Books like Buddy

If you liked Buddy, read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Fish in a Tree, or Ghost — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Buddy by M. H. Herlong? 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 Buddy

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Why each is a match

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Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Librarygrades 4–6
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Fish in a Tree550L
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Ghost730L
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Pax760L
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Ground Zerogrades 6–8
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon →
A Long Walk to Water720L
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
A Million Ways Homegrades 4–6
Both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
A Night Dividedgrades 5–8
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
A Tale Dark and Grimmgrades 4–7
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Alliesgrades 5–9
Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →

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

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

  • Small Spaces by Katherine Arden · grades 3–5 — Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2010s).
  • Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick · grades 3–5 — Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2010s).
  • Odder by Katherine Applegate · grades 3–5 — Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list).
  • 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass · grades 3–5 — Both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed · grades 5–8 — Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s).

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

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

  • Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed · grades 5–8 — Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s).
  • Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson · 990L — Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s).
  • El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2010s).
  • Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes · 360L — Both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).
  • Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret · grades 6–8 — Both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (6–8), and the same era (2010s).

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

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