What books are similar to Lost & Found: Based on a True Story?

The 10 closest matches to Lost & Found: Based on a True Story by Mei Yu on ReadingList include Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity, Attack of the Black Rectangles, City Spies, Dogtown, and Eerie Tales from the School of Screams. Each is scored on shared themes (cartoonists), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Lost & Found: Based on a True Story reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–8), 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.

Books like Lost & Found: Based on a True Story

If you liked Lost & Found: Based on a True Story, read Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity, Attack of the Black Rectangles, or City Spies — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Lost & Found: Based on a True Story by Mei Yu (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of cartoonists. 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 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravitygrades 4–8: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Attack of the Black Rectanglesgrades 6–8: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
City Spiesgrades 4–6: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Dogtowngrades 3–6: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Eerie Tales from the School of Screamsgrades 4–8: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Gracie Under the Wavesgrades 4–6: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Saving Sunshinegrades 4–8: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Shark Summergrades 4–8: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Magic Fishgrades 4–8: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Unpluggedgrades 4–6: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Lost & Found: Based on a True Story for younger readers (K–2)

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

Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" by David LaRochelle · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
Norman Didn't Do It! by Ryan T. Higgins · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
The Barnabus Project by Terry Fan · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
There's a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Lost & Found: Based on a True Story for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" by David LaRochelle · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
Norman Didn't Do It! by Ryan T. Higgins · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
The Barnabus Project by Terry Fan · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
There's a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
101 Ways to Bug Your Parents by Lee Wardlaw · grades 4–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Lost & Found: Based on a True Story for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Wink by Rob Harrell · grades 6–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).
101 Ways to Bug Your Parents by Lee Wardlaw · grades 4–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
All the Impossible Things by Lindsay Lackey · grades 6–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).
Best Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Danger Zone by David Klass · grades 6–9 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Books like Lost & Found: Based on a True Story for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
The Killer's Cousin by Nancy Werlin · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2020s).
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Danger Zone by David Klass · grades 6–9 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to Lost & Found: Based on a True Story?: The 10 closest matches to Lost & Found: Based on a True Story by Mei Yu on ReadingList include Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity, Attack of the Black Rectangles, City Spies, Dogtown, and Eerie Tales from the School of Screams. Each is scored on shared themes (cartoonists), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Lost & Found: Based on a True Story reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–8), 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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