What books are similar to A Tale Dark and Grimm?

The 10 closest matches to A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz on ReadingList include Gregor the Overlander, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Number the Stars, The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell, and Willa of the Wood. Each is scored on shared themes (fairy tales, courage, and siblings), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like A Tale Dark and Grimm reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–7), 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 Tale Dark and Grimm

If you liked A Tale Dark and Grimm, read Gregor the Overlander, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, or Number the Stars — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (Fantasy · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of fairy tales, courage, and siblings. 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Gregor the Overlandergrades 4–7: Shares themes of courage, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon →
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone880L: Shares themes of courage, both on the Charlotte Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Number the Stars670L: Shares themes of courage, both on the Charlotte Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spellgrades 3–7: Shares themes of fairy tales, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Willa of the Woodgrades 4–7: Shares themes of courage, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
A Night Dividedgrades 5–8: Shares themes of courage, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Alliesgrades 5–9: Shares themes of courage, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon →
Amal Unboundgrades 5–8: Shares themes of courage, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Amari and the Night Brothersgrades 4–7: Shares themes of courage, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
City of Ghostsgrades 4–7: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →

Books like A Tale Dark and Grimm for younger readers (K–2)

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

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of siblings, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of courage and overlapping grades (2–5).
The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Fantasy), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey · 390L — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, overlapping grades (2–5), and the same era (2010s).
Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust by Elisa Boxer · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of courage and overlapping grades (2–5).

Books like A Tale Dark and Grimm for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Giants Beware by Jorge Aguirre · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of fairy tales, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (3–5).
Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce · grades 3–6 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of fairy tales, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like A Tale Dark and Grimm for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce · grades 3–6 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of fairy tales, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like A Tale Dark and Grimm for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of courage and same genre (Fantasy).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Shares themes of courage.
I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai · 830L — Shares themes of courage and overlapping grades (6–10).
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of courage and overlapping grades (6–9).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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