What books are similar to Breathing Underwater?

The 10 closest matches to Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn on ReadingList include Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, Define "Normal", Hanging on to Max, My Sister's Keeper, and The Compound. Each is scored on shared themes (child abuse, diaries, and anger), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Breathing Underwater reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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 Breathing Underwater

If you liked Breathing Underwater, read Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, Define "Normal", or Hanging on to Max — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn (Realistic Fiction · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of child abuse, diaries, and anger. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphreygrades 6–9: Shares themes of child abuse and diaries, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Define "Normal"grades 9–12: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Hanging on to Maxgrades 9–12: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
My Sister's Keepergrades 9–12: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Compoundgrades 6–9: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsgrades 7–10: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
The True Colors of Caitlynne Jacksongrades 6–9: Shares themes of child abuse, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Danger Zonegrades 6–9: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Piegrades 6–9: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Everything, Everythinggrades 9–12: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Breathing Underwater for younger readers (K–2)

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

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French · grades K–3 — Shares themes of diaries, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Tangerine by Edward Bloor · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of diaries and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Chester by Mélanie Watt · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Breathing Underwater for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French · grades K–3 — Shares themes of diaries, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Call Me Hope by Gretchen Olson · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of child abuse and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Ava and Pip by Carol Weston · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of diaries and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Don't Hurt Laurie by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of child abuse and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Henry Reed's Babysitting Service by Keith Robertson · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of diaries and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Breathing Underwater for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Ava and Pip by Carol Weston · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of diaries and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Don't Hurt Laurie by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of child abuse and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Henry Reed's Babysitting Service by Keith Robertson · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of diaries and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter · grades 6–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
No Talking by Andrew Clements · grades 3–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).

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

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

Girl, Stolen by April Henry · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
The Killer's Cousin by Nancy Werlin · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).

Common questions

What books are similar to Breathing Underwater?: The 10 closest matches to Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn on ReadingList include Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, Define "Normal", Hanging on to Max, My Sister's Keeper, and The Compound. Each is scored on shared themes (child abuse, diaries, and anger), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Breathing Underwater reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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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