Books like Hair Love

If you liked Hair Love, read Bedhead, Chalk, or Cookiesaurus Rex — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry (Realistic Fiction · grades K–0)? It’s most often read for its themes of fathers and daughters, fiction, hair, fiction, and african americans, 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 K–0 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Hair Love

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Why each is a match

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Bedheadgrades K–3
Shares themes of hair, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Chalkgrades K–2
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →
Cookiesaurus Rexgrades K–0
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–0). Amazon → books like this →
Dogkugrades K–2
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →
Madeline Finn and the Library Doggrades K–2
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →
Troupergrades K–2
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →
Zombies Don't Eat Veggies!grades K–2
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →
Basketgrades K–3
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Chez Bobgrades K–2
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →
Don't Need Friendsgrades K–2
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Hair Love for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Find Fergus by Mike Boldt · grades K–0 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–0).
  • Hoodwinked by Arthur Howard · grades K–2 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2).
  • Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester · grades K–3 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Hungry Hen by Richard Waring · grades K–2 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2).
  • I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont · grades K–2 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2).

Books like Hair Love for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Duke by Kirby Larson · grades 3–5 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • Ghost by Jason Reynolds · 730L — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of african americans, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • The Thing About Leftovers by C.C. Payne · grades 4–7 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Hair Love for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Ghost by Jason Reynolds · 730L — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of african americans, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman · grades 7–10 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • The Thing About Leftovers by C.C. Payne · grades 4–7 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Hair Love for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • I am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
  • Room by Emma Donoghue · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Hair Love?
The 10 closest matches to Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry on ReadingList include Bedhead, Chalk, Cookiesaurus Rex, Dogku, and Madeline Finn and the Library Dog. Each is scored on shared themes (fathers and daughters, fiction, hair, fiction, and african americans, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–0), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Hair Love reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–0), 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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