Books like Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Looking for books like Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (Historical Fiction · 920L · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of Jim Crow South, family and land, and racial injustice. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 6–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Why each is a match

Dragonwings870L
Same genre (Historical Fiction), a close reading level (870L vs 920L), and the same era (1970s).
Bud, Not Buddy950L
Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (950L vs 920L).
To Kill a Mockingbird870L
Shares themes of racial injustice and a close reading level (870L vs 920L).
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—19631000L
Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (1000L vs 920L).
Refugee800L
Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (800L vs 920L).
A Lesson Before Dying750L
Shares themes of racial injustice and a close reading level (750L vs 920L).
One Crazy Summer750L
Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (750L vs 920L).
The Book Thief730L
Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (730L vs 920L).
The Devil's Arithmetic730L
Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (730L vs 920L).
A Long Walk to Water720L
Same genre (Historical Fiction) and a close reading level (720L vs 920L).

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