What books are similar to Real Friends?

The 10 closest matches to Real Friends by Shannon Hale on ReadingList include Class Act, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, Dog Man Unleashed, Drama, and Eight Keys. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, best friends, and graphic novels), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Real Friends reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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 Real Friends

If you liked Real Friends, read Class Act, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, or Dog Man Unleashed — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Real Friends by Shannon Hale (Graphic Novel · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of schools, best friends, and graphic novels. 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Class Actgrades 4–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon →
When Zachary Beaver Came to Towngrades 2–8: Shares themes of best friends and friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Dog Man Unleashedgrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Dramagrades 5–9: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon →
Eight Keysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Giants Bewaregrades 3–5: Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
The Cardboard Kingdomgrades 4–6: Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
The Great Pet Escapegrades 3–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Bink & Golliegrades 2–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Coralinegrades 3–5: Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →

Books like Real Friends for younger readers (K–2)

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

Bone by Jeff Smith · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (2–8).
No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey · 390L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–5).
The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths · 560L — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–5).
A Lot to Like! by Derek Anderson · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (2–5).

Books like Real Friends for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt · 550L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (4–6).
New Kid by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper · 700L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Real Friends for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt · 550L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (4–6).
New Kid by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper · 700L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Real Friends for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (6–9).
Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (5–9).
The Maze Runner by James Dashner · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (7–12).
Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, overlapping grades (8–12), and the same era (2010s).

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

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