Books like 1984

Looking for books like 1984 by George Orwell (Dystopian Fiction · 1090L · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of totalitarianism, surveillance, and language and thought. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to 1984

Why each is a match

Animal Farm1170L
Shares themes of language and thought and propaganda and a close reading level (1170L vs 1090L).
Fahrenheit 451890L
Shares themes of rebellion, same genre (Dystopian Fiction), and a close reading level (890L vs 1090L).
The Handmaid's Tale750L
Shares themes of totalitarianism, same genre (Dystopian Fiction), and overlapping grades (11–12).
The Diary of a Young Girl1080L
A close reading level (1080L vs 1090L) and the same era (1940s).
Anthem880L
Same genre (Dystopian Fiction) and a close reading level (880L vs 1090L).
Brave New World870L
Same genre (Dystopian Fiction) and a close reading level (870L vs 1090L).
Antigonegrades 9–12
Shares themes of individual vs state and overlapping grades (9–12).
Pygmaliongrades 9–12
Shares themes of language and thought and overlapping grades (9–12).
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time1090L
A close reading level (1090L vs 1090L).
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave1080L
A close reading level (1080L vs 1090L).

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