What books are similar to Mid-Air?

The 10 closest matches to Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams on ReadingList include Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Because of Winn-Dixie, Holes, Wonder, and Between Two Brothers. Each is scored on shared themes (grief, friendship, and growing up), 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 Mid-Air 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.

Books like Mid-Air

If you liked Mid-Air, read Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Because of Winn-Dixie, or Holes — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams (Middle Grade Fiction · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of grief, friendship, and growing up. 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 5–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L: Shares themes of friendship and growing up, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Because of Winn-Dixie610L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Holes660L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Wonder790L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Between Two Brothersgrades 4–8: Shares themes of grief, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Confessions of a Class Clowngrades 6–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Control Freaksgrades 6–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Harriet the Spygrades 4–7: Shares themes of friendship and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
J vs. Kgrades 3–5: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Not Nothinggrades 4–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →

Books like Mid-Air for younger readers (K–2)

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

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Shares themes of growing up and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5).
The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths · 560L — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5).
The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey · 720L — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).

Books like Mid-Air for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of grief and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon · 510L — Shares themes of friendship and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Shares themes of friendship and growing up, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper · 700L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Volunteer State Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson · 440L — Shares themes of friendship and growing up, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Mid-Air for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of grief and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon · 510L — Shares themes of friendship and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Shares themes of friendship and growing up, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Mid-Air for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Four for the Road by K.J. Reilly · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of grief and friendship.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky · 720L — Shares themes of friendship and growing up.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of friendship and growing up and overlapping grades (7–10).
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (5–9).
Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of grief and overlapping grades (6–9).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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