Books like Just Gus

If you liked Just Gus, read Becoming Muhammad Ali, Stella, or Backlash — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Just Gus by McCall Hoyle (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–8)? 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Just Gus

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Why each is a match

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Becoming Muhammad Aligrades 3–8
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Stellagrades 3–5
Is by McCall Hoyle, the same author, overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Backlashgrades 3–8
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Dragon Ridergrades 3–8
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Drive-Bygrades 3–8
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Piegrades 6–9
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Orbiting Jupitergrades 7–10
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
Prisoner B-3087grades 3–8
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Schooledgrades 3–8
Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Just Gus 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), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2020s).
  • Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2020s).
  • How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2020s).
  • Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2020s).
  • Swing by Audrey Meeker · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2020s).

Books like Just Gus for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman · grades 3–8 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea · grades 3–8 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Weslandia by Paul Fleischman · grades 3–8 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat by Raúl the Third III · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2020s).

Books like Just Gus for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman · grades 3–8 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea · grades 3–8 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Weslandia by Paul Fleischman · grades 3–8 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Just Gus for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2020s).
  • The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2020s).
  • The Yield by Tara June Winch · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2020s).
  • A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney · grades 9–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Just Gus?
The 10 closest matches to Just Gus by McCall Hoyle on ReadingList include Becoming Muhammad Ali, Stella, Backlash, Dragon Rider, and Drive-By. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Just Gus reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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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