The Recommended Reading Order
The Berrybrook Middle School series is best read in its publication order. While each main graphic novel shifts focus to a new protagonist, they all take place in the same school and share a recurring cast of characters. Reading them in order allows you to see the social landscape and background relationships naturally evolve.
- Awkward (2015): The perfect starting point. The story follows Penelope ‘Peppi’ Torres as she navigates the social hierarchy, a rivalry between the art and science clubs, and the art of apologizing.
- Brave (2017): This volume shifts the spotlight to Jensen Graham, a daydreamer navigating social anxiety, bullies, and the pressure of middle school projects.
- Crush (2018): Follows the gentle giant Jorge Ruiz as he experiences his first crush and navigates changing dynamics within his group of friends.
- Diary (2019): A hybrid interactive journal that contains worksheets, prompts, and three key short stories set in the Berrybrook universe.
- Enemies (2022): Focuses on Felicity as she struggles with self-doubt, a competitive spirit, and sibling rivalry during a school project.
- Fight (Upcoming - Expected Q4 2026 / Early 2027): The upcoming sixth book centers on Foster, a character originally introduced as a bully in Brave.
Exploring the Berrybrook Shorts
In addition to the main graphic novels, Svetlana Chmakova wrote three short stories. These were originally published inside the interactive Diary book in 2019, and Yen Press later released them as individual digital graphic novel shorts in 2020:
- Time Capsule (2020): Follows Peppi and Jaime as they work on a class project, touching on themes of jealousy and misunderstandings.
- The Captain's Log (2020): A fun, stylized look into Jensen’s sketchbook where he imagines himself and his classmates as a starship crew.
- New Girl (2020): Follows Maribella (who moved away in Awkward) as she adjusts to life and makes new friends in a different town.
Can These Books Be Read as Standalones?
Yes. Because each book wraps up its own main character's arc, you can pick up any of the main graphic novels and enjoy them on their own. However, reading them in order is highly recommended to appreciate the subtle background details, character crossovers, and cameos. For instance, reading Brave provides essential context for Foster before he takes center stage in the upcoming book Fight.