Books like Heir Apparent

If you liked Heir Apparent, read There's a Dead Person Following My Sister Around, Zorgamazoo, or Aliens Ate My Homework — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde (Science Fiction · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of virtual reality, realidad virtual, and novela juvenil. 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 6–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Heir Apparent

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Why each is a match

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There's a Dead Person Following My Sister Aroundgrades 6–8
Is by Vivian Vande Velde, the same author, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Zorgamazoogrades 3–6
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Aliens Ate My Homeworkgrades 3–8
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Aliens for Breakfastgrades 3–6
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevatorgrades 4–6
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
My Robot Buddygrades 4–6
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Nova's Arkgrades 2–8
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Shape-Changergrades 3–8
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Ear, The Eye, and the Armgrades 6–8
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Transall Sagagrades 6–9
Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Heir Apparent for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Space Case by Edward Marshall · grades K–3 — Shares themes of science fiction and same genre (Science Fiction).
  • Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Shares themes of science fiction and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2000s).
  • Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2000s).
  • Let's Do Nothing by Tony Fucile · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2000s).

Books like Heir Apparent for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Space Case by Edward Marshall · grades K–3 — Shares themes of science fiction and same genre (Science Fiction).
  • Virtually Perfect by Dan Gutman · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Shares themes of science fiction and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 5–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2000s).

Books like Heir Apparent for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Virtually Perfect by Dan Gutman · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Airborn by Kenneth Oppel · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of science fiction and overlapping grades (6–8).
  • Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 5–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • Ghost in the House by Betty Ren Wright · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of novela juvenil and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter · grades 6–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, overlapping grades (6–8), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Heir Apparent for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Interstellar Pig by William Sleator · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of science fiction and same genre (Science Fiction).
  • The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and the same era (2000s).
  • Uglies by Scott Westerfeld · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of science fiction.
  • Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2000s).
  • Define "Normal" by Julie Anne Peters · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2000s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Heir Apparent?
The 10 closest matches to Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde on ReadingList include There's a Dead Person Following My Sister Around, Zorgamazoo, Aliens Ate My Homework, Aliens for Breakfast, and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. Each is scored on shared themes (virtual reality, realidad virtual, and novela juvenil), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Heir Apparent reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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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