Books like Pink and Say

If you liked Pink and Say, read Framed!, Holes, or The Book Thief — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco (Historical Fiction · grades 4–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of united states, united states civil war, 1861-1865, 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 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Pink and Say

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Why each is a match

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Framed!grades 3–8
Shares themes of united states and friendship and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Holes660L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
The Book Thief730L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (8–11). Amazon →
The Caygrades 5–8
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Because of Winn-Dixie610L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobodygrades 4–8
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Code Name Kingfishergrades 4–8
Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
El Deafo420L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Impossible Creaturesgrades 4–8
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →

Books like Pink and Say for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey · 720L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–5).
  • When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • A Lot to Like! by Derek Anderson · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–5).
  • A Mischief of Mice by Christie Matheson · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship.
  • Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Pink and Say for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • New Kid by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Not Nothing by Gayle Forman · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Number the Stars by Lois Lowry · 670L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9).

Books like Pink and Say for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • New Kid by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Not Nothing by Gayle Forman · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Number the Stars by Lois Lowry · 670L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9).

Books like Pink and Say for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • My Ántonia by Willa Cather · 1010L — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Historical Fiction).
  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9).
  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky · 720L — Shares themes of friendship.
  • A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens · 1170L — Same genre (Historical Fiction).
  • Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Historical Fiction) 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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