought-provoking, gave me the spark to start writing myself. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

M.P.'s book list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence

M.P. Newman Why M.P. loves this book

I read the book when things were going well for me, and I laughed at all the absurdities happening to the hero who never gave up.

Despite everything, he persevered and hung on. It taught me to appreciate my loved ones and spend more time with them, enjoying every moment, savoring it like that tiny white mint on the tip of my tongue, letting it slowly dissolve.

By John Irving ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The World According to Garp as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A masterpiece from one of the great contemporary American writers.

'A wonderful novel, full of energy and art, at once funny and heartbreaking...terrific' WASHINGTON POST

Anniversary edition with a new afterword from the author.

A worldwide bestseller since its publication, Irving's classic is filled with stories inside stories about the life and times of T. S. Garp, struggling writer and illegitimate son of Jenny Fields - an unlikely feminist heroine ahead of her time.

Beautifully written, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP is a powerfully compelling and compassionate coming-of-age novel that established John Irving as one of the most imaginative writers…


Book cover of Creepy Carrots!

Amanda Noll Author Of I Need My Monster

From my list on humorous picture books from someone who loves funny kid books.

Why am I passionate about this?

I never actually stopped reading children’s literature. Even as a grown-up, I figured out a way to read picture books every day. After earning a master’s degree in education, I found myself back in the library reading to students. I love reading funny books; they are more engaging and more likely to get kids reading and keep them reading. I love humor and think it is perfect in the shorter format of picture books. 

Amanda's book list on humorous picture books from someone who loves funny kid books

Amanda Noll Why Amanda loves this book

I love the twists and turns of this book. It’s always a favorite when I read it to children. I read it every year around Halloween, and it holds up.

It’s also a great introduction to the series written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrator by Peter Brown. They are a fantastic team!

By Aaron Reynolds , Peter Brown (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Creepy Carrots! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

In this Caldecott Honor-winning picture book, The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch as a rabbit fears his favorite treats are out to get him.

Jasper Rabbit loves carrots-especially Crackenhopper Field carrots.
He eats them on the way to school.
He eats them going to Little League.
He eats them walking home.
Until the day the carrots start following him...or are they?
Celebrated artist Peter Brown's stylish illustrations pair perfectly with Aaron Reynold's text in this hilarious picture book that shows it's all fun and games...until you get too greedy.


Book cover of Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal

Bill Burkland Author Of The Misconceived Conception of a Baby Named Jesus

From my list on books to make you laugh and also make you think.

Why am I passionate about this?

I believe that laughter is the best way into a person’s heart and also into their head. Life is beautiful, but it is also incredibly fragile. Satire and humor are effective ways to raise the level of awareness of destructive behaviors and/or controversial topics that are otherwise difficult or unpleasant to address. I think satire and humor make it easier to hold up a mirror and look critically at our own beliefs and our actions.  

Bill's book list on books to make you laugh and also make you think

Bill Burkland Why Bill loves this book

I loved the book because it went in a direction, humorously describing the teen-age years of Jesus Christ, that no book had gone before.

Not only is the storyline clever and the dialogue sharp and humorous, but it also forces you to think critically about the origin stories that are handed down through centuries and millennia.

By Christopher Moore ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Lamb as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years - except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in this divinely hilarious, yet heartfelt work 'reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams' (Philadelphia Inquirer). Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes, Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the…


Book cover of Good Grief

Maryann Ridini Spencer Author Of Lady in the Window

From my list on books that stir the soul and capture the heart.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been an avid reader and a professional writer my entire life—from writing for newspapers, magazines, and television to developing, producing, and writing award-winning projects for TV and film and writing best-selling fiction and nonfiction. My experience as a journalist, author, screenwriter, and producer has always interested me in headline news, historical subjects, and modern-day topics and issues that resonate with humanity. In doing so, I’ve consciously decided to create projects and share stories that entertain, inspire, educate, and uplift with themes that revolve around faith, family, hope, healing, forgiveness, timeless friendships, enduring romances, and the wondrous mysteries of life.

Maryann's book list on books that stir the soul and capture the heart

Maryann Ridini Spencer Why Maryann loves this book

After her husband's death, thirty-six-year-old Sophie Stanton tries to hold it together, attempting to be a graceful widow à la Jackie Kennedy. However, Sophie is a mess, and in a funny and heartwarming fashion, the book chronicles Sophie’s rise from the ashes as she struggles to pull herself out of depression and forge a new life.

