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, All About Sam, or Attaboy, 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.

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

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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 (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
All About Samgrades 4–6
Shares themes of family and family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Attaboy, Sam!grades 4–6
Shares themes of family and family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Ferrisgrades 3–6
Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Front Desk640L
Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Ghost Boys360L
Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
The Wild Robot740L
Shares themes of family and nature, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Walk Two Moons770L
Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Forged by Firegrades 7–10
Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon →
Project Mulberrygrades 3–8
Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →

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.

  • Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1) by Mary Pope Osborne · 510L — Shares themes of family and nature and overlapping grades (1–4).
  • Say What? by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) 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 (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Togo by Robert J. Blake · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • When the Wolves Returned by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) 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.

  • 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).
  • Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

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.

  • 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).
  • Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of nature, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • 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).

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.

  • 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).
  • Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).

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

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