Books like Crush

If you liked Crush, read All's Faire in Middle School, Awkward, or Sidekicks — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Crush by Svetlana Chmakova (Graphic Novel · grades 4–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of middle schools, graphic novels, and comic books, strips. 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 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Crush

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Why each is a match

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All's Faire in Middle Schoolgrades 4–8
Shares themes of middle schools, graphic novels, and schools, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Awkwardgrades 3–5
Is by Svetlana Chmakova, the same author, shares themes of middle schools, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Sidekicksgrades 4–8
Shares themes of graphic novels and comic books, strips, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Giants Bewaregrades 3–5
Shares themes of graphic novels and comic books, strips, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Real Friendsgrades 2–8
Shares themes of graphic novels and schools, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Witch Boygrades 4–8
Shares themes of comic books, strips, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Twinsgrades 4–6
Shares themes of comic books, strips, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Eight Keysgrades 4–6
Shares themes of middle schools and schools and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Cardboard Kingdomgrades 4–6
Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Great Pet Escapegrades 3–8
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Crush for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and the same era (2010s).
  • Just Another Ordinary Day by Rod Clement · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools.
  • A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools.

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

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

  • The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of middle schools and schools and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and the same era (2010s).
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • Sparks! by Ian Boothby · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm · grades 3–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–6).

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

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

  • The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of middle schools and schools and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Sparks! by Ian Boothby · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm · grades 3–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd · grades 4–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).

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

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

  • Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of graphic novels, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel).
  • Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of graphic novels and same genre (Graphic Novel).
  • If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • Twilight by Stephenie Meyer · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Graphic Novel).
  • Drama by Raina Telgemeier · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Crush?
The 10 closest matches to Crush by Svetlana Chmakova on ReadingList include All's Faire in Middle School, Awkward, Sidekicks, Giants Beware, and Real Friends. Each is scored on shared themes (middle schools, graphic novels, and comic books, strips), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Crush reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–8), 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.

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

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