Books like Heroes

If you liked Heroes, read Number the Stars, Simon Sort of Says, or The Lost Year — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Heroes by Alan Gratz (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade) · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of courage, friendship, and history. 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 Heroes

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Why each is a match

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Number the Stars670L
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)). Amazon →
Simon Sort of Saysgrades 6–8
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon →
The Lost Yeargrades 6–8
Shares themes of history, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)). Amazon →
Impossible Creaturesgrades 4–8
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Not Nothinggrades 4–8
Shares themes of friendship and history, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Skyridersgrades 6–8
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon →
Swim Teamgrades 3–7
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
The First State of Beinggrades 6–8
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon →
Fablehavengrades 4–7
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Volunteer State Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone880L
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →

Books like Heroes for younger readers (K–2)

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

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

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

  • Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of courage and friendship and both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list.
  • Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • Bea and the New Deal Horse by L. M. Elliott · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of courage and same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)).
  • Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Shares themes of friendship and both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+2 more shared lists).
  • Because of You, John Lewis by Andrea Davis Pinkney · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of courage and history.

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

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

  • Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of courage and history and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney · 950L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • Dogtown by Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Guts by Raina Telgemeier · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of courage, both on the Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–8).

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

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

  • Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard by Ronald Wimberly · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of courage and history.
  • Torch by Lyn Miller-Lachmann · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of courage and history.
  • Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak · 730L — Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (8–11).
  • Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of courage, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–9).

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

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