Books like Look Both Ways
If you liked Look Both Ways, read Ghost, As Brave As You, or Saving Shiloh — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Closest match: Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Get it on Amazon →Affiliate link: as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Looking for books like Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds (Realistic Fiction · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of community, childhood, and connection. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 5–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.
10 books similar to Look Both Ways
GhostJason Reynolds · 730L
As Brave As YouJason Reynolds
Saving ShilohPhyllis Reynolds Naylor
The Adventures of Tom SawyerMark Twain · 950L
The Mystery of the MonarchsBarb Rosenstock
The Vanderbeekers of 141st StreetKarina Yan Glaser
Ender's GameOrson Scott Card · 780L
The Labors of Hercules BealGary D. Schmidt
You Are Here: Connecting FlightsEllen Oh
WishtreeKatherine Applegate · 590L
Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.
Listen free on Audiblestarts instantlyNew members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.
Why each is a match
Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
- Ghost730L
- Is by Jason Reynolds, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
- As Brave As Yougrades 4–7
- Is by Jason Reynolds, the same author, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
- Saving Shilohgrades 4–7
- Shares themes of community and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer950L
- Shares themes of childhood and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
- The Mystery of the Monarchsgrades 4–8
- Shares themes of community and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
- The Vanderbeekers of 141st Streetgrades 3–6
- Shares themes of community, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
- Ender's Game780L
- Shares themes of childhood and overlapping grades (6–10). Amazon → books like this →
- The Labors of Hercules Bealgrades 3–7
- Shares themes of community and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
- You Are Here: Connecting Flightsgrades 3–6
- Shares themes of community, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
- Wishtree590L
- Shares themes of community and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
More like this
Same grade band, chosen by theme and by how many reading lists carry them. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
DogtownKatherine Applegate & Gennifer CholdenkoAlso Realistic Fiction · on 6 reading lists
Grades 3–6
Check price on Amazon →
FerrisKate DiCamilloAlso Realistic Fiction · on 5 reading lists
Grades 3–6
Check price on Amazon →
No TalkingAndrew ClementsAlso Realistic Fiction · on 5 reading lists
Grades 3–8 · 160 pages
Check price on Amazon →
The PinballsBetsy Cromer ByarsAlso Realistic Fiction · on 5 reading lists
Grades 4–6 · 137 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous JobWillo Davis RobertsAlso Realistic Fiction · on 4 reading lists
Grades 3–8 · 161 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Dear Mr. HenshawBeverly ClearyAlso Realistic Fiction · on 4 reading lists
Grades 4–6 · 142 pages
Check price on Amazon →
UngiftedGordon KormanAlso Realistic Fiction · on 4 reading lists
Grades 5–8
Check price on Amazon →
FudgeCharlotte Towner GraeberAlso Realistic Fiction · on 3 reading lists
Grades 4–6 · 123 pages
Check price on Amazon →
GhostsRaina TelgemeierAlso Realistic Fiction · on 3 reading lists
Grades 3–6 · 258 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Jelly BellyRobert Kimmel SmithAlso Realistic Fiction · on 3 reading lists
Grades 4–6 · 155 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Pie in the SkyRemy LaiAlso Realistic Fiction · on 3 reading lists
Grades 3–6
Check price on Amazon →
Surviving the ApplewhitesStephanie S. TolanAlso Realistic Fiction · on 3 reading lists
Grades 5–8
Check price on Amazon →
Books like Look Both Ways for high school & teens (grades 9–12)
Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.
Common questions
- What books are similar to Look Both Ways?
- The 10 closest matches to Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds on ReadingList include Ghost, As Brave As You, Saving Shiloh, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and The Mystery of the Monarchs. Each is scored on shared themes (community, childhood, and connection), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 5–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
- Are books like Look Both Ways reading-level appropriate?
- Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 5–8), 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.