Books like Copycat

If you liked Copycat, read Bad Kitty, Chester, or What Do They Do with All That Poo? — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Copycat by Ruth Brown (Realistic Fiction · grades K–3)? It’s most often read for its themes of animal behavior, cats, and behavior. 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 K–3 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Copycat

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Why each is a match

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Bad Kittygrades K–3
Shares themes of cats and behavior, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Chestergrades K–3
Shares themes of cats, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
What Do They Do with All That Poo?grades K–3
Shares themes of animal behavior, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Heart of a Tigergrades K–3
Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Grannymangrades K–3
Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Beware of Boysgrades K–3
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Cat Secretsgrades K–3
Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Class Clowngrades 3–5
Shares themes of behavior, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Fig Puddinggrades 3–5
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Lulu's Mysterious Missiongrades 2–8
Shares themes of behavior, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Copycat for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Red Racer by Audrey Wood · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly M. Robertus · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Titanicat by Marty Crisp · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Widget by Lyn Rossiter McFarland · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Again by Emily Gravett · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

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

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

  • Red Racer by Audrey Wood · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Shoeshine Girl by Clyde Robert Bulla · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of behavior and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly M. Robertus · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • The Junkyard Dog by Erika Tamar · grades 3–5 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • The Stranger Next Door by Peg Kehret · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

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

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

  • Blackwater by Eve Bunting · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of accelerated reader, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Night Hoops by Carl Deuker · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of behavior and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Shoeshine Girl by Clyde Robert Bulla · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of behavior and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Stranger Next Door by Peg Kehret · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Copycat for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul by Jack Canfield · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Jumping the Nail by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Just Like Martin by Ossie Davis · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Copycat?
The 10 closest matches to Copycat by Ruth Brown on ReadingList include Bad Kitty, Chester, What Do They Do with All That Poo?, Heart of a Tiger, and The Grannyman. Each is scored on shared themes (animal behavior, cats, and behavior), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Copycat reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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