Books like Memoirs of a Tortoise

If you liked Memoirs of a Tortoise, read Dogtown, Invisible Isabel, or Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Memoirs of a Tortoise by Devin Scillian (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–6)? 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 3–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Memoirs of a Tortoise

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Why each is a match

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Dogtowngrades 3–6
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Invisible Isabelgrades 3–6
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It Allgrades 3–6
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Stuntboy, In-Between Timegrades 3–6
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Legend of Gravity: A Tall Basketball Talegrades 3–6
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
A Dog Called Kittygrades 3–5
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
El Chupacabrasgrades 3–6
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Ghost Fever/Mal de Fantasmagrades 3–6
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Help Me, Mr. Mutt!grades 3–6
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
If I Built a Schoolgrades K–3
Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Memoirs of a Tortoise for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Togo by Robert J. Blake · grades 2–8 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • ¡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).
  • Again by Emily Gravett · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2020s).
  • Are You a Cheeseburger? by Monica Arnaldo · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2020s).
  • Chez Bob by Bob Shea · grades K–2 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2020s).

Books like Memoirs of a Tortoise for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Math Curse by Jon Scieszka · grades 4–8 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice · grades 3–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Postcards from Camp by Simms Taback · grades 3–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Seadogs: An Epic Ocean Operetta by Lisa Wheeler · grades 3–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Memoirs of a Tortoise for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Math Curse by Jon Scieszka · grades 4–8 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice · grades 3–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Postcards from Camp by Simms Taback · grades 3–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Seadogs: An Epic Ocean Operetta by Lisa Wheeler · grades 3–6 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Memoirs of a Tortoise for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2020s).
  • Five Survive by Holly Jackson · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2020s).
  • I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2020s).
  • Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2020s).
  • The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2020s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Memoirs of a Tortoise?
The 10 closest matches to Memoirs of a Tortoise by Devin Scillian on ReadingList include Dogtown, Invisible Isabel, Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All, Stuntboy, In-Between Time, and The Legend of Gravity: A Tall Basketball Tale. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Memoirs of a Tortoise reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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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