Books like Blackwater

If you liked Blackwater, read Sharing Susan, Spying on Miss Müller, or Drive-By — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Blackwater by Eve Bunting (Realistic Fiction · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of drowning, death, and guilt. 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 6–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Blackwater

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Why each is a match

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Sharing Susangrades 2–8
Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Spying on Miss Müllergrades 6–8
Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Drive-Bygrades 3–8
Shares themes of death, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Flying Sologrades 4–6
Shares themes of death, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Keygrades 6–8
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Perfectgrades 6–9
Shares themes of death, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Walk Two Moons770L
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–7). Amazon → books like this →
You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbyegrades 4–6
Shares themes of death, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
A Family Apartgrades 6–8
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Breakoutgrades 6–8
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Blackwater for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Copycat by Ruth Brown · grades K–3 — Shares themes of accelerated reader, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Beware of Boys by Tony Blundell · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Red Racer by Audrey Wood · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Again by Emily Gravett · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Are You a Cheeseburger? by Monica Arnaldo · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

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

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

  • Summer of Riley by Eve Bunting · grades 3–5 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Copycat by Ruth Brown · grades K–3 — Shares themes of accelerated reader, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Fig Pudding by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of death, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Beware of Boys by Tony Blundell · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of death and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

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

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

  • Breathe: A Ghost Story by Cliff McNish · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).
  • City Spies by James Ponti · grades 4–6 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • Ghost by Jason Reynolds · 730L — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • Ghost in My Soup by Judi Miller · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).

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

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

  • Jumping the Nail by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Face at the Edge of the World by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of death, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Say Goodnight, Gracie by Julie Reece Deaver · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of death, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Blackwater?
The 10 closest matches to Blackwater by Eve Bunting on ReadingList include Sharing Susan, Spying on Miss Müller, Drive-By, Flying Solo, and Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Each is scored on shared themes (drowning, death, and guilt), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Blackwater reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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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