What books are similar to Old Yeller?

The 10 closest matches to Old Yeller by Fred Gipson on ReadingList include Rascal, Summer of the Monkeys, Dear Mr. Henshaw, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Each is scored on shared themes (family, courage, and survival), 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 Old Yeller 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 Old Yeller

If you liked Old Yeller, read Rascal, Summer of the Monkeys, or Dear Mr. Henshaw — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Old Yeller by Fred Gipson (Middle Grade Fiction · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of family, courage, and survival. 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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Rascalgrades 5–8: Shares themes of family, animals, and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Summer of the Monkeysgrades 4–7: Shares themes of family, animals, and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6: Shares themes of family, grief, and growing up, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH790L: Shares themes of family and courage, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing470L: Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Trumpet of the Swangrades 3–6: Shares themes of family, courage, and animals, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L: Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Wild Robot740L: Shares themes of family and survival, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Hatchet1020L: Shares themes of survival and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Maniac Magee820L: Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Old Yeller 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 family and growing up, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of family, courage, and survival and overlapping grades (2–5).
The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of family and animals, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5).
Picture Purrfect (Bodega Cats #1) by Hilda Eunice Burgos · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of family and animals, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists) and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).

Books like Old Yeller for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family and survival, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Shares themes of family and courage, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+3 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Between Two Brothers by Crystal Allen · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family and grief, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like Old Yeller for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family and survival, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Shares themes of family and courage, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+3 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Between Two Brothers by Crystal Allen · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family and grief, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family, courage, and survival and overlapping grades (4–8).

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

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

Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family and survival, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (7–10).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of courage, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (6–9).
How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of family and survival.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds · 720L — Shares themes of family and grief and overlapping grades (7–12).

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

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