Books like Jumping the Nail

If you liked Jumping the Nail, read The Face at the Edge of the World, A Door Near Here, or Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Jumping the Nail by Eve Bunting (Realistic Fiction · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of peer pressure, california, fiction, and peer pressure, 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Jumping the Nail

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Why each is a match

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The Face at the Edge of the Worldgrades 9–12
Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
A Door Near Heregrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soulgrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
If You Come Softlygrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Just Like Martingrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Nasty, Stinky Sneakersgrades 9–12
Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
Tears of A Tigergrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
The China Gardengrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Dash & Lily’s Book of Daresgrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Izzy, Willy-Nillygrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Jumping the Nail for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Sharing Susan by Eve Bunting · grades 2–8 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Beware of Boys by Tony Blundell · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Copycat by Ruth Brown · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Red Racer by Audrey Wood · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Again by Emily Gravett · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Jumping the Nail for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Summer of Riley by Eve Bunting · grades 3–5 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Sharing Susan by Eve Bunting · grades 2–8 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • A Boy Named Queen by Sara Cassidy · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of peer pressure and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Beware of Boys by Tony Blundell · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Copycat by Ruth Brown · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Jumping the Nail for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Blackwater by Eve Bunting · grades 6–8 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Sharing Susan by Eve Bunting · grades 2–8 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Spying on Miss Müller by Eve Bunting · grades 6–8 — Is by Eve Bunting, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • A Boy Named Queen by Sara Cassidy · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of peer pressure and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Jumping the Nail for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Say Goodnight, Gracie by Julie Reece Deaver · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • The House Next Door by Richie Tankersley Cusick · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).

Common questions

What books are similar to Jumping the Nail?
The 10 closest matches to Jumping the Nail by Eve Bunting on ReadingList include The Face at the Edge of the World, A Door Near Here, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, If You Come Softly, and Just Like Martin. Each is scored on shared themes (peer pressure, california, fiction, and peer pressure, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Jumping the Nail reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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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