What books are similar to Closed for the Season?

The 10 closest matches to Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn on ReadingList include Framed!, Tarot Says Beware, The Name of the Game Was Murder, Swindle, and Down the Rabbit Hole. Each is scored on shared themes (neighbors, murder, and friendship), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Closed for the Season reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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.

Books like Closed for the Season

If you liked Closed for the Season, read Framed!, Tarot Says Beware, or The Name of the Game Was Murder — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn (Mystery · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of neighbors, murder, and friendship. 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 3–8 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.

Framed!grades 3–8: Shares themes of friendship and mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Tarot Says Bewaregrades 3–8: Shares themes of murder and mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
The Name of the Game Was Murdergrades 3–8: Shares themes of murder and mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Swindlegrades 4–7: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon →
Down the Rabbit Holegrades 2–8: Shares themes of murder, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Skeleton Creekgrades 3–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Alvin's Swap Shopgrades 4–6: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Hannah Sharpe, Cartoon Detectivegrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotismgrades 3–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Nightmare Mountaingrades 3–6: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →

Books like Closed for the Season for younger readers (K–2)

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

Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton · 530L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–5).
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows · 580L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–4).
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo · 450L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (K–3).
A Lot to Like! by Derek Anderson · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–5).
A Mischief of Mice by Christie Matheson · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Closed for the Season for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac · grades 3–8 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Terror at the Zoo by Peg Kehret · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–5).

Books like Closed for the Season for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac · grades 3–8 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Terror at the Zoo by Peg Kehret · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of murder, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Closed for the Season for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Mystery).
Under the Surface by Diana Urban · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (7–12).
Drama by Raina Telgemeier · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (5–9).
The Maze Runner by James Dashner · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (7–12).
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak · 730L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (8–11).

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

← Back to Closed for the Season