Anyone who has ever lost a loved one, partner, or spouse will relate to this book and Sophie’s grappling with keeping her sanity while facing a crushing loss.

By Lolly Winston ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Good Grief as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A brilliantly funny and heartwarming debut about a young woman who stumbles, then fights to build a new life after the death of her husband. The perfect book for anyone who has ever been heartbroken, lost someone they loved, or eaten too many Oreos.

Thirty-six-year-old Sophie Stanton wants to be a good widow—a graceful, composed, Jackie Kennedy kind of widow. Alas, she's been drowning her sorrows in ice cream and showing up to work in her bunny slippers and bathrobe. Determined to start over, she moves to Ashland, Oregon, where she finds herself in the middle of a darkly madcap…


Book cover of Pig the Monster

Meredith Rusu Author Of There's a Robot in My Socks

From my list on for kids with big feelings.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a mom, like any other mom, raising two young boys with big feelings. Those feelings grow and change and adapt as they age, but they are always strong. My experience raising them has inspired me to seek out books about managing those emotions and to write my own series about finding the joy in the chaos of kids’ “big feelings.”

Meredith's book list on for kids with big feelings

Meredith Rusu Why Meredith loves this book

I love the clever rhymes and hilarious antics in the Pig the Pug books, especially this one. This Halloween-themed story is fun to read over and over again. My sons get the biggest kick out of how naughty Pig the Pug behaves when he confronts the unsuspecting grownups who cross him on Halloween night. (My favorite line might be, “It filled him with feelings that had to be vented.”)

Ultimately, the story teaches kids good manners in the cleverest way by showing how monstrous Pig’s own manners are on Halloween night and the consequences of those actions. (Spoiler alert: the ending involves an upset tummy with disastrous results!)

By Aaron Blabey ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pig the Monster as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

Pig the Pug celebrates Halloween in this picture book from #1 New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Aaron Blabey.

Pig was a pug

and I'm sorry to say,

on Halloween night

he'd get carried away...

Pig, the world's greediest pug, is on the rampage for TREATS! TREATS! TREATS! But don't even think about being stingy with the goodies, because this candy-fueled glutton has some terrible tricks up his sleeve...

Rich with author-illustrator Aaron Blabey's signature rhyming text and unforgettable illustrations, Pig the Monster is a laugh-out-loud story that follows the eight previous books in the series (Pig the Pug, Pig the…


Book cover of If You Give a Moose a Muffin

Jennifer P. Goldfinger Author Of Daisy the Daydreamer

From my list on relatable neurodiverse characters.

Why am I passionate about this?

A couple of years ago, in my late 50s, I learned I had ADHD. It was a huge discovery to finally understand why I daydreamed while being lectured and had so many thoughts racing through my mind. When I was younger, I assumed that there was a level playing field between my classmates and me when it came to basic brain function. So, I always felt extra frustrated and sad when I didn’t learn the same way as others. Only recently have I come to the new understanding about what was going on then—that my brain has always worked a little differently.


Jennifer's book list on relatable neurodiverse characters

Jennifer P. Goldfinger Why Jennifer loves this book

We all know Numeroff’s “IF” books. I love them all, but I picked the Moose book because the moose scares himself by shouting, “BOO!” But all of them have a similar message.

Whether neurodiverse or neurotypical, we are all familiar with the feeling of starting one task, which leads to another, which leads to another…etc. I remember reading this book to my kids when they were young and how it captured how I felt as an overwhelmed mom (not to mention one with undiagnosed ADHD).

Interestingly, it was written over 30 years ago during a time when ADHD wasn’t as easily diagnosed. In a way, this speaks to the ever-presence of neurodiversity, whether specifically recognized or not. 

By Laura Joffe Numeroff , Felicia Bond (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked If You Give a Moose a Muffin as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

If a big hungry moose comes to visit, you might give him a muffin to make him feel at home. If you give him a muffin, he'll want some jam to go with it. When he's eaten all your muffins, he'll want to go to the store to get some more muffin mix...

In this hilarious sequel to the beloved If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, the young host is again run ragged by a surprise guest. Young readers will delight in the comic complications that follow when a little boy entertains a gregarious moose.

The If You Give...…


Book cover of Rachel's Holiday
Book cover of Money: A Suicide Note
Book cover of The Magic Kingdom

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