So you read Jennifer Chambliss Bertman’s popular book (or the whole series) and loved it — now you’re on the hunt for books like Book Scavenger? Welcome! Recommending readalikes can be a tricky process, but I enjoy the process of finding similar threads running through even books that appear different on the surface. Today’s pick is Jennifer Chambliss Bertman’s Book Scavenger, a much-loved middle grade series about an exciting scavenger hunt with an engaging mystery!
Books Like … Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Today’s pick is Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid, a much-loved funny graphic novel series about a middle schooler who illustrates his life in a notebook-style diary. The first book in the series has also been adapted into a movie!
10 Books Like… Mercy Watson
Today’s pick is a much-loved chapter book series about a lovable pig and the humans who love her. With easy-to-read text for beginning readers, full-color illustrations on each page, and a funny animal protagonist, this series is a joy to read.
8 Books Like XOXO by Axie Oh
Today’s pick is Axie Oh’s recent YA novel, XOXO. The book is the story of cello prodigy Jenny and the strange boy she meets in the US, who happens to be a K-Pop star as she discovers on a visit to Seoul, South Korea.
Books Like… Louisiana’s Way Home
Today’s pick is Kate DiCamillo’s Louisiana’s Way Home, a bestselling book about a girl who is forced to leave town — and leave behind her two best friends — with her grandmother. Louisiana also has the voice of an angel and it quickly becomes apparent that her grandmother can barely care for her. Eventually, she has to make her way home. I recommend 7 books for fans of Louisiana’s Way Home.
9 Books Like… Front Desk
Today’s pick is Kelly Yang’s Front Desk, a bestselling book about an immigrant Chinese girl who often mans the front desk at the motel where her parents work. Mia is also passionate about writing and achieves several seemingly impossible goals throughout the story.
8 Books Like… The Night Diary
Today’s pick is Veera Hiranandani’s The Night Diary, a moving book about the Indian partition and a girl dealing with the grief of her mother’s death when she was a baby. The story is told through Nisha’s letters to her mother.
Books Like… To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
For this post, I’ve chosen teen female protagonists with big hearts, messy lives, mostly supportive families, foodie and somewhat bookish tendencies. You’ll also find fake dating and enemies-to-lovers tropes and one or two love triangles. If you or your kids loved this book, here are more books like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
10 Books Like… Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Recommending readalikes can be a tricky process, but as I said in the first post in this series, I enjoy the process of finding similar threads running through even books that appear different on the surface. Today’s pick is Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby, Age 8, which is part of the Ramona series. I loved this book, and the movie adaptation of Ramona and Beezus, with Joey King and Selena Gomez (which was my introduction to the series).
8 Books Like… Homegoing
Recommending readalikes can be a tricky process, but as I said in the first post in this series, I enjoy the process of finding similar threads running through even books that appear different on the surface. Today’s pick is Yaa Gyasi’s sweeping debut novel about two sisters separated by events during the African slave trade and the ripple effects throughout their families spanning over several decades.
7 Books Like The One and Only Ivan
Today’s pick is a popular (and loved) book about a gorilla, that is also now a movie. If you love middle-grade books about animals, you’ll likely enjoy the books on this list. If you or your kids loved this book, here are more books like The One and Only Ivan.
8 Books Like More to the Story by Hena Khan
Today’s pick is Hena Khan’s most recent middle-grade book More to the Story, a retelling of the beloved Little Women. I’ve never read Little Women, but I adored this book, which was one of my best books in 2019. Sisters Jameela, Bisma, Maryam and Aleeza are distraught when their father has to move abroad for work — and then one of the sisters falls ill. This is a truly heartwarming, feel-good book featuring a Pakistani-American Muslim family.
If you or your kids loved this book, here are more books like More to the Story.