What books are similar to Falling Up?

The 10 closest matches to Falling Up by Shel Silverstein on ReadingList include Love That Dog, The Giving Tree, A Game of Noctis, Alone, and Amir and the Jinn Princess. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Falling Up reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–8), 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 Falling Up

If you liked Falling Up, read Love That Dog, The Giving Tree, or A Game of Noctis — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Falling Up by Shel Silverstein (Poetry · grades 4–8)? 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 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Why each is a match

Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Love That Doggrades 4–8: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, same genre (Poetry), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Giving Tree530L: Is by Shel Silverstein, the same author and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
A Game of Noctisgrades 3–6: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Alonegrades 4–6: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Amir and the Jinn Princessgrades 4–8: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Between Two Brothersgrades 4–8: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Boy 2.0grades 4–8: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobodygrades 4–8: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Code Name Kingfishergrades 4–8: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Evidence! How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of Choleragrades 3–6: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Falling Up for younger readers (K–2)

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

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. · grades K–3 — Same genre (Poetry).
Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Adam Rex · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Poetry) and overlapping grades (2–8).
My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman · grades K–3 — Same genre (Poetry).

Books like Falling Up for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. · grades K–3 — Same genre (Poetry).
Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Adam Rex · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Poetry) and overlapping grades (2–8).
Frizzy by Claribel Ortega · grades 4–5 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–5), and the same era (2020s).
Hoops by Matt Tavares · grades 3–5 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2020s).
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2020s).

Books like Falling Up for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Adam Rex · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Poetry) and overlapping grades (2–8).
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2020s).
Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams · grades 5–8 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2020s).
Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens by Rebecca E. Barone · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2020s).
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic by Candace Fleming · grades 3–6 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2020s).

Books like Falling Up for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

England's Green by Zaffar Kunial · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Poetry) and the same era (2020s).
Ariel by Sylvia Plath · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Poetry).
Collected Poems by Gabriel Okara · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Poetry).
Kumukanda by Kayo Chingonyi · grades 9–10 — Same genre (Poetry).
Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Poetry).

Common questions

What books are similar to Falling Up?: The 10 closest matches to Falling Up by Shel Silverstein on ReadingList include Love That Dog, The Giving Tree, A Game of Noctis, Alone, and Amir and the Jinn Princess. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Falling Up reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–8), 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.

← Back to Falling Up