What books are similar to Harry's Mad?

The 10 closest matches to Harry's Mad by Dick King-Smith on ReadingList include Class Clown, Fudge, All About Sam, Bagdad Ate It, and Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days. Each is scored on shared themes (parrots, inheritance and succession, and behavior, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Harry's Mad reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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 Harry's Mad

If you liked Harry's Mad, read Class Clown, Fudge, or All About Sam — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Harry's Mad by Dick King-Smith (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of parrots, inheritance and succession, and behavior, 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 3–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Class Clowngrades 3–5: Shares themes of behavior, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Fudgegrades 4–6: Shares themes of boys, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
All About Samgrades 4–6: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Bagdad Ate Itgrades K–3: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Daysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of boys, fiction, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
December Stillnessgrades 6–8: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Herbie's Troublesgrades K–3: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Taking Terri Muellergrades 6–8: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Root Cellargrades 6–8: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
What Happened to Patrick's Dinosaurs?grades K–3: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Harry's Mad for younger readers (K–2)

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

A Boy, a Dog and a Frog by Mercer Mayer · grades K–1 — Shares themes of boys, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Are You a Cheeseburger? by Monica Arnaldo · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Chez Bob by Bob Shea · grades K–2 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Harry's Mad for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye by Patricia Hermes · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling · grades 3–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon by Janet Stevens · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Are You a Cheeseburger? by Monica Arnaldo · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Harry's Mad for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye by Patricia Hermes · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling · grades 3–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon by Janet Stevens · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Christopher Mouse: The Tale of a Small Traveler by William Wise · grades 3–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Harry's Mad for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

A Sudden Silence by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1980s).
Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1980s).
Night Kites by M. E. Kerr · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1980s).
The Face at the Edge of the World by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1980s).
The Truth Trap by Frances A. Miller · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1980s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Harry's Mad?: The 10 closest matches to Harry's Mad by Dick King-Smith on ReadingList include Class Clown, Fudge, All About Sam, Bagdad Ate It, and Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days. Each is scored on shared themes (parrots, inheritance and succession, and behavior, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Harry's Mad reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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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