Books like Don't Trust Fish

If you liked Don't Trust Fish, read Ballet Brown, Earl & Worm: The Bad Idea and Other Stories, or Home in a Lunchbox — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson (Juvenile Fiction · grades K–1)? 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–1 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Don't Trust Fish

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Why each is a match

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Ballet Browngrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
Earl & Worm: The Bad Idea and Other Storiesgrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
Home in a Lunchboxgrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
I'm Sorry You Got Madgrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
The Bakery Dragongrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
The Fire-Breathing Ducklinggrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
Towed by Toadgrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
We Are Definitely Humangrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
Zooni Tales: Keep It Up, Plucky Pupgrades K–1
Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Juvenile Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–1). Amazon →
A Story, a Storygrades K–3
Same genre (Juvenile Fiction) and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon →

Books like Don't Trust Fish for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Barnaby Unboxed! by Terry Fan · grades 2–3 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Braided Roots by Pasha Westbrook · grades 2–3 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Cabin Head and Tree Head by Scott Campbell · grades 2–3 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Detective Sweet Pea: The Case of the Golden Bone by Sara Varon · grades 2–3 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi · grades 2–3 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).

Books like Don't Trust Fish for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps · grades 4–5 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Barnaby Unboxed! by Terry Fan · grades 2–3 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Braided Roots by Pasha Westbrook · grades 2–3 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Bubblegum Shoes: The Case of the Contraband Closet by Goldy Moldavsky · grades 4–5 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncan · grades 4–5 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).

Books like Don't Trust Fish for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • How to Talk to Your Succulent by Zoe Persico · grades 6–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • It's All or Nothing, Vale by Andrea Beatriz Arango · grades 6–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II by Adam Gidwitz · grades 6–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • Swing by Audrey Meeker · grades 6–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).
  • The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by Mary Averling · grades 6–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list and same genre (Juvenile Fiction).

Book data last updated 2026-07-02. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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