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 Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World

If you liked Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World, read Loser, Guji Guji, or All About Sam — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan (Realistic Fiction · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of family, cancer, and nature. 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Losergrades 4–6: Shares themes of family and family life, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Guji Gujigrades K–3: Shares themes of family and family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
All About Samgrades 4–6: Shares themes of family and family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Attaboy, Sam!grades 4–6: Shares themes of family and family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Fig Puddinggrades 3–5: Shares themes of family and family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Ferrisgrades 3–6: Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Front Desk640L: Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Ghost Boys360L: Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Wild Robot740L: Shares themes of family and nature, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Walk Two Moons770L: Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World for younger readers (K–2)

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

One Lucky Girl by George Ella Lyon · grades K–2 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2).
Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1) by Mary Pope Osborne · 510L — Shares themes of family and nature and overlapping grades (1–4).
Poor Louie by Tony Fucile · grades K–3 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Say What? by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
So B. It by Sarah Weeks · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
101 Ways to Bug Your Parents by Lee Wardlaw · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).

Books like Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
So B. It by Sarah Weeks · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).

Books like Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of nature, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
I'm the King of the Castle by Susan Hill · grades 9–10 — Shares themes of nature and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World?: The 10 closest matches to Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan on ReadingList include Loser, Guji Guji, All About Sam, Attaboy, Sam!, and Fig Pudding. Each is scored on shared themes (family, cancer, and nature), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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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