What books are similar to A Tale of Two Cities?

The 10 closest matches to A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens on ReadingList include Great Expectations, Allies, The Scarlet Letter, Jane Eyre, and The Hunger Games. Each is scored on shared themes (revolution, sacrifice, and resurrection), 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 Tale of Two Cities 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 Tale of Two Cities

If you liked A Tale of Two Cities, read Great Expectations, Allies, or The Scarlet Letter — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (Historical Fiction · 1170L · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of revolution, sacrifice, and resurrection. 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.

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Why each is a match

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Great Expectations1150L: Is by Charles Dickens, the same author, shares themes of class, and both on the AP English Literature & Composition list. Amazon → books like this →
Alliesgrades 5–9: Shares themes of sacrifice, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Scarlet Letter1420L: Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (1420L vs 1170L). Amazon → books like this →
Jane Eyre890L: Shares themes of class, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (10–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Hunger Games810L: Shares themes of sacrifice, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Book Thief730L: Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (8–11). Amazon → books like this →
A Streetcar Named Desiregrades 11–12: Shares themes of class, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list, and overlapping grades (11–12). Amazon → books like this →
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhoodgrades 9–12: Shares themes of revolution, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list, and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Animal Farm1170L: Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list) and a close reading level (1170L vs 1170L). Amazon → books like this →
Frankenstein1170L: Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list) and a close reading level (1170L vs 1170L). Amazon → books like this →

Books like A Tale of Two Cities for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis · 950L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (950L vs 1170L).
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson · 810L — Shares themes of class and both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list.
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia · 750L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner · 550L — Shares themes of sacrifice and both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis · 1000L — Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (1000L vs 1170L).

Books like A Tale of Two Cities for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis · 950L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (950L vs 1170L).
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor · 920L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (920L vs 1170L).
Dragonwings by Laurence Yep · 870L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson · 810L — Shares themes of class and both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list.
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia · 750L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list and same genre (Historical Fiction).

Books like A Tale of Two Cities for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Odyssey by Homer · 1130L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list and a close reading level (1130L vs 1170L).
The Call of the Wild by Jack London · 1120L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list and a close reading level (1120L vs 1170L).
A Separate Peace by John Knowles · 1110L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list and a close reading level (1110L vs 1170L).
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen · 1100L — Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list) and a close reading level (1100L vs 1170L).
My Ántonia by Willa Cather · 1010L — Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (1010L vs 1170L).

Common questions

What books are similar to A Tale of Two Cities?: The 10 closest matches to A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens on ReadingList include Great Expectations, Allies, The Scarlet Letter, Jane Eyre, and The Hunger Games. Each is scored on shared themes (revolution, sacrifice, and resurrection), 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 Tale of Two Cities 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 2026-08-11. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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