What books are similar to Math Curse?

The 10 closest matches to Math Curse by Jon Scieszka on ReadingList include The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Shiloh, Flying Solo, Fourth Grade Rats, and Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Each is scored on shared themes (mathematics, schools, and math anxiety), 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 Math Curse 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 Math Curse

If you liked Math Curse, read The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Shiloh, or Flying Solo — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Math Curse by Jon Scieszka (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of mathematics, schools, and math anxiety. 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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The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Talesgrades 4–8: Is by Jon Scieszka, the same author, both on the Maine Student Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh890L: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Flying Sologrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Fourth Grade Ratsgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Keygrades 6–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Ramona's Worldgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Spying on Miss Müllergrades 6–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Call Me Hopegrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Class Clowngrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Daphne's Bookgrades 4–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Math Curse for younger readers (K–2)

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

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Mr. Tanen's Ties by Maryann Cocca-Leffler · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Never Spit on Your Shoes by Denys Cazet · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Toll-Bridge Troll by Patricia Rae Wolff · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Math Curse for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Mr. Tanen's Ties by Maryann Cocca-Leffler · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Never Spit on Your Shoes by Denys Cazet · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Toll-Bridge Troll by Patricia Rae Wolff · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Math Curse for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Eight Keys by Suzanne M. LaFleur · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You by Barthe DeClements · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Snot Stew by Bill Wallace · grades 3–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Math Curse for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1990s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Math Curse?: The 10 closest matches to Math Curse by Jon Scieszka on ReadingList include The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Shiloh, Flying Solo, Fourth Grade Rats, and Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Each is scored on shared themes (mathematics, schools, and math anxiety), 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 Math Curse 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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