What books are similar to Flight #116 Is Down!?

The 10 closest matches to Flight #116 Is Down! by Caroline B. Cooney on ReadingList include Crash, Jaguar, Rescue Josh McGuire, The Grand Escape, and 7 X 9 = Trouble. Each is scored on shared themes (aeronautics, fiction, airplanes, juvenile literature, and airplanes, fiction), 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 Flight #116 Is Down! 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 Flight #116 Is Down!

If you liked Flight #116 Is Down!, read Crash, Jaguar, or Rescue Josh McGuire — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Flight #116 Is Down! by Caroline B. Cooney (Adventure · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of aeronautics, fiction, airplanes, juvenile literature, and airplanes, fiction. 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.

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.

Crashgrades 3–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Jaguargrades 3–5: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Rescue Josh McGuiregrades 3–5: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
The Grand Escapegrades 3–5: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
7 X 9 = Troublegrades 3–5: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
A Wolf Called Wandergrades 4–6: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Cryptid Huntersgrades 5–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Driver's Edgrades 4–6: Is by Caroline B. Cooney, the same author and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Freak the Mightygrades 6–9: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Frindle830L: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–7), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Flight #116 Is Down! for younger readers (K–2)

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

The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1990s).
Smoky Night by Eve Bunting · grades 1–4 — Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (1–4), and the same era (1990s).
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon · grades K–3 — Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1990s).
The Talking Eggs by Robert D. San Souci · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (K–3).
Akiak by Robert J. Blake · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Flight #116 Is Down! for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s).
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen · 1020L — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Loot by Jude Watson · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s).
Red Midnight by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Flight #116 Is Down! for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s).
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen · 1020L — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Loot by Jude Watson · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s).
Red Midnight by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Flight #116 Is Down! for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Run, Hide, Fight Back by April Henry · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Downriver by Will Hobbs · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Adventure) and the same era (1990s).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (6–9).
Legend by Marie Lu · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins · 810L — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+2 more shared lists) and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to Flight #116 Is Down!?: The 10 closest matches to Flight #116 Is Down! by Caroline B. Cooney on ReadingList include Crash, Jaguar, Rescue Josh McGuire, The Grand Escape, and 7 X 9 = Trouble. Each is scored on shared themes (aeronautics, fiction, airplanes, juvenile literature, and airplanes, fiction), 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 Flight #116 Is Down! 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.

← Back to Flight #116 Is Down!