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 Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys

If you liked Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys, read Ernö Rubik and His Magic Cube first — the closest match in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys by Rob Peñas (Picture Book · grades 3–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of immigration, invention, and biography. 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 3–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Ernö Rubik and His Magic Cubegrades 3–6: Shares themes of invention and biography, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and same genre (Picture Book). Amazon → books like this →
A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchengrades 3–6: Shares themes of biography, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and same genre (Picture Book). Amazon → books like this →
The Girl Who Figured It Outgrades 3–6: Shares themes of biography, both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, and same genre (Picture Book). Amazon → books like this →
Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinosgrades 2–5: Shares themes of biography, same genre (Picture Book), and overlapping grades (2–5). Amazon → books like this →
Gibberishgrades K–3: Shares themes of immigration, same genre (Picture Book), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaustgrades 2–5: Shares themes of biography, same genre (Picture Book), and overlapping grades (2–5). Amazon → books like this →
Introducing Sandwina: The Strongest Woman in the World!grades 2–5: Shares themes of biography, same genre (Picture Book), and overlapping grades (2–5). Amazon → books like this →
100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoligrades K–3: Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
A Land of Booksgrades K–5: Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (K–5), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
A Letter for Bobgrades K–3: Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys for younger readers (K–2)

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

100 Chapatis by Derek Mascarenhas · grades K–2 — Same genre (Picture Book) and the same era (2020s).
A Mischief of Mice by Christie Matheson · grades K–3 — Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2020s).
Abuelita and Me by Leonarda Carranza · grades K–1 — Same genre (Picture Book) and the same era (2020s).
Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi · grades K–2 — Same genre (Picture Book) and the same era (2020s).
Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty · grades K–1 — Same genre (Picture Book) and the same era (2020s).

Books like Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

A Mischief of Mice by Christie Matheson · grades K–3 — Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2020s).
Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan · grades K–5 — Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (K–5), and the same era (2020s).
Because of You, John Lewis by Andrea Davis Pinkney · grades 3–5 — Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2020s).
Big by Vashti Harrison · grades K–3 — Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2020s).
Blue by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond · grades K–4 — Same genre (Picture Book), overlapping grades (K–4), and the same era (2020s).

Books like Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of immigration.
Evidence! How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of Cholera by Deborah Hopkinson · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of biography and overlapping grades (3–6).
In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of immigration and overlapping grades (3–6).
Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of immigration and overlapping grades (3–7).
The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey by Chad Soon & Amy Maranville · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of biography and overlapping grades (3–7).

Books like Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of immigration.
My Ántonia by Willa Cather · 1010L — Shares themes of immigration.
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan · 930L — Shares themes of immigration.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini · 840L — Shares themes of immigration.

Common questions

What books are similar to Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys?: The 10 closest matches to Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys by Rob Peñas on ReadingList include Ernö Rubik and His Magic Cube, A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, The Girl Who Figured It Out, Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos, and Gibberish. Each is scored on shared themes (immigration, invention, and biography), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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