Books like Freaky Friday

If you liked Freaky Friday, read You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye, Call Me Hope, or The Cat Ate My Gymsuit — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers (Fantasy · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of mothers and daughters, fiction, mothers and daughters, 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 Freaky Friday

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Why each is a match

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You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbyegrades 4–6
Shares themes of mothers and daughters, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Call Me Hopegrades 3–5
Shares themes of mothers and daughters and schools and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
The Cat Ate My Gymsuitgrades 4–6
Shares themes of schools, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Dunderheadsgrades 3–5
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Word Eatergrades 3–8
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
12 Againgrades 6–8
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Each Kindnessgrades 3–8
Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Ella Enchantedgrades 4–7
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Eragongrades 6–9
Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Every Soul a Stargrades 6–8
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Freaky Friday for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1970s).
  • A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
  • Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • Never Spit on Your Shoes by Denys Cazet · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.

Books like Freaky Friday for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1970s).
  • A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
  • Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of self-perception, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.

Books like Freaky Friday for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of self-perception, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell · grades 3–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (1970s).
  • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (6–8).
  • Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger · grades 4–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Mary Poppins by Pamela L. Travers · grades 4–6 — Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Freaky Friday for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Watership Down by Richard Adams · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1970s).
  • After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • Cinder by Marissa Meyer · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
  • Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • The Darkangel by Meredith Ann Pierce · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).

Common questions

What books are similar to Freaky Friday?
The 10 closest matches to Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers on ReadingList include You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye, Call Me Hope, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, The Dunderheads, and Word Eater. Each is scored on shared themes (mothers and daughters, fiction, mothers and daughters, and schools), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Freaky Friday reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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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