What books are similar to Big Ben?

The 10 closest matches to Big Ben by David Harry Walker on ReadingList include My Dog, My Hero, Shiloh Season, Striped Ice Cream, The Good Dog, and Tornado. Each is scored on shared themes (saint bernard dog and dogs, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Big Ben reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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 Big Ben

If you liked Big Ben, read My Dog, My Hero, Shiloh Season, or Striped Ice Cream — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Big Ben by David Harry Walker (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of saint bernard dog and dogs, 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 4–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Why each is a match

Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

My Dog, My Herogrades 3–5: Shares themes of dogs, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh Seasongrades 3–6: Shares themes of dogs, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Striped Ice Creamgrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Good Doggrades 3–6: Shares themes of dogs, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Tornadogrades 3–6: Shares themes of dogs, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
All About Samgrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
All the Money in the Worldgrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Attaboy, Sam!grades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
City Spiesgrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Do Bananas Chew Gum?grades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Big Ben for younger readers (K–2)

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

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings · grades K–3 — Shares themes of dogs, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp · grades K–2 — Shares themes of dogs, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Riptide by Frances Ward Weller · grades K–3 — Shares themes of dogs, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Widget by Lyn Rossiter McFarland · grades K–3 — Shares themes of dogs, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Boy, a Dog and a Frog by Mercer Mayer · grades K–1 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1960s).

Books like Big Ben for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings · grades K–3 — Shares themes of dogs, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Riptide by Frances Ward Weller · grades K–3 — Shares themes of dogs, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Widget by Lyn Rossiter McFarland · grades K–3 — Shares themes of dogs, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Eight Keys by Suzanne M. LaFleur · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Big Ben for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Eight Keys by Suzanne M. LaFleur · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Four Eyes by Rex Ogle · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

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

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

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1960s).
A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Sudden Silence by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney · grades 9–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Big Ben?: The 10 closest matches to Big Ben by David Harry Walker on ReadingList include My Dog, My Hero, Shiloh Season, Striped Ice Cream, The Good Dog, and Tornado. Each is scored on shared themes (saint bernard dog and dogs, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Big Ben reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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.

← Back to Big Ben