What books are similar to Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms?

The 10 closest matches to Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell on ReadingList include A Ray of Light, Abigail Adams, At Night, Black Enough, and Blink and Caution. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–9), 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 Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms

If you liked Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, read A Ray of Light, Abigail Adams, or At Night — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell (Children's · grades 4–9)? 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 4–9 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.

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Why each is a match

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A Ray of Lightgrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Abigail Adamsgrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
At Nightgrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Black Enoughgrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Blink and Cautiongrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Building Our Housegrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Carvergrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Storiesgrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Eleanor & Parkgrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Electric Bengrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms for younger readers (K–2)

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

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
I Know Here by Laurel Croza · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Jazz Day by Roxane Orgill · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).

Books like Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Humbug Mountain by Sid Fleischman · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).

Books like Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Humbug Mountain by Sid Fleischman · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Infinite Hope by Ashley Bryan · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Most Dangerous by Steve Sheinkin · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).

Books like Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Humbug Mountain by Sid Fleischman · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Infinite Hope by Ashley Bryan · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Most Dangerous by Steve Sheinkin · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).

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

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