Books like Million-Dollar Throw

If you liked Million-Dollar Throw, read Game Changer, Because of Winn-Dixie, or Bink & Gollie — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica (Sports Fiction · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of football, pressure, and friendship. 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.

10 books similar to Million-Dollar Throw

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Why each is a match

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Game Changergrades 5–8
Shares themes of football, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and same genre (Sports Fiction). Amazon →
Because of Winn-Dixie610L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Blue Hen Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Bink & Golliegrades 2–8
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Sports Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Rulesgrades 4–7
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Big Nate: In a Class by Himself500L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
City of Ghostsgrades 4–7
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Dog Man390L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (2–5). Amazon →
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone880L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Blue Hen Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Smile410L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →

Books like Million-Dollar Throw for younger readers (K–2)

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

Books like Million-Dollar Throw for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Swindle by Gordon Korman · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo · 670L — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2000s).
  • Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Million-Dollar Throw for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Swindle by Gordon Korman · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo · 670L — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2000s).
  • Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Million-Dollar Throw for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak · 730L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (8–11).
  • The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini · 840L — Shares themes of friendship.
  • The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (7–10).
  • Drama by Raina Telgemeier · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (5–9).
  • Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes · 910L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (8–11).

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

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