What books are similar to Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job?

The 10 closest matches to Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job by Willo Davis Roberts on ReadingList include Hostage, Don't Hurt Laurie, Zach's Lie, Henry Reed's Babysitting Service, and Jelly Belly. Each is scored on shared themes (babysitters, kidnapping, and babysitters, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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 Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job

If you liked Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, read Hostage, Don't Hurt Laurie, or Zach's Lie — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job by Willo Davis Roberts (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of babysitters, kidnapping, and babysitters, fiction. 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Hostagegrades 3–8: Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, shares themes of kidnapping, and both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list. Amazon → books like this →
Don't Hurt Lauriegrades 4–8: Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Zach's Liegrades 3–8: Shares themes of kidnapping, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Henry Reed's Babysitting Servicegrades 4–6: Shares themes of babysitters and babysitters, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Jelly Bellygrades 4–6: Both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Hooway for Wodney Watgrades K–3: Both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh890L: Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Taking Terri Muellergrades 6–8: Shares themes of kidnapping, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Boys Start the Wargrades 3–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
All About Samgrades 4–6: Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job for younger readers (K–2)

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

Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of babysitters, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly M. Robertus · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Arrowhawk by Lola M. Schaefer · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Scared Stiff by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 3–6 — Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, shares themes of kidnapping, and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 4–6 — Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Class Clown by Johanna Hurwitz · grades 3–5 — Both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge by Bill Wallace · grades 3–5 — Both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Fudge by Charlotte Towner Graeber · grades 4–6 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Scared Stiff by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 3–6 — Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, shares themes of kidnapping, and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 4–6 — Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Twisted Summer by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 6–8 — Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and overlapping grades (6–8).
Fudge by Charlotte Towner Graeber · grades 4–6 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of babysitters, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Girl, Stolen by April Henry · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of kidnapping and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli · grades 6–9 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job?: The 10 closest matches to Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job by Willo Davis Roberts on ReadingList include Hostage, Don't Hurt Laurie, Zach's Lie, Henry Reed's Babysitting Service, and Jelly Belly. Each is scored on shared themes (babysitters, kidnapping, and babysitters, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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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