What books are similar to Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse?

The 10 closest matches to Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes on ReadingList include Miss Nelson Has a Field Day, Miss Nelson Is Back, Call Me Hope, Class Clown, and Martha Speaks. Each is scored on shared themes (teachers, schools, and mice), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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 Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

If you liked Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, read Miss Nelson Has a Field Day, Miss Nelson Is Back, or Call Me Hope — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (Realistic Fiction · grades K–3)? It’s most often read for its themes of teachers, schools, and mice. 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 K–3 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Miss Nelson Has a Field Daygrades K–3: Shares themes of teachers and schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Miss Nelson Is Backgrades K–3: Shares themes of teachers and schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Call Me Hopegrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Class Clowngrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Martha Speaksgrades K–3: Shares themes of ficción juvenil, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Mr. Tanen's Tiesgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Toll-Bridge Trollgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Basketgrades K–3: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoagrades 2–3: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–3). Amazon → books like this →
Don't Need Friendsgrades K–2: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse for younger readers (K–2)

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

Frog Went A-Courtin' by John M. Langstaff · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mice, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mice, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore! by David McPhail · grades K–3 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Substitute Teacher Plans by Johnson, Doug · grades K–3 — Shares themes of teachers and schools and overlapping grades (K–3).
The Cow Who Wouldn't Come Down by Paul Brett Johnson · grades K–3 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of teachers and schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak by Jeffrey Moss · grades 4–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of teachers and schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Spying on Miss Müller by Eve Bunting · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Five Survive by Holly Jackson · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
I am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse?: The 10 closest matches to Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes on ReadingList include Miss Nelson Has a Field Day, Miss Nelson Is Back, Call Me Hope, Class Clown, and Martha Speaks. Each is scored on shared themes (teachers, schools, and mice), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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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