What books are similar to Dogtown?

The 10 closest matches to Dogtown by Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko on ReadingList include Knight Owl and Early Bird, Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All, Stuntboy, In-Between Time, Swim Team, and A Royal Conundrum. Each is scored on shared themes (friendship, perseverance, and humor), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Dogtown reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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 Dogtown

If you liked Dogtown, read Knight Owl and Early Bird, Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All, or Stuntboy, In-Between Time — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Dogtown by Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of friendship, perseverance, and humor. 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 3–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Knight Owl and Early Birdgrades K–3: Shares themes of friendship, perseverance, and courage, both on the Colorado Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon →
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It Allgrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship and humor, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Stuntboy, In-Between Timegrades 3–6: Shares themes of humor and courage, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Swim Teamgrades 3–7: Shares themes of friendship, perseverance, and courage, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
A Royal Conundrumgrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship and humor, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
How to Eat Fried Wormsgrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship, humor, and courage, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
The Cybil Wargrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship and humor, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Knight Owlgrades K–3: Shares themes of friendship, perseverance, and courage and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon →
Punycorngrades 3–5: Shares themes of perseverance, humor, and courage and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Roller Girl440L: Shares themes of friendship and perseverance, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →

Books like Dogtown for younger readers (K–2)

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

Just Like Millie by Lauren Castillo · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Colorado Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (K–3).
The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) by Christina Soontornvat · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
A Lot to Like! by Derek Anderson · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of friendship and humor and overlapping grades (2–5).
Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb · grades K–2 — Shares themes of friendship and humor.
Fox Has a Problem by Corey R. Tabor · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of friendship and humor and overlapping grades (2–5).

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

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

Doña Quixote: Rise of the Knight by Rey Terciero · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humor and courage, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6).
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell · 890L — Shares themes of friendship and humor, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Ferris by Kate DiCamillo · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humor, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Hannah Sharpe, Cartoon Detective by Janet Tashjian · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of friendship and humor, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6).
It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6).

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

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

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of friendship, humor, and courage and overlapping grades (6–8).
Skyriders by Polly Holyoke · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of friendship, perseverance, and courage and overlapping grades (6–8).
Doña Quixote: Rise of the Knight by Rey Terciero · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humor and courage, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6).
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell · 890L — Shares themes of friendship and humor, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Ferris by Kate DiCamillo · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humor, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Dogtown 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 friendship, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of courage, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (6–9).
Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of courage and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

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

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