What books are similar to Boy at War?

The 10 closest matches to Boy at War by Harry Mazer on ReadingList include Tucky Jo and Little Heart, Duke, Here Comes the Garbage Barge, Prisoner B-3087, and Saving Zasha. Each is scored on shared themes (world war, 1939-1945, causes, and history), 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 Boy at War 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 Boy at War

If you liked Boy at War, read Tucky Jo and Little Heart, Duke, or Here Comes the Garbage Barge — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Boy at War by Harry Mazer (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of world war, 1939-1945, causes, and history. 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.

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Why each is a match

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Tucky Jo and Little Heartgrades 3–5: Shares themes of world war, 1939-1945 and history, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Dukegrades 3–5: Shares themes of world war, 1939-1945, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Here Comes the Garbage Bargegrades 2–8: Shares themes of history, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Prisoner B-3087grades 3–8: Shares themes of history, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Saving Zashagrades 3–8: Shares themes of world war, 1939-1945, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
The Lemonade Wargrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaretgrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Front Desk640L: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Fudgegrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →

Books like Boy at War for younger readers (K–2)

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

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (2–8).
Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
Say What? by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
Togo by Robert J. Blake · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Boy at War for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Henry Reed's Babysitting Service by Keith Robertson · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Boy at War for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Henry Reed's Babysitting Service by Keith Robertson · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Boy at War for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2000s).
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2000s).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2000s).
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2000s).
Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin · 920L — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (6–9).

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

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