What books are similar to Jelly Belly?

The 10 closest matches to Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith on ReadingList include Dear Mr. Henshaw, Fudge, You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, and Boy at War. Each is scored on shared themes (weight control and weight loss), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Jelly Belly reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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 Jelly Belly

If you liked Jelly Belly, read Dear Mr. Henshaw, Fudge, or You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of weight control and weight loss. 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 4–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Why each is a match

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Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Fudgegrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbyegrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaretgrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Boy at Wargrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
City Spiesgrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Front Desk640L: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
Henry Reed's Babysitting Servicegrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Invisiblegrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Jonathan Livingston Seagullgrades 4–6: Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Jelly Belly for younger readers (K–2)

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

¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat by Raúl the Third III · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).
Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).
Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).
How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Jelly Belly for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
The Lemonade War by Davies, Jacqueline · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Jelly Belly for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
The Lemonade War by Davies, Jacqueline · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Jelly Belly 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 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–9).
Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–9).
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Book data last updated 2026-08-11. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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