What books are similar to Call Me Hope?

The 10 closest matches to Call Me Hope by Gretchen Olson on ReadingList include Class Clown, The Girl Who Could Fly, Albert, Avalon High, and Eight Keys. Each is scored on shared themes (child abuse, stress (physiology), and schools), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–5), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Call Me Hope reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–5), 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 Call Me Hope

If you liked Call Me Hope, read Class Clown, The Girl Who Could Fly, or Albert — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Call Me Hope by Gretchen Olson (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–5)? It’s most often read for its themes of child abuse, stress (physiology), and schools. 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 3–5 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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

Listen free on Audible30-day trial

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Why each is a match

Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Class Clowngrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
The Girl Who Could Flygrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Albertgrades 3–5: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Avalon Highgrades 3–5: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Eight Keysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Flying Sologrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Fourth Grade Ratsgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Freaky Fridaygrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools and mothers and daughters and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Math Cursegrades 4–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Ramona's Worldgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →

Books like Call Me Hope for younger readers (K–2)

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

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).
No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools and overlapping grades (2–8).
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 Call Me Hope for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Rules by Cynthia Lord · grades 4–7 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You by Barthe DeClements · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
So B. It by Sarah Weeks · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Call Me Hope for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Rules by Cynthia Lord · grades 4–7 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You by Barthe DeClements · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
So B. It by Sarah Weeks · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Call Me Hope for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman · grades 7–10 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
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) 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) and the same era (2000s).

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

← Back to Call Me Hope