Books like Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety

If you liked Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety, read A Bird Will Soar or Show Me a Sign (Show Me a Sign, Book 1) — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety by Rob Harrell? 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 Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety

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Why each is a match

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A Bird Will Soargrades 4–7
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Show Me a Sign (Show Me a Sign, Book 1)grades 4–7
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinngrades 4–7
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
The Truth As Told by Mason Buttlegrades 4–7
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Wildoakgrades 4–7
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
A Dog Called Homelessgrades 3–6
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
A Mango-Shaped Spacegrades 5–8
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
After Ever Aftergrades 5–8
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Anything But Typicalgrades 5–8
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
As Brave As Yougrades 4–7
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Chronically Dolores by Maya Van Wagenen · grades 8–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).
  • Forever Is Now by Mariama J. Lockington · grades 8–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).
  • The Words in My Hands by Asphyxia · grades 8–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).
  • The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart · grades 8–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).

Books like Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Chronically Dolores by Maya Van Wagenen · grades 8–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).
  • Forever Is Now by Mariama J. Lockington · grades 8–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).
  • The Words in My Hands by Asphyxia · grades 8–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).
  • The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart · grades 8–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).
  • This Is My Brain in Love by I. W. Gregorio · grades 9–12 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2020s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety?
The 10 closest matches to Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety by Rob Harrell on ReadingList include A Bird Will Soar, Show Me a Sign (Show Me a Sign, Book 1), The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn, The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle, and Wildoak. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–7), 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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