Books like Flying Solo

If you liked Flying Solo, read Ramona's World, Eight Keys, or Drive-By — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of death, elective mutism, and schools. 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 4–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Flying Solo

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Why each is a match

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Ramona's Worldgrades 4–6
Shares themes of schools, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Eight Keysgrades 4–6
Shares themes of schools, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Drive-Bygrades 3–8
Shares themes of death, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Fourth Grade Ratsgrades 4–6
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Math Cursegrades 4–8
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Attaboy, Sam!grades 4–6
Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Call Me Hopegrades 3–5
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Class Clowngrades 3–5
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Clayton Byrd Goes Undergroundgrades 3–5
Shares themes of death, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Shiloh890L
Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →

Books like Flying Solo for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (1990s).
  • Sharing Susan by Eve Bunting · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (1990s).
  • Tangerine by Edward Bloor · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (1990s).
  • When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (1990s).
  • ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat by Raúl the Third III · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Flying Solo for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You by Barthe DeClements · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of schools and teachers and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • The Ghost Inside the Monitor by Margaret Jean Anderson · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Flying Solo for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You by Barthe DeClements · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • The Ghost Inside the Monitor by Margaret Jean Anderson · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Flying Solo for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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