What books are similar to A Door Near Here?

The 10 closest matches to A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles on ReadingList include Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, If You Come Softly, Jumping the Nail, Just Like Martin, and Night Hoops. Each is scored on shared themes (alcoholics, alcoholism, and brothers and sisters), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like A Door Near Here reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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 Door Near Here

If you liked A Door Near Here, read Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, If You Come Softly, or Jumping the Nail — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles (Realistic Fiction · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of alcoholics, alcoholism, and brothers and sisters. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Why each is a match

Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soulgrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
If You Come Softlygrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Jumping the Nailgrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Just Like Martingrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Night Hoopsgrades 6–9: Shares themes of divorce, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Tears of A Tigergrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
The China Gardengrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Dash & Lily’s Book of Daresgrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Izzy, Willy-Nillygrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Learning to Swear in Americagrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like A Door Near Here for younger readers (K–2)

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

Beware of Boys by Tony Blundell · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
Copycat by Ruth Brown · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
Red Racer by Audrey Wood · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
Again by Emily Gravett · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Are You a Cheeseburger? by Monica Arnaldo · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like A Door Near Here for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Summer of Riley by Eve Bunting · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of divorce, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Lemonade War by Davies, Jacqueline · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Drive-By by Lynne Ewing · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Loch by Paul Zindel · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
All About Sam by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like A Door Near Here for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

A Family Apart by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Lemonade War by Davies, Jacqueline · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Drive-By by Lynne Ewing · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Loch by Paul Zindel · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
All About Sam by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like A Door Near Here for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Say Goodnight, Gracie by Julie Reece Deaver · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
The Face at the Edge of the World by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
The House Next Door by Richie Tankersley Cusick · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).

Common questions

What books are similar to A Door Near Here?: The 10 closest matches to A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles on ReadingList include Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, If You Come Softly, Jumping the Nail, Just Like Martin, and Night Hoops. Each is scored on shared themes (alcoholics, alcoholism, and brothers and sisters), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like A Door Near Here reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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.

← Back to A Door Near Here