What books are similar to Awkward?

The 10 closest matches to Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova on ReadingList include Crush, All's Faire in Middle School, Sunny Side Up, The Bad Guys, and A Bad Case of Stripes. Each is scored on shared themes (basic reader, middle schools, and comics & graphic novels), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–5), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Awkward reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–5), 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 Awkward

If you liked Awkward, read Crush, All's Faire in Middle School, or Sunny Side Up — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova (Graphic Novel · grades 3–5)? It’s most often read for its themes of basic reader, middle schools, and comics & graphic novels. 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 3–5 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Crushgrades 4–8: Is by Svetlana Chmakova, the same author, shares themes of middle schools, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
All's Faire in Middle Schoolgrades 4–8: Shares themes of middle schools, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Sunny Side Upgrades 3–6: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Bad Guysgrades 3–5: Both on the Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
A Bad Case of Stripesgrades 2–8: Shares themes of popularity, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Allergicgrades 4–6: Both on the Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Coralinegrades 3–5: Both on the Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Foundgrades 4–6: Both on the Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
New Kidgrades 4–8: Both on the Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Parachute Kidsgrades 3–7: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Awkward for younger readers (K–2)

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

Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2010s).
Real Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).
A Friend for Lakota: The Incredible True Story of a Wolf Who Braved Bullying by Jim Dutcher · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2010s).
Bone by Jeff Smith · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Graphic Novel) and overlapping grades (2–8).
Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Awkward for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz · grades 3–5 — Both on the Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5).
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson · grades 5–8 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2010s).
Dog Man Unleashed by Dav Pilkey · grades 3–6 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2010s).
Drama by Raina Telgemeier · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Awkward for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson · grades 5–8 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Dog Man Unleashed by Dav Pilkey · grades 3–6 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2010s).
Drama by Raina Telgemeier · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).
Eight Keys by Suzanne M. LaFleur · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of middle schools and overlapping grades (4–6).
Real Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Awkward for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and the same era (2010s).
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list and same genre (Graphic Novel).
Drama by Raina Telgemeier · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds · grades 3–10 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, overlapping grades (3–10), and the same era (2010s).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Awkward?: The 10 closest matches to Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova on ReadingList include Crush, All's Faire in Middle School, Sunny Side Up, The Bad Guys, and A Bad Case of Stripes. Each is scored on shared themes (basic reader, middle schools, and comics & graphic novels), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–5), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Awkward reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–5), 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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