What books are similar to Nation?

The 10 closest matches to Nation by Terry Pratchett on ReadingList include Eleanor & Park, I Talk Like a River, "Let's Get a Pup!", Said Kate, An American Plague, and And If the Moon Could Talk. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Nation reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–9), 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 Nation

If you liked Nation, read Eleanor & Park, I Talk Like a River, or "Let's Get a Pup!", Said Kate — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Nation by Terry Pratchett (Children's · grades 4–9)? 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 4–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Why each is a match

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Eleanor & Parkgrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
I Talk Like a Rivergrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
"Let's Get a Pup!", Said Kategrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
An American Plaguegrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
And If the Moon Could Talkgrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Big Mama Makes the Worldgrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Cold Feetgrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogungrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
FIREBOATgrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Henry Hikes to Fitchburggrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Nation for younger readers (K–2)

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

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
A Visit to William Blake's Inn by Nancy Willard · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Anno's Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).

Books like Nation for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

In the Belly of the Bloodhound by L. A. Meyer · grades 3–10 — Both on the Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook) list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (3–10).
Leon's Story by Leon Walter Tillage · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Lord of the Deep by Graham Salisbury · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Marching For Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 3–10 — Both on the Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook) list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (3–10).

Books like Nation for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

In the Belly of the Bloodhound by L. A. Meyer · grades 3–10 — Both on the Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook) list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (3–10).
Leon's Story by Leon Walter Tillage · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Lord of the Deep by Graham Salisbury · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Marching For Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 3–10 — Both on the Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook) list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (3–10).

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

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

In the Belly of the Bloodhound by L. A. Meyer · grades 3–10 — Both on the Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook) list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (3–10).
Leon's Story by Leon Walter Tillage · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Lord of the Deep by Graham Salisbury · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Marching For Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 3–10 — Both on the Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook) list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (3–10).

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

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