Books like Fences
Looking for books like Fences by August Wilson (Drama · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of father-son relationships, race, and family. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.
10 books similar to Fences
AntigoneSophocles
Death of a SalesmanArthur Miller
King LearWilliam Shakespeare
Little WomenLouisa May Alcott · 1300L
OthelloWilliam Shakespeare
The Glass MenagerieTennessee Williams
The Hate U GiveAngie Thomas · 590L
The Secret Life of BeesSue Monk Kidd · 840L
The Color PurpleAlice Walker · 670L
The Joy Luck ClubAmy Tan · 930L
Why each is a match
- Antigonegrades 9–12
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Drama), and overlapping grades (9–12).
- Death of a Salesmangrades 11–12
- Shares themes of fatherhood, same genre (Drama), and overlapping grades (11–12).
- King Leargrades 11–12
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Drama), and overlapping grades (11–12).
- Little Women1300L
- Shares themes of family and ambition and overlapping grades (7–10).
- Othellogrades 10–12
- Shares themes of race, same genre (Drama), and overlapping grades (10–12).
- The Glass Menageriegrades 11–12
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Drama), and overlapping grades (11–12).
- The Hate U Give590L
- Shares themes of race and family and overlapping grades (9–12).
- The Secret Life of Bees840L
- Shares themes of race and family and overlapping grades (9–11).
- The Color Purple670L
- Shares themes of family and overlapping grades (9–12).
- The Joy Luck Club930L
- Shares themes of family and overlapping grades (9–12).