What books are similar to Each Kindness?

The 10 closest matches to Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson on ReadingList include Eight Keys, Fourth Grade Rats, The Bear and the Piano, Wonder, and A Fine, Fine School. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, kindness, and friendship), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Each Kindness reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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.

Books like Each Kindness

If you liked Each Kindness, read Eight Keys, Fourth Grade Rats, or The Bear and the Piano — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of schools, kindness, and friendship. 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Eight Keysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools and friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Fourth Grade Ratsgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools and friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Bear and the Pianogrades K–3: Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Wonder790L: Shares themes of kindness and friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
A Fine, Fine Schoolgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Dogtowngrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Herbie's Troublesgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Keygrades 6–8: Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Mr. Lincoln's Waygrades 3–8: Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Never Spit on Your Shoesgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Each Kindness for younger readers (K–2)

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

Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Real Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (2–8).
The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
We Forgot Brock! by Carter Goodrich · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Corduroy by Don Freeman · 600L — Shares themes of kindness and friendship and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Each Kindness for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Stonewords: A Ghost Story by Pam Conrad · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Boy Named Queen by Sara Cassidy · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Real Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Each Kindness for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Stonewords: A Ghost Story by Pam Conrad · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Boy Named Queen by Sara Cassidy · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Real Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (2–8).

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

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

If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Is by Jacqueline Woodson, the same author, shares themes of schools, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Breaking Boxes by A. M. Jenkins · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Sold by Patricia McCormick · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Each Kindness?: The 10 closest matches to Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson on ReadingList include Eight Keys, Fourth Grade Rats, The Bear and the Piano, Wonder, and A Fine, Fine School. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, kindness, and friendship), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Each Kindness reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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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