Books like Bink & Gollie

If you liked Bink & Gollie, read El Deafo, Fish in a Tree, or Million-Dollar Throw — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo (Sports Fiction · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of humorous stories, adventure and adventurers, and friendship. 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 Bink & Gollie

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Why each is a match

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El Deafo420L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Fish in a Tree550L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Million-Dollar Throwgrades 5–8
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Sports Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
New Kidgrades 4–8
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Out of My Mind700L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Real Friendsgrades 2–8
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
The Apothecarygrades 2–8
Shares themes of adventure and adventurers, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
The Indian in the Cupboardgrades 3–6
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (3–6). 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 overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Wonder790L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →

Books like Bink & Gollie for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · 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).
  • Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey · 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).
  • No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman · 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).
  • When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Dog Man by Dav Pilkey · 390L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–5).

Books like Bink & Gollie for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · 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).
  • Class Act by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey · 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).
  • Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House by R.L. Stine · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Bink & Gollie for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · 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).
  • Class Act by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey · 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).
  • Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House by R.L. Stine · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).

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

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

  • Drama by Raina Telgemeier · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (5–9).
  • Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (5–9).
  • The Maze Runner by James Dashner · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (7–12).

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

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