What books are similar to A Lion is a Lion?

The 10 closest matches to A Lion is a Lion by Polly Dunbar on ReadingList include Escargot, The Monkey Goes Bananas, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates!, Rhyming Dust Bunnies, and Crash, Splash, or Moo!. Each is scored on shared themes (lion, humorous stories, and lion, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–0), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like A Lion is a Lion reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–0), 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 Lion is a Lion

If you liked A Lion is a Lion, read Escargot, The Monkey Goes Bananas, or We Don’t Eat Our Classmates! — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like A Lion is a Lion by Polly Dunbar (Humor · grades K–0)? It’s most often read for its themes of lion, humorous stories, and lion, fiction. 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 K–0 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Escargotgrades K–2: Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
The Monkey Goes Bananasgrades K–3: Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates!grades K–3: Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
Rhyming Dust Bunniesgrades K–2: Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
Crash, Splash, or Moo!grades K–3: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Even Monsters Need Haircutsgrades K–3: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
This is My Bookgrades K–3: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Bubba the Cowboy Princegrades K–3: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Buzgrades K–3: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballsgrades K–3: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like A Lion is a Lion for younger readers (K–2)

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

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Double Trouble in Walla Walla by Andrew Clements · grades K–3 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold · grades K–1 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (K–1).

Books like A Lion is a Lion for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Knocked Out by Nunga-Nungas by Louise Rennison · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Humor).
Piggie Pie! by Margie Palatini · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Humor).
Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break If You Want to Survive the School Bus by John Grandits · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).

Books like A Lion is a Lion for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Banana Twist by Florence Parry Heide · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days by Stephen Manes · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).

Books like A Lion is a Lion for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Humor).
Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and the same era (2010s).
Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and the same era (2010s).
Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and the same era (2010s).
Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to A Lion is a Lion?: The 10 closest matches to A Lion is a Lion by Polly Dunbar on ReadingList include Escargot, The Monkey Goes Bananas, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates!, Rhyming Dust Bunnies, and Crash, Splash, or Moo!. Each is scored on shared themes (lion, humorous stories, and lion, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–0), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like A Lion is a Lion reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–0), 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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