Books like Arnie, the Doughnut

If you liked Arnie, the Doughnut, read No More Dead Dogs, Dog Breath, or The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller (Humor · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of humorous stories and doughnuts. 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Arnie, the Doughnut

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Why each is a match

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No More Dead Dogsgrades 2–8
Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon →
Dog Breathgrades 2–8
Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon →
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissorsgrades 2–8
Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon →
Dear Mrs. LaRuegrades 3–5
Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Double Fudgegrades 4–6
Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Knocked Out by Nunga-Nungasgrades 3–5
Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dudegrades 3–5
Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Banana Twistgrades 4–6
Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Daysgrades 4–6
Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
My Horrible Secretgrades 4–6
Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →

Books like Arnie, the Doughnut for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Scat by Carl Hiaasen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Adopted by an Owl by Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
  • Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Arnie, the Doughnut for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Piggie Pie! by Margie Palatini · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • Scat by Carl Hiaasen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • 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, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • The Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • When the Boys Ran the House by Joan Davenport Carris · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Arnie, the Doughnut for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Scat by Carl Hiaasen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • The Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • When the Boys Ran the House by Joan Davenport Carris · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8).

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

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