What books are similar to Fudge?

The 10 closest matches to Fudge by Charlotte Towner Graeber on ReadingList include When the Boys Ran the House, Ellie's Story, Ribsy, Shiloh Season, and ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat. Each is scored on shared themes (responsibility, dogs, and pets), 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 Fudge 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.

Books like Fudge

If you liked Fudge, read When the Boys Ran the House, Ellie's Story, or Ribsy — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Fudge by Charlotte Towner Graeber (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of responsibility, dogs, and pets. 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.

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Why each is a match

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When the Boys Ran the Housegrades 3–6: Shares themes of responsibility and boys, fiction, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list, and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Ellie's Storygrades 3–6: Shares themes of dogs, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Ribsygrades 4–6: Shares themes of dogs and pets, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh Seasongrades 3–6: Shares themes of dogs, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
¡Vamos! Let's Go Eatgrades 2–8: Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Daysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of boys, fiction, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Dog Trouble: A Graphic Novelgrades 3–6: Shares themes of responsibility and pets and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Jelly Bellygrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
My Dog, My Herogrades 3–5: Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Fudge for younger readers (K–2)

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

Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Shares themes of responsibility, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, and overlapping grades (2–4).
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).
Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of dogs and overlapping grades (2–8).
Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Fudge for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman · grades 3–6 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye by Patricia Hermes · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Attaboy, Sam! by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Fudge for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman · grades 3–6 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye by Patricia Hermes · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Attaboy, Sam! by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Fudge 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 2026-08-11. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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