What books are similar to Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey?

The 10 closest matches to Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix on ReadingList include The True Colors of Caitlynne Jackson, Perfect, Say What?, Spying on Miss Müller, and Tangerine. Each is scored on shared themes (child abuse, diaries, and fathers and daughters), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), 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 Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

If you liked Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, read The True Colors of Caitlynne Jackson, Perfect, or Say What? — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Realistic Fiction · grades 6–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of child abuse, diaries, and fathers and daughters. 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 6–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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The True Colors of Caitlynne Jacksongrades 6–9: Shares themes of child abuse, both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Perfectgrades 6–9: Shares themes of fathers and daughters, both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Say What?grades 2–8: Is by Margaret Peterson Haddix, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Spying on Miss Müllergrades 6–8: Shares themes of fathers and daughters, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Tangerinegrades 2–8: Shares themes of diaries, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Among the Hiddengrades 5–8: Is by Margaret Peterson Haddix, the same author, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
Ava and Pipgrades 3–8: Shares themes of diaries, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Danger Zonegrades 6–9: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Don't Hurt Lauriegrades 4–8: Shares themes of child abuse, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Heart of a Championgrades 6–8: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey for younger readers (K–2)

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

Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
No Such Thing by Jackie French Koller · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
Riptide by Frances Ward Weller · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
Rugby and Rosie by Nan Parson Rossiter · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
The Grannyman by Judith Byron Schachner · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Call Me Hope by Gretchen Olson · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of child abuse and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Henry Reed's Babysitting Service by Keith Robertson · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of diaries, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
No Such Thing by Jackie French Koller · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
Riptide by Frances Ward Weller · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Henry Reed's Babysitting Service by Keith Robertson · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of diaries, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Shiloh Season by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia C. DeFelice · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of diaries, both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes · 360L — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
High Heat by Carl Deuker · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Books like Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

High Heat by Carl Deuker · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
House Arrest by K. A. Holt · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Mississippi Trial, 1955 by Chris Crowe · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Night Hoops by Carl Deuker · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Stung by Bethany Wiggins · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey?: The 10 closest matches to Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix on ReadingList include The True Colors of Caitlynne Jackson, Perfect, Say What?, Spying on Miss Müller, and Tangerine. Each is scored on shared themes (child abuse, diaries, and fathers and daughters), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), 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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