What books are similar to A Bad Case of Stripes?

The 10 closest matches to A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon on ReadingList include No David!, Good Boy, Fergus, The Great Fuzz Frenzy, The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, and Buz. Each is scored on shared themes (individuality, popularity, and ficción juvenil), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like A Bad Case of Stripes reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.

How does ReadingList choose similar books?

Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Books like A Bad Case of Stripes

If you liked A Bad Case of Stripes, read No David!, Good Boy, Fergus, or The Great Fuzz Frenzy — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon (Humor · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of individuality, popularity, and ficción juvenil. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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No David!grades K–3: Is by David Shannon, the same author, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
Good Boy, Fergusgrades K–2: Is by David Shannon, the same author, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →
The Great Fuzz Frenzygrades K–3: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissorsgrades 2–8: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Buzgrades K–3: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Dog Breathgrades 2–8: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Martha Speaksgrades K–3: Shares themes of ficción juvenil, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Piggie Pie!grades 3–5: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Swamp Angelgrades 3–6: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Tacky the Penguingrades K–3: Shares themes of individuality, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like A Bad Case of Stripes for younger readers (K–2)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.

The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugenios Trivizas · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Best Frints in the Whole Universe by Antoinette Portis · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like A Bad Case of Stripes for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

The Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman · grades 4–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6).
The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of ficción juvenil, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugenios Trivizas · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of popularity, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (3–5).

Books like A Bad Case of Stripes for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

The Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman · grades 4–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6).
The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of ficción juvenil, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Double Fudge by Judy Blume · grades 4–6 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Frindle by Andrew Clements · 830L — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–7), and the same era (1990s).

Books like A Bad Case of Stripes for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds · grades 3–10 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–10).
Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (8–12).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (6–9).
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell · grades 4–9 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–9).
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list).

Common questions

What books are similar to A Bad Case of Stripes?: The 10 closest matches to A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon on ReadingList include No David!, Good Boy, Fergus, The Great Fuzz Frenzy, The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, and Buz. Each is scored on shared themes (individuality, popularity, and ficción juvenil), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like A Bad Case of Stripes reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.
How does ReadingList choose similar books?: Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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