What books are similar to Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon?

The 10 closest matches to Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin on ReadingList include Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, All Quiet on the Western Front, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and Ender's Game. Each is scored on shared themes (history, science and ethics, and war), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

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 Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

Q: Are books like Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.

If you liked Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, read Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, or All Quiet on the Western Front — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (Young Adult Nonfiction / History · 920L · grades 6–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of history, science and ethics, and war. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 6–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You1000L: Shares themes of American history, same genre (Young Adult Nonfiction / History), and a close reading level (1000L vs 920L). Amazon →
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—19631000L: Shares themes of history and a close reading level (1000L vs 920L). Amazon →
All Quiet on the Western Front830L: Shares themes of war and a close reading level (830L vs 920L). Amazon →
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH790L: Shares themes of science and ethics and a close reading level (790L vs 920L). Amazon →
Ender's Game780L: Shares themes of war and a close reading level (780L vs 920L). Amazon →
Pax760L: Shares themes of war and a close reading level (760L vs 920L). Amazon →
A Long Walk to Water720L: Shares themes of war and a close reading level (720L vs 920L). Amazon →
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy720L: Shares themes of war and a close reading level (720L vs 920L). Amazon →
Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults)1130L: Same genre (Young Adult Nonfiction / History), a close reading level (1130L vs 920L), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Echo680L: Shares themes of war and a close reading level (680L vs 920L). Amazon →

Books like Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon for younger readers (K–2)

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

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of history.
Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (2–8).
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (2–8).
Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet · grades 1–4 — Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list and the same era (2010s).
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of history.
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L — Shares themes of war and overlapping grades (4–7).
Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of war and overlapping grades (5–9).
Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (2–8).
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson · 610L — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (6–8).
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L — Shares themes of war and overlapping grades (4–7).
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys · 560L — Shares themes of war and overlapping grades (8–12).
Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of war and overlapping grades (5–9).
Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien · 880L — Shares themes of war and a close reading level (880L vs 920L).
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys · 560L — Shares themes of war and overlapping grades (8–12).
Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of war and overlapping grades (5–9).
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens · 1150L — Shares themes of ambition and a close reading level (1150L vs 920L).
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley · 1170L — Shares themes of science and ethics and a close reading level (1170L vs 920L).

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

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