What books are similar to Hostage?

The 10 closest matches to Hostage by Willo Davis Roberts on ReadingList include Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Don't Hurt Laurie, Zach's Lie, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning, and Backlash. Each is scored on shared themes (neighbors, robbers and outlaws, and kidnapping), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Hostage reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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.

Books like Hostage

If you liked Hostage, read Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Don't Hurt Laurie, or Zach's Lie — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Hostage by Willo Davis Roberts (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of neighbors, robbers and outlaws, and kidnapping. 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Jobgrades 3–8: Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, shares themes of kidnapping, and both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list. Amazon → books like this →
Don't Hurt Lauriegrades 4–8: Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Zach's Liegrades 3–8: Shares themes of kidnapping, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightninggrades 3–6: Shares themes of neighbors, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Backlashgrades 3–8: Shares themes of neighbors, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Stepping Upgrades 3–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Taking Terri Muellergrades 6–8: Shares themes of kidnapping, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Stranger Next Doorgrades 3–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
A Boy Named Queengrades 3–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Ava and Pipgrades 3–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Hostage for younger readers (K–2)

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

A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2000s).
Arrowhawk by Lola M. Schaefer · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2000s).
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2000s).
Bedhead by Margie Palatini · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2000s).
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman · grades 2–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–3), and the same era (2000s).

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

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

Scared Stiff by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 3–6 — Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, shares themes of kidnapping, and overlapping grades (3–6).
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
City of Thieves by Alex London · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
City Spies by James Ponti · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

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

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

Scared Stiff by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 3–6 — Is by Willo Davis Roberts, the same author, shares themes of kidnapping, and overlapping grades (3–6).
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
City of Thieves by Alex London · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
City Spies by James Ponti · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

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

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

Girl, Stolen by April Henry · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of kidnapping and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2000s).
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2000s).
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2000s).
Define "Normal" by Julie Anne Peters · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2000s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Hostage?: The 10 closest matches to Hostage by Willo Davis Roberts on ReadingList include Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Don't Hurt Laurie, Zach's Lie, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning, and Backlash. Each is scored on shared themes (neighbors, robbers and outlaws, and kidnapping), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Hostage reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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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