What books are similar to Hearts Unbroken?

The 10 closest matches to Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith on ReadingList include House of Purple Cedar, If I Ever Get Out of Here, Surviving the City, Apple, and Legendary Frybread Drive-In. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Hearts Unbroken reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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 Hearts Unbroken

If you liked Hearts Unbroken, read House of Purple Cedar, If I Ever Get Out of Here, or Surviving the City — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Young Adult · grades 9–12)? 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Why each is a match

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House of Purple Cedargrades 9–12: Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
If I Ever Get Out of Heregrades 9–12: Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Surviving the Citygrades 9–12: Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Applegrades 9–12: Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Legendary Frybread Drive-Ingrades 3–10: Is by Cynthia Leitich Smith, the same author and overlapping grades (3–10). Amazon → books like this →
Rez Ballgrades 9–12: Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Trail of the Dead (Killer of Enemies #2)grades 9–12: Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Warrior Girl Unearthedgrades 9–12: Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
After the Snowgrades 9–12: Same genre (Young Adult), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Beautiful Creatures: The Manga (A Graphic Novel)grades 9–12: Same genre (Young Adult), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Hearts Unbroken for younger readers (K–2)

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

Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child · grades K–3 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard · grades K–3 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
Little You / kiya kâ-apisîsisiyan by Richard Van Camp · grades K–3 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
Sitting Bull by S.D. Nelson · grades K–3 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
The Christmas Coat by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve · grades K–3 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).

Books like Hearts Unbroken for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child · grades K–3 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
Eagle Drums by NASUGRAQ RAINEY. HOPSON · grades 3–7 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard · grades K–3 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall · grades 3–7 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
Jordin Tootoo by Melanie Florence · grades 3–7 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).

Books like Hearts Unbroken for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Eagle Drums by NASUGRAQ RAINEY. HOPSON · grades 3–7 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall · grades 3–7 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).
Jordin Tootoo by Melanie Florence · grades 3–7 — Both on the American Indian Youth Literature Award list and the same era (2010s).

Books like Hearts Unbroken for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Young Adult), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s).
Belle Époque by Elizabeth Ross · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Young Adult), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s).
Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Young Adult), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s).
Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Young Adult), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s).
Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Young Adult), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s).

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

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