Books like Copper Sun

If you liked Copper Sun, read A Few Red Drops, March Book Three, or Piecing Me Together — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Copper Sun by Sharon Draper? 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.

10 books similar to Copper Sun

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Why each is a match

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A Few Red Dropsgrades 7–12
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
March Book Threegrades 9–12
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Piecing Me Togethergrades 7–12
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Day of Tearsgrades 7–12
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →
Nigeria Jonesgrades 9–12
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon →
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now . . .grades 7–10
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon →
1919 The Year That Changed Americagrades 7–12
Overlapping grades (7–12) and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
A Boy Called Christmasgrades 3–10
Overlapping grades (3–10) and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
A Corner of Whitegrades 5–12
Overlapping grades (5–12) and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
A Light in the Dark (Dark Stars Book 2)grades 5–12
Overlapping grades (5–12) and the same era (2010s). Amazon →

Books like Copper Sun for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson · 990L — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic Gold) by Christopher Paul Curtis · grades 5–8 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Gaither Sisters Trilogy Collection by Rita Williams-Garcia · grades 5–8 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Hand in Hand by Andrea Davis Pinkney · grades 4–8 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson · grades 4–8 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).

Books like Copper Sun for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson · 990L — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic Gold) by Christopher Paul Curtis · grades 5–8 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Gaither Sisters Trilogy Collection by Rita Williams-Garcia · grades 5–8 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Hand in Hand by Andrea Davis Pinkney · grades 4–8 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson · grades 4–8 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list 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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