Books like Is Anybody There?

If you liked Is Anybody There?, read Karen Kepplewhite is the World's Best Kisser, Nightmare Mountain, or Piggins — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Is Anybody There? by Eve Bunting (Mystery · grades 3–5)? It’s most often read for its themes of mothers and sons, latchkey children, and latchkey children in fiction. 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 3–5 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Is Anybody There?

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Why each is a match

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Karen Kepplewhite is the World's Best Kissergrades 4–6
Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
Nightmare Mountaingrades 3–6
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Pigginsgrades K–3
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Baby Monkey, Private Eyegrades K–3
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Closed for the Seasongrades 3–8
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
One More Flightgrades 4–9
Is by Eve Bunting, the same author and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Skeleton Mangrades 3–8
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Christina's Ghostgrades 4–6
Same genre (Mystery), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
The Dollhouse Murdersgrades 4–7
Same genre (Mystery), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
The Strangergrades 3–5
Same genre (Mystery), overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Is Anybody There? for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Don’t Touch My Room by Patricia Lakin · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1980s).
  • Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Mystery) and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik · grades K–1 — Shares themes of mothers and sons.
  • Miss Nelson Has a Field Day by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1980s).
  • Miss Nelson Is Back by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1980s).

Books like Is Anybody There? for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • A Dog Called Kitty by Wallace, Bill · grades 3–5 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (1980s).
  • Alvin's Swap Shop by Clifford B. Hicks · grades 4–6 — Same genre (Mystery) and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Dead Man in Indian Creek by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–6 — Same genre (Mystery) and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Don’t Touch My Room by Patricia Lakin · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1980s).
  • Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Mystery) and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Is Anybody There? for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Whispers from the Dead by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Mystery), and the same era (1980s).
  • The Haunting by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Mystery).
  • Don't Look Behind You by Lois Duncan · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Mystery) and the same era (1980s).
  • The Dark and Deadly Pool by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Mystery) and the same era (1980s).
  • The Third Eye by Lois Duncan · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Mystery) and the same era (1980s).

Books like Is Anybody There? for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Whispers from the Dead by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Mystery), and the same era (1980s).
  • The Haunting by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Mystery).
  • The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes · grades 9–12 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Mystery).
  • Freak the Mighty by W. R. Philbrick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and the same era (1980s).
  • Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Mystery).

Common questions

What books are similar to Is Anybody There??
The 10 closest matches to Is Anybody There? by Eve Bunting on ReadingList include Karen Kepplewhite is the World's Best Kisser, Nightmare Mountain, Piggins, Baby Monkey, Private Eye, and Closed for the Season. Each is scored on shared themes (mothers and sons, latchkey children, and latchkey children in fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–5), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Is Anybody There? reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–5), 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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