What books are similar to If I Built a School?

The 10 closest matches to If I Built a School by Chris Van Dusen on ReadingList include If I Built a Car, A Dog Called Kitty, Togo, El Chupacabras, and Gaston. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like If I Built a School reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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 If I Built a School

If you liked If I Built a School, read If I Built a Car, A Dog Called Kitty, or Togo — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like If I Built a School by Chris Van Dusen (Realistic Fiction · grades K–3)? 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 K–3 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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If I Built a Cargrades K–3: Is by Chris Van Dusen, the same author, both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
A Dog Called Kittygrades 3–5: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Togogrades 2–8: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
El Chupacabrasgrades 3–6: Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Gastongrades K–3: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Ghost Fever/Mal de Fantasmagrades 3–6: Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Help Me, Mr. Mutt!grades 3–6: Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Madeline Finn and the Library Doggrades K–2: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →
Maxi’s Secrets: (Or, What You Can Learn from a Dog)grades 3–5: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Postcards from Campgrades 3–6: Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like If I Built a School for younger readers (K–2)

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

We Forgot Brock! by Carter Goodrich · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Bedhead by Margie Palatini · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Chez Bob by Bob Shea · grades K–2 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2).
Don’t Touch My Room by Patricia Lakin · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like If I Built a School for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes · 360L — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen by Candace Fleming · grades 3–5 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris · grades 3–5 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).

Books like If I Built a School for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes · 360L — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
House Arrest by K. A. Holt · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Stung by Bethany Wiggins · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).

Books like If I Built a School for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

House Arrest by K. A. Holt · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
Stung by Bethany Wiggins · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
Danger Zone by David Klass · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
High Heat by Carl Deuker · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to If I Built a School?: The 10 closest matches to If I Built a School by Chris Van Dusen on ReadingList include If I Built a Car, A Dog Called Kitty, Togo, El Chupacabras, and Gaston. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like If I Built a School reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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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