Books like A Single Shard

Looking for books like A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade) · 920L · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of perseverance, art, and mentorship. 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 5–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to A Single Shard

Why each is a match

Mr. Popper's Penguins910L
Shares themes of determination and a close reading level (910L vs 920L).
The Old Man and the Sea940L
Shares themes of perseverance and a close reading level (940L vs 920L).
Bud, Not Buddy950L
Shares themes of perseverance and a close reading level (950L vs 920L).
Dragonwings870L
Shares themes of perseverance and a close reading level (870L vs 920L).
The House on Mango Street870L
Shares themes of poverty and a close reading level (870L vs 920L).
The Witch of Blackbird Pond850L
Same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)) and a close reading level (850L vs 920L).
Chains780L
Same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)), a close reading level (780L vs 920L), and the same era (2000s).
Island of the Blue Dolphins1000L
Same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)) and a close reading level (1000L vs 920L).
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian600L
Shares themes of poverty and overlapping grades (7–10).
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L
A close reading level (950L vs 920L) and the same era (2000s).

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