Books like Counting by 7s

If you liked Counting by 7s, read Front Desk, Ghost, or Ghost Boys — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Realistic Fiction · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of realistic, autistic children, and genius. 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Counting by 7s

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Why each is a match

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Front Desk640L
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Ghost730L
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Ghost Boys360L
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Here Comes the Garbage Bargegrades 2–8
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Lulu's Mysterious Missiongrades 2–8
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
My Explosive Diarygrades 2–8
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Orbiting Jupitergrades 7–10
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon →
The Strange Case of Origami Yodagrades 4–6
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
¡Vamos! Let's Go Eatgrades 2–8
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Black Brother, Black Brothergrades 5–8
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →

Books like Counting by 7s 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 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Say What? by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Sharing Susan by Eve Bunting · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Counting by 7s for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Ferris by Kate DiCamillo · grades 3–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Rules by Cynthia Lord · grades 4–7 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Counting by 7s for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Ferris by Kate DiCamillo · grades 3–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Rules by Cynthia Lord · grades 4–7 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Counting by 7s for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (7–10), and the same era (2010s).
  • Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (7–10), and the same era (2010s).
  • Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, overlapping grades (8–12), 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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