What books are similar to Dear Mr. Henshaw?

The 10 closest matches to Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary on ReadingList include Walk Two Moons, Ramona the Pest, Old Yeller, The Crossover, and Ruby Lost and Found. Each is scored on shared themes (family, identity, and growing up), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Dear Mr. Henshaw reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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 Dear Mr. Henshaw

If you liked Dear Mr. Henshaw, read Walk Two Moons, Ramona the Pest, or Old Yeller — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of family, identity, and growing up. 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 4–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Walk Two Moons770L: Shares themes of family, identity, and grief, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Ramona the Pest750L: Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of family and growing up, and both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+1 more shared list). Amazon → books like this →
Old Yellergrades 5–8: Shares themes of family, growing up, and grief, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Crossover750L: Shares themes of family, identity, and grief, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Ruby Lost and Foundgrades 6–9: Shares themes of family, identity, and grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Cybil Wargrades 3–6: Shares themes of identity and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Ferrisgrades 3–6: Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Invisible Isabelgrades 3–6: Shares themes of family and identity, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8: Shares themes of family and grief, both on the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Bud, Not Buddy950L: Shares themes of family and identity, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Dear Mr. Henshaw for younger readers (K–2)

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

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, and overlapping grades (2–4).
Dadaji's Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande · grades K–3 — Shares themes of family and grief.
Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Beanie the Bansheenie by Eoin Colfer · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of identity, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).

Books like Dear Mr. Henshaw for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of growing up, and both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list.
Rascal by Sterling North · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+3 more shared lists), and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes · 360L — Shares themes of family and identity, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Dear Mr. Henshaw for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of growing up, and both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list.
Rascal by Sterling North · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+3 more shared lists), and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Dear Mr. Henshaw for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
The Color Purple by Alice Walker · 670L — Shares themes of family and identity.
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan · 930L — Shares themes of family and identity.
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).

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

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