Books like Red Racer

If you liked Red Racer, read Heckedy Peg, Beware of Boys, or Copycat — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Red Racer by Audrey Wood (Realistic Fiction · grades K–3)? It’s most often read for its themes of bicycles and bicycling, bicycle racing, and bicycles. 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 K–3 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Red Racer

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Why each is a match

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Heckedy Peggrades K–3
Is by Audrey Wood, the same author, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Beware of Boysgrades K–3
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Copycatgrades K–3
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Fig Puddinggrades 3–5
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
The Junkyard Doggrades 3–5
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Againgrades K–3
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Thingsgrades 3–5
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Are You a Cheeseburger?grades K–3
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Can I Be Your Dog?grades K–3
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Chestergrades K–3
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Red Racer for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Guji Guji by Chen, Zhiyuan · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • He Came With the Couch by David Slonim · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Red Racer for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech · 770L — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • City Spies by James Ponti · grades 4–6 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by Eric Wight · grades 3–5 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).

Books like Red Racer for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Blackwater by Eve Bunting · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech · 770L — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • A Family Apart by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Breakout by Kate Messner · grades 6–8 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Red Racer for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul by Jack Canfield · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Jumping the Nail by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
  • Just Like Martin by Ossie Davis · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Red Racer?
The 10 closest matches to Red Racer by Audrey Wood on ReadingList include Heckedy Peg, Beware of Boys, Copycat, Fig Pudding, and The Junkyard Dog. Each is scored on shared themes (bicycles and bicycling, bicycle racing, and bicycles), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Red Racer reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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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