Books like Breathe: A Ghost Story

If you liked Breathe: A Ghost Story, read Loser, Say What?, or The Lemonade War — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Breathe: A Ghost Story by Cliff McNish (Realistic Fiction · grades 6–8)? 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 Breathe: A Ghost Story

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Why each is a match

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Losergrades 4–6
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Say What?grades 2–8
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Lemonade Wargrades 4–6
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, 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 →
Blackwatergrades 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 →
City Spiesgrades 4–6
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Front Desk640L
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
Ghost730L
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Ghost in My Soupgrades 6–8
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Breathe: A Ghost Story for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • Guji Guji by Chen, Zhiyuan · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • He Came With the Couch by David Slonim · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Breathe: A Ghost Story for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look · grades 3–5 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • Guji Guji by Chen, Zhiyuan · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • He Came With the Couch by David Slonim · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Breathe: A Ghost Story for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez · grades 4–6 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).
  • Planet Earth Is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).
  • Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz · grades 3–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Breathe: A Ghost Story for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • The House Next Door by Richie Tankersley Cusick · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • Wolf Rider: A Tale of Terror by Avi · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
  • A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul by Jack Canfield · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Breathe: A Ghost Story?
The 10 closest matches to Breathe: A Ghost Story by Cliff McNish on ReadingList include Loser, Say What?, The Lemonade War, A Family Apart, and Blackwater. Each is scored on shared themes, 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 Breathe: A Ghost Story 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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