What books are similar to Jake and Lily?

The 10 closest matches to Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli on ReadingList include Stargirl, Fourth Grade Rats, My Explosive Diary, Aliens Are Coming!, and All About Sam. Each is scored on shared themes (individuality, brothers and sisters, and bullies), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Jake and Lily reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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 Jake and Lily

If you liked Jake and Lily, read Stargirl, Fourth Grade Rats, or My Explosive Diary — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of individuality, brothers and sisters, and bullies. 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 3–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Stargirlgrades 6–9: Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, shares themes of individuality, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Fourth Grade Ratsgrades 4–6: Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
My Explosive Diarygrades 2–8: Shares themes of bullies, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Aliens Are Coming!grades 3–6: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
All About Samgrades 4–6: Shares themes of brothers and sisters, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Can I Be Your Dog?grades K–3: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Chestergrades K–3: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Chompgrades 6–8: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Dandygrades K–3: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Drive-Bygrades 3–8: Shares themes of brothers and sisters, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Jake and Lily for younger readers (K–2)

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

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of individuality, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of individuality, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
Except Antarctica! by Todd Sturgell · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Jake and Lily for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Crash by Jerry Spinelli · grades 3–8 — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier · grades 3–6 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Loch by Paul Zindel · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of brothers and sisters, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Jake and Lily for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Crash by Jerry Spinelli · grades 3–8 — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier · grades 3–6 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Jake and Lily for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Jake and Lily?: The 10 closest matches to Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli on ReadingList include Stargirl, Fourth Grade Rats, My Explosive Diary, Aliens Are Coming!, and All About Sam. Each is scored on shared themes (individuality, brothers and sisters, and bullies), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Jake and Lily reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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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