endearingly grumpy old people and their found families
books whose main characters are older and disillusioned with life and go on a little adventure that melts their hearts (and heals yours)
created by seema
last updated May, 2026
Comments
Any of the witches Discworld books would fit, especially lords and ladies by Terry Pratchett because both elderly witches find boyfriends there. đ„č (However it cannot be read without reading previous witches books)
seemaOP
Is anyone here watching A Man on the Inside? It's got the same vibes as these books!
Omg 95% on rotten tomatoes! Going to watch right now đ
seemaOP
I'd say the only thing it's missing is grumpiness from the MC but fear not there is definitely grumpiness amongst some of the other characters
I loved the show!!!!
Yes!! Loved it - canât wait for the new season!
im watching it right now!!!
I will watch anything with Ted Danson and by Mike Schur
OMG TOTALLY!!! i binged it not long ago and it was such a lovely show. very excited for the second season because it's so nice and lighthearted <3
Remarkably Bright Creatures was one of my favorites reads of 2023
I loveee this book, the audiobook version is also so good!
Yes, totally agree! I was sceptical about it when starting but Marcellus has my heart!
I just read How to Age Disgracefully and it embodies the name of this list!
seemaOP
Oooh I haven't heard of that, this list is for fiction but it's good to know there are actually nonfiction options on the same topic!
Itâs actually fiction! A very cozy read that takes place in the UK and follows a rag tag group of older folks!
Wait, who is it by? I think I must have looked up the wrong book!!
Itâs by Clare Pooley!
I highly recommend The Borrowed Life of Fredrik Fife by Anna Johnston đ
seemaOP
Wait I'm obsessed by the fact he's stepping in for a grump, what a twist! This is a perfect suggestion for this list
My partner loves these types of books, and another favorite of his is The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. It's a fun, ridiculous sort of read - he definitely goes on an adventure!
Iâd recommend âWelcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshopâ for this vibe as well!
I love this haha, I feel like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches would fit if you're interested!
seemaOP
I looove that book and it definitely has the found family aspect, but I think Mika doesn't quite fit the old+grumpy bill for this particular list. Appreciate the rec though and definitely let me know if you come across any others!!
True true I was thinking of all the adults in the book not just Mika haha
Under the Whispering Door was one of my favorite books last year!
Have you read House in the Cerulean Sea? I read that one first and felt like Whispering Door was so similar that I didnât end up enjoying it as much as I had hoped :( just curious if anyone has had the opposite experience starting with Whispering Door and finding Cerulean Sea to not hit the spot đ€Ł
Interesting! I read Under the Whispering Door first and loved it. I didnât enjoy House in the Cerlulean Sea quite as much.
My going theory is that his books have such a similar vibe that what ever a person reads first will be their favorite! But donât have quite enough samples to confirm yet
I think Brit marie was here by Fredrik backman would fit this list!
seemaOP
That looks so good and I adored a man called Ove, added!!
Vera Wong was sooo good! I appreciated that I could get mad at Vera without starting to dislike her - just like a real friend.
seemaOP
I love that one so much! The sequel didn't hit quite as well, but the first will be a forever favorite
I agree with this. I got a bit bored with the sequel and paused it.
Do the old people in question have to be grumpy to qualify? Or can they be just old and sweet?
seemaOP
Ideally both old and grumpy :) I'd hear an old and sweet pitch if there is grumpiness somewhere else hahaha
Eddie Winston is looking for love He is a sweet 90yo man. But he has a young goth sidekick, who can be grumpy at times. And thereâs also a guineapig that bites when heâs picked up, which I suppose is quite grumpy. You donât have to add it if you donât feel like it fits. I just have been thinking about your old people list throughout the entire read.
Iâd also add How to Age Disgracefully or Iona Iversonâs Rules for Commuting (both bby Clare Pooley) to fit this genre!
seemaOP
Added both!!! The more the merrier when it comes to grumpy old folks
I'm reading The Last List of Mabel Beaumont right now, and it totally fits this vibe!
The Housekeeper and the Professor by YĆko Ogawa would be perfect for this list. What do you think?
seemaOP
I haven't read it but I'll take your word for it! Added!
I would definitely add The Elegance of the Hedgehog to this list! :)
seemaOP
This looks perfect, thank you!!
you could look into How to Read A Book by monica wood! itâs three person POV & itâs a retired teacher who has a book club at a womanâs prison, a retired factory worker, & a woman in the prison. wholesome found family & second chances book!
seemaOP
Omg, I already had this on my TBR and didn't even realize it !
Submitting The Road to Tender Hearts for Consideration đ«Ą Thereâs a grumpy old man, a cross country roadtrip, a (literal) found family , and most importantly a cute cat đ â€ïž
seemaOP
PERFECT thank you
Recently discovered The Thursday Murder Club, and LOVING it. This is such a cute list idea!
seemaOP
Ahhh I'm glad you like it, I haven't read that one just yet, it comes so highly recommended but the show didn't quite jive with me đŹ Have you watched?
I actually decided to skip the adaptation and go straight for the books because everyone I knew who loved the books was very disappointed by the Netflix adaptation. Apparently they made quite a few changes for the worst. So I can't speak to the adaptation, but that's why I ended up passing it. The books are very snappy reads with quick wit, multi-layered murder/crime mystery vibes, lots of humour and lots of heart. For me, a great combo!
The book just has a really big cast of characters with a lot going on for each of them (in the plot and emotionally) so I didnât really go into the movie expecting them to nail it (they definitely didnât) but I think itâs a good time in its own right! Just not really a toooon of overlap with the book other than the broad strokes and character names đ€·đœââïž
I know that she doesn't actually fit the criteria, but special shout out to El from Naomi Novak's Scholomance Series.
Endearingly grumpy [teenager, with the air and attitude of an] old person with their found family. â€ïž
seemaOP
Hahaha yes but alas, she found her family too early in life to qualify. Suffer longer next time girl!
Love this list! Cant wait to read the ones I haven yet
seemaOP
Hahaha me too honestly, so many good recommendations from other folks!
it's not so much a recommendation because I haven't read it myself (it's on my TBR, tho), but I think Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy might fit in here.
seemaOP
This sounds perfect!!
Veronica and her penguins will forever be in my heart đ§đ
No judgment, but my bookclubs have chosen so many of these that I'm trying to never read another one, so this'll be a list to avoid for me!
seemaOP
HAHAHA maybe I need to join your bookclub
The Secret Collector by Abigail Johnson would probably fit here đ
seemaOP
Looks perfect!!! Thank you!!
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi would fit this list perfectly. I won't say they all are old but they are oldER characters and definitely grumps.
seemaOP
Okay older and grumpy I will take!! Thanks!
i think one of the characters in cascade failure (and the second book gravity lost) would fall into this category for sure!
seemaOP
This list is intended to capture books where that is the primary focus of the story, would you say that's the case for cascade failure or is it more a side character?
itâs like a found family story with 5 POVs (one is this character) but itâs clear from all POVs that this character is kind of a caring grumpâif that makes sense?
seemaOP
Okay cool thanks for clarifying! I'm sure this is a lovely book, I think the old grump being only 1/5 MCs makes it just a smidge outside the focus of this list đ«¶
If you like this style, you will love Blue Sky Joe by Marie-Renée Lavoie, it's French Canadian and set in Québec city in the 1980-1990's
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