Books like Number the Stars

If you liked Number the Stars, read Sarah, Plain and Tall, Wonder, or Out of My Mind — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade) · 670L · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of courage, friendship, and Holocaust. 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Number the Stars

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Sarah, Plain and Tall660L
Shares themes of family, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)). Amazon →
Wonder790L
Shares themes of friendship and family, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+8 more shared lists), and a close reading level (790L vs 670L). Amazon →
Out of My Mind700L
Shares themes of friendship and family, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (700L vs 670L). Amazon →
The War That Saved My Life580L
Shares themes of family, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)). Amazon →
Heroesgrades 6–8
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list, and same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)). Amazon →
The Whipping Boygrades 3–7
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
The Tale of Despereaux670L
Shares themes of courage, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+6 more shared lists), and a close reading level (670L vs 670L). Amazon →
Holes660L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+6 more shared lists), and a close reading level (660L vs 670L). Amazon →
The BFG720L
Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (720L vs 670L). Amazon →
Because of Winn-Dixie610L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+7 more shared lists), and a close reading level (610L vs 670L). Amazon →

Books like Number the Stars for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows · 580L — Shares themes of friendship and family, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (580L vs 670L).
  • Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton · 530L — Shares themes of friendship and family, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (530L vs 670L).
  • Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of family, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and a close reading level (470L vs 670L).
  • I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of courage and family and a close reading level (590L vs 670L).
  • Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo · 450L — Shares themes of friendship and family, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (450L vs 670L).

Books like Number the Stars for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and a close reading level (740L vs 670L).
  • Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech · 770L — Shares themes of friendship and family, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (770L vs 670L).
  • Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien · 790L — Shares themes of courage and family, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (790L vs 670L).
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Charlotte Award list (+3 more shared lists), and a close reading level (880L vs 670L).
  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Shares themes of courage and family, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+7 more shared lists), and a close reading level (890L vs 670L).

Books like Number the Stars for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak · 730L — Shares themes of courage, friendship, and Holocaust, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (730L vs 670L).
  • The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and a close reading level (740L vs 670L).
  • Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech · 770L — Shares themes of friendship and family, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (770L vs 670L).
  • Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien · 790L — Shares themes of courage and family, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (790L vs 670L).
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Charlotte Award list (+3 more shared lists), and a close reading level (880L vs 670L).

Books like Number the Stars 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 courage, friendship, and Holocaust, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (730L vs 670L).
  • The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton · 750L — Shares themes of friendship and family, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (750L vs 670L).
  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+4 more shared lists), and a close reading level (800L vs 670L).
  • Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list, and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of courage, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).

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

